It’s fall and the cooler temperatures are arriving just in time to begin the traditional fall rituals. As Halloween approaches, the family fun event of pumpkin carving will soon commence.
The well-loved activity of topping, gutting, and carving of frightful faces has evolved over time. In modern times, pumpkins aren’t just carved into regular old jack-o-lanterns anymore; they are now fantastic scenes of witches, crescent moons with spooky trees and frightened cats.
No more is it just a scary face set to a flickering flame, it is now a level of art form. This time-honored tradition hasn’t always looked like that.
Ithaschangedandevolved over time as all traditions do. It has been Americanized and morphed into something more fun than scary.
The term jack-o-lantern or Will-o-the-Wisps is referred to in the Oxford English Dictionary as far back as 1660 where it is described as a visual phenomenon known as ignis fatuus or foolish fire seen over peat bogs. It wasn’t until the mid 1800’s that it was associated with the carved Halloween pumpkins we know today.
The practice of carving vegetables has been common practice around the world for a long time, more particularly the carving of turnips. According to the CarnegieMuseumofNatural History, the ancient celts in Ireland would carve turnips or mangel wurzels and place fire embers inside to ward off evil spirits.
This practice was first associated with the Gaelic Festival of Samhain, Halloween, a time when supernatural beings (Aos Si) would walk the earth. When Europeans immigrated to America, they brought with them their carving tradition. However, they began using pumpkins instead because they were easier to carve than a turnip or rutabaga. The pumpkins also gave them more of a canvas to work with.
For anyone who may be interested in trying this ancient tradition, here are steps on how to do so.
1. Pick a large turnip or rutabaga.
2. Cut off the top leaves and stems.
3. Cut a slice off the bottom of the turnip to make it flat.
4. Slice off the top of the turnip and this will be the lid.
5. Carve out the center. This may be hard to do. A small knife works best.
6. Use a knife to cut a face in the turnip.
7. Light the turnip with a small candle.
8. You can leave the top off or on For optimal results, steam the turnip for 20 minutes and use an icre scoop to hollow it out.