Why carve jack o lanterns

Sometime around the 18th century, Irish folklore about a cunning and unsavory character had worked its way into the fold, as well. Stingy Jack was often said to be a blacksmith with a taste for mischief and booze. Although there are many versions of his cautionary tale, one recurring storyline is that he managed to trick the devil twice and wound up banned from both heaven and hell.

Upon his death, Stingy Jack was forced to wander between both places for eternity with nothing more than an ember of a coal lighting his way in a turnip lantern.

The folktale was reinforced by ignis fatus, a natural phenomenon that occurs in marshlands and bogs that produces flickering lights as gasses created by decomposing organic mature combust. Ignis fatus is described as a floating flame that would move away from travelers. They carved frightening faces into turnips and other root vegetables and placed them in windows and doors to keep Stingy Jack and other aimless spirits away from their homes.

This tradition eventually became a hallmark of Halloween and the jack-o-lantern evolved from haunting turnip faces to the expressive pumpkin carvings we recognize today.

When immigrants who observed these traditions came to the United States they swapped the root vegetables for pumpkins, which were both native and plentiful in America.

From there, each generation that has followed has put its own spin on the ancient tradition. If our ancestors kicked the root vegetables to the curb, why would we try carving jack-o-lanterns from turnips, beets and potatoes?

They are a little more difficult to carve. They offer a much smaller canvas. And they are not exactly a widely-recognized symbol of Halloween in I decided to carve original jack-o-lanterns with my daughter, Vayda, this year for the added challenge, the history and because they are undeniably more creepy than any jack-o-lanterns we have ever carved from pumpkins.

It was a bonus that we had already decided to do this project when both of our pumpkins rotted nearly two weeks before Halloween. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America, home of the pumpkin, and it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.

Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit.

Soon after, Jack died. You normally begin carving a pumpkin by cutting off the top to create a lid. It is necessary to cut at a 45 degree angle so that the lid will have a place to rest once replaced.

If you make the cut straight down it will fall through Another way of pumpkin carving is to cut a hole in the bottom. Once the hole is made into the pumpkin you can begin to scrape out the insides, be sure to keep the seeds -they make a tasty snack! To scrape out the pumpkin guts it is helpful to use a large spoon or ice cream scooper. Now it is time to get creative!

If you choose to print a pattern off of the Internet, or purchase one from a store it is now time to tape it to your pumpkin. Flancer's - Incredible Sandwiches and Pizza.

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