When we think about the term Halloween, we typically associate the term with; Costumes, Trick-or treating, Candy, and the Undead. On that night we dress up go Door to door and beg for a treat. We also watch frightening movies and try to scare our Family and friends. But how many of us know what Halloween is? Do we know what all the Token Symbols represent and why we use them? This First Post of the series will go over the most Iconic Symbol of the Holiday, “The Jack-O-Lantern”, and why we have chosen to incorporate it into this fun and frightening night.
Halloween: October 31 observed especially with dressing up in disguise, trick-or-treating, and displaying jack-o’-lanterns during the evening (Merriam Webster)
also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve (Wikipedia)
the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It begins the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. (Wikipedia)
Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, as well as watching horror films. (Wikipedia)
Now that we are familiar with the Term Halloween, let’s discover the symbols. Halloween symbols are what makes Halloween look and feel like Halloween. They are physical depictions of what Frightens us about Halloween. To not make this Post too long we will break these symbols up into a series of Posts. For his post, we will focus on the Pumpkin.
Jack-o-Lantern Symbol
The concept of using a round fruit or vegetable to depict a human face goes back thousands of years in some northern European Celtic cultures. “It may even have had pre-Christian origins that evolved from the custom of head veneration, or potentially even represented war trophies taken from your foes,” says Nathan Mannion, senior curator for EPIC the Irish Emigration Museum, in Dublin. “It’s quite macabre, but it may have symbolized the severed heads of your enemies.” (National Geographic)
The idea took deeper hold during the Celtic festival of Samhain, which was originally celebrated on November 1 and inspired many traditions of modern-day Halloween. On Samhain eve, October 31, spirits of the dead were thought to mingle with the living. To ward off restless souls, people donned costumes and carved frightening faces into root vegetables such as beets, potatoes, and turnips—usually plentiful after the recent harvest. A practical purpose also evolved, says Mannion. “Metal lanterns were quite expensive, so people would hollow out root vegetables,” he says. “Over time people started to carve faces and designs to allow light to shine through the holes without extinguishing the ember.” (National Geographic)
Visitors to the National Museum of Ireland—Country Life, in County Mayo, can see firsthand how terrifying those turnips could look. A plaster cast of a carved turnip lantern common during the early 1900s—called a “ghost turnip” and complete with craggy teeth and sinister eye slits—haunts the museum’s permanent exhibitions. (National Geographic)
“There were no pumpkins in Ireland, so the pumpkin symbol didn’t become popular until the Irish migrated to America during the potato famine.
The reason for the face centers around the old Irish story of Stingy Jack.
Townspeople began placing jack-o-lanterns around their homes to keep Stingy Jack from coming to their door” (King Halloween).
“Then there’s the 18th-century Irish folktale of Stingy Jack, an unsavory fellow often said to be a blacksmith who had a fondness for mischief and booze. Dozens of versions abound, but one recurring storyline is that Stingy Jack tricked the devil twice. When Jack died, he found himself barred from heaven—and from hell. But the devil took some pity on Jack, giving him an ember of coal to light his turnip lantern as he wandered between both places for eternity—again inspiring the nickname Jack-of-the-Lantern, or jack-o’-lantern.
“It was also used as a cautionary tale, a morality tale, that Jack was a soul trapped between two worlds, and if you behaved like he did you could end up like that, too,” Mannion says.
The story also helped explain ignis fatuus, a natural phenomenon that occurs in marshlands and bogs—such as those in Ireland’s countryside—producing flickering lights as gases from decomposing organic matter combust. Also known as fool’s fire, fairy lights, will-o’-the-wisp, and eventually, jack-o’-lantern, it often seemed like “a floating flame that would move away from travelers,” Mannion says. “If you were to try to follow the light, you could go into a sinkhole or bog, or drown. People thought it was Jack of the Lantern, a lost soul, or a ghost.” (National Geographic)
Here is one of the “Legend of Stingy Jack” Stories.
Now that we have the History of this Great Halloween Symbol, let’s have some fun with it.
How to Carve a Jack-O-Lantern
How to Carve a Jack-O-Lantern
- To carve a Jack-o-Lantern you will need the following materials
1 Pumpkin
1 Medium Serving Spoon
1 Medium Knife
1 Small Knife
Newspaper
Medium bowl
1 Dry Erase Marker
1 Candle Real or Electric/Battery Operated
1 lighter
Or You could just purchase a Kit.
Pumpkin Carving Tool Kit
Step 1: Preparing for Carving
For this step you will need to Lay something down under your Pumpkin and supplies so that none of the Pumpkin innards get all over the place. You can use, Plastic tables clothes, Trash bags, Newspaper, a Plastic shower curtain, a Tarp, or Painters clothes.
Step 2: Cutting Out the Stem/Side panel/ or Bottom
This is up to your personal Preference. Most people cut the tip off so that they can use the stem as a grabber for when they put the candle inside. I have seen many arguments over this. Some people argue that cutting a whole in the Bottom, allows the Pumpkin to release moisture and it allows the Pumpkin the ability to sit over the Candle. As for the side panel, this gives you easier access to the candle as well.
Michael Natiello, pumpkin carving pro and creative director for The Great Jack-o’-Lantern Blaze, says cutting your “lid” from the bottom of the pumpkin helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
Pumpkin Stencils
Here are some great Stencils for your Jack-O-Lantern
ONLY CUT THE GRAY AREA’S
How to preserve a Jack-o-lantern
Here are some tips for keeping your jack-o’-lantern fresh for as long as possible.
1. Clean the pumpkin before you carve it.
Once your pumpkin is nice and gutted, spray the inside with 1 tablespoon of bleach mixed into a quart of water. This will kill any bacteria lurking inside.
2. Use petroleum jelly on the carved edges.
Lock in moisture by using petroleum jelly, olive oil, vegetable oil or hairspray to keep the pumpkin moisturized. Repeat daily. However, don’t use an open flame in jack-o’-lantern afterward, as oils can be flammable.
3. Don’t use a candle.
Even if you don’t use oil in your pumpkin, try a glowstick or battery-operated votive. Intense heat speeds up the rotting process by drying out your pumpkin.
4. Keep it out of extreme temperatures.
If it freezes, the pumpkin will thaw and rot faster. jack-o’-lanterns also don’t do well in the heat. Bring them inside when temperatures get too low or high.
5. Cut the bottom instead of the top.
5 More Tips To Keep Your Jack-O-Lantern Fresher Longer
After you’ve cleaned and carved your pumpkin:
- Fill a spray bottle with a solution of one tablespoon bleach per quart of water. Spray interior and cut surfaces liberally, allowing it to penetrate and dry. This formula is said to kill off surface bacteria and mold that can lead to rot.
- Another method is to lightly spray the cut interior with a solution of 1 tablespoon peppermint Castile soap in a quart of water. Peppermint is a natural anti-fungal and will slow the decaying processing. (Use either spray method #1 or #2, not both).
- Apply petroleum jelly or olive oil to the cut surfaces to prevent dehydration over time.
- Spraying the cut surfaces with hairspray can also slow down the decaying process. Products designed for anti-humidity work really well.
- Instead of cutting the stem out of the top of the pumpkin to be carved, cut the hole on the bottom of the pumpkin and remove the piece. Then simply place the clean, carved pumpkin on top of a candle or solar light. This method not only makes for easier candle lighting but allows moisture to escape rather than pool at the bottom of the pumpkin, which accelerates the rotting process (however, see bonus, tip, below).
- Bonus: You can also cut a circular hole at the back (save the piece). Make it large enough so you can clean out and carve your design, then simply insert a candle or solar light through the hole (replace the piece with a toothpick). Removing the top cuts off nutrients to the fruit so it will dry out faster, and cutting the bottom can make a mess as pumpkins give off a lot of water once cut.
How to Preserve a Pumpkin Without Harming Wildlife
Apple cider vinegar
to pat your pumpkin dry and then brush the inside and around all of the carvings with 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar diluted in 1 quart of water. We use a pastry brush or you can place the mixture in a clean spray bottle and lightly spray your pumpkin.
VEGETABLE OILS
I found an article at plantcaretoday, that said vegetable oils, like Olive Oil, can really help preserve your pumpkin. To use this method, you make sure the pumpkins are dried completely, then take a paper towel or cloth and rub a small amount of oil all over the pumpkin. You are supposed to rub enough on that it looks shiny, but not so much that it is greasy.
Soak the pumpkin in a Vinegar solution
Another excellent way of preserving pumpkins is to pickle them! Fill a tub or other container with a mixture of 10 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Fully immerse your pumpkins and other gourds and allow them to soak for 30 minutes. Pull them out, allow them to air dry and put them on display!
TIME FOR A REVIVAL
If you notice that your pumpkin is starting to dry out, you can always bring it inside and submerge it in a tub or sink of cold water overnight, or at least for a few hours. This method is really supposed to help revive them. Make sure that once you remove your pumpkin from the water, that you dry it thoroughly to prevent it from getting moldy.
Tried and true ways to Preserve a Jack-O-lantern
Jack-O-Lantern Recipes
Jack-O-Lantern Stuffed Peppers | Delish
Edible Jack-O’-Lanterns FTW!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 orange bell peppers
- extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 c. cooked white rice
- 1 c. chicken stock, divided
- 1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack, divided
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut off (and reserve) the top of each pepper. Remove and discard the cores and seeds. Using a sharp paring knife, carve a Jack O’Lantern face into each pepper. Drizzle the inside of each pepper with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the peppers upright in a large baking dish along with the pepper tops.
3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Sauté onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and sauté until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat and drain the fat.
4. Return skillet to stovetop over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chili powder. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken stock, cooked rice and 3/4 cup of cheese. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined.
5. Divide rice and beef mixture between the hollowed out peppers. Top with cheese.
6. Pour remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock into pan. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.
Jack-O-Lantern Coloring Pages
To Print these great Coloring pages, simply click on the image, Right click and save to your device, and print on your printer.
Cartoons with Pumpkins
Peter Rabbit – The Great Pumpkin Theft
1955 Disney’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Pumpkin who couldn’t Smile
Lumpkin the Pumpkin
Mighty Mouse – “The Witch’s Cat” (1948)
The Berenstain Bears and the Spookiest Pumpkin
“Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh”
“The Book Of Pooh Just Say Boo”
Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween
I hope you have enjoyed your time here exploring the ends and outs of the Jack-O-Lantern. If this Post has made you smile or taught you anything new, then I have done my Job. If you liked the Contents of This Post please be sure to; Like, Comment, Share, and if you feel compelled to do so, Subscribe to my Blog. As always, I would like to thank you for joining me today. See you soon!
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