Why Is Pumpkin Carving a Halloween Tradition?

Halloween as we know it is based on an ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain. Celebrated at the end of summer, Samhain was a time to honor the deceased. Celts believed that from dusk on October 31 until the dusk of November 1, souls of those who had died that year would pass on, meaning it was also when ghosts would be most present. To ward away evil spirits, people placed jack-o'-lanterns on porches and in windows. Their creations were made from carved turnips, beets, or potatoes with burning lumps of coal inside them to add light.

The jack-o'-lantern is believed to have originated from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who played tricks on everyone. When he died, Jack was denied entry into both heaven and hell and was forced to roam the world as a ghost who carried a lantern made from a carved turnip.

Irish immigrants brought Halloween to America during the 1800s. When these settlers arrived in the United States, they discovered that pumpkins make perfect jack-o'-lanterns. Today, pumpkin carving remains synonymous with Halloween. In fact, the majority of the 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins grown in the United States each year are sold for Halloween. Pumpkin carving is also popular in Ireland, England, and other parts of Europe.