Halloween pumpkins are the most popular Halloween traditions. It is also a Halloween decoration which is put in front of homes, front yard etc. The pumpkins are carved to create various types of expressions which are known as jack-o-lanterns. For your creation, choose the perfect pumpkin. Next think about what to carve by using a carving tool. There are also pumpkin carving stencils to give you all the liberty to make a lovely design.
One of America’s favorite Halloween custom is pumpkin carving. Around October, pumpkins can be found almost everywhere. Every autumn during Halloween, there is a wide spread pumpkin carving activity. For centuries, people have been making jack o’lanterns. This tradition is based on an Irish myth about a man named ‘Stingy Jack’.
The story goes that Stingy Jack asked the Devil to have a drink and later didn’t pay for his drink. So he persuaded the Devil to turn into a coin so he could pay for their drinks. Once the Devil changed, Jack kept the coin in his pocket near a silver cross. The Devil couldn’t change back to his original form as it was beside the cross.
Later Jack released the Devil on condition that he would trouble Jack for a year and if he dies, the Devil would not take his soul. But Jack again deceived the Devil by making him climb a tree for a fruit. While the Devil was on the tree, Jack engraved a cross sign on the tree’s bark. So the Devil couldn’t come down till Jack made him pledge not to trouble him for the next ten years.
Later Jack died and it was said even God didn’t want him into heaven because of his bad character. The Devil kept his word of not taking his soul and upset for all the tricks he did on him didn’t want him in hell either. So he sent Jack with a burning coal to light the way in the dark night. Jack put the burning coal in a carved-out turnip and roamed the world ever since. The Irish called this ghost as ‘Jack of the Lantern’ which later became Jack O’Lantern.
In Scotland and Ireland, people used carved potatoes and turnips into scary faces and put it near doors and windows. It was used to frighten away evil spirits and Stingy Jack. The Irish and English immigrants took this tradition to the United States where they used pumpkins to make jack o’lanterns.
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lighting the Halloween pumpkins, you can use battery powered candles, glow stick or candles. Make Halloween pumpkins designs with stencils like a scary face, happy face, surprised face, skull shape, bats, ghost, grave yard, flying bats etc.