In Irish folklore, a supreme con man named Jack, or “Jack-o,” once tricked the Devil himself.
Upon his death, his sins barred him from heaven, and because he had once fooled the Devil he couldn’t enter hell.
After a lot of begging he finally persuaded Satan to give him one burning ember.
Placed in a hollowed-out turnip it served as a lantern to light his way through the afterlife.
Later in North America, the plentiful pumpkin replaced turnips for use as “Jack-o’s lanterns.”
Related Posts
-
Where did Halloween come from and What does the word Halloween mean?
The thirty-first of October was the last day of the year, according to old-time Celtic reckoning. Ghosts walked until the midnight of that evening, and all witches held their annual festivals, riding to…
-
How did the Jack-in-the-box get its name and Where does the term Jack in the box come from?
Nowadays the name "Jack in the box" is usually applied to a toy, a box from which a frightening figure, such as a dragon, serpent, clown, or the like, springs out when the…
-
How did the “Jack-in-the-Pulpit” get its name and Where does the term Jack-in-the-Pulpit come from?
The American wildflower Jack-in-the-Pulpit, growing only in marshy woodlands, is unknown in some parts of the country. To anyone who has seen it in springtime, the cause of the name is obvious. The…
-
Who Invented Cracker Jack and How Did Cracker Jack Get Its Name?
Neither the popcorn nor the peanut is the Jack in Cracker Jack. F. W. Rueckheim was a German immigrant who'd made a name for himself in Chicago as a popcorn vendor. His little…
-
Where Did the Halloween Tradition of Bobbing For Apples Come From and What Does it Symbolize?
Halloween was the Celts' most significant annual holiday. After the Romans invaded Britain, they respected and adopted a few of the Celtic practices. And during the first century AD, the two cultures began…
-
Where Did the Tradition of Giving Out Treats On Halloween Come From and What Does it Symbolize?
As a challenge to Halloween, the Roman Catholic Church placed All Saints Day on November 1. On that day, Christians went from village to village begging for soul cakes, a mixture of bread…
