History of the jack o lantern

Ever wonder where the name "Jack o' lantern" came from? Ever wonder who came up with the idea of carving pumpkins and putting candles inside? Why is it associated with Halloween traditions? Is the Jack o lantern as we know it a unique American creation?

The name, "Jack o lantern", which originally meant "night watchman", is at least 300 years old. "Jack o lantern" was also associated with "will o the wisp", which was a term used for lights seen flickering in the dark over swamps.The first known written use of "Jack o lantern" is from 1663. It wasn't until the mid 1800's that it became associated with carved vegetables carrying a light.

During the 1800's a myth originated in Ireland. The story goes that there was a mean, old drunkard named Jack, who loved to play tricks on people. He even managed to play tricks on the devil. Jack once tricked the devil into climbing a tree. Jack drew a cross on the trunk and the devil was trapped in the tree. Jack made the devil promise that Jack would never be allowed into hell.When Jack finally died, he was too bad to get into Heaven, and the devil wouldn't let him into Hell. Jack was made to wander for all eternity. To mock him, the devil tossed Jack a glowing ember from hell. Jack hollowed out a turnip and placed the ember inside of it.

The tradition of hollowing out vegetables and putting candles inside them is a long one. It originated in Ireland or the Brittish Isles. The vegetable of choice was a turnip or potato. They were carved and filled with a candle. These were placed outside of people's doorways to ward off evil spirits. This was especially done on All Hallow's Eve, or halloween, to ward off evil spirits.

It was believed that the spirits of the dead, as well as witches and goblins, came out to cavort with the living on halloween. Supposedly the hallowed turnips would scare away the evil spirits.

The tradition of using a pumpkin to make the jack o lantern is an American tradition. Pumpkins originated in Central America. When the Irish migrated to North America in the 1800's, they brought the tradition of carving jack o lanterns with them. Apparently one of those immigrants realized that the pumpkin would make a great jack o lantern. Therefore, the use of pumpkins as jack o lanterns...is an American tradition.