Do You Know Where Jack O’Lantern Got Its Name?

Ever ponder where the Jack O’Lantern got its name? It’s a pretty cool story, with origins in Ireland back in the 1500s.

Legend has it that a guy nicknamed Stingy Jack, made more than one deal with the devil. The specifics, according to Philadelphia writer, Matt Soniak, say that Jack invited the devil to drink with him, convinced him to shape-shift into a coin to pay the tab, and then skipped out on him. He kept him in his pocket alongside a silver cross, disabling the devil’s ability to shift back.

Fearing the devil would claim his soul when he died, Jack made a deal to let him loose, on the promise that he wouldn’t seek revenge and condemn him to hell. Somehow this happened on more than one occasion.

Meanwhile, when Jack died, he was apparently locked out of heaven because of these dealings. The devil kept his promise and wouldn’t let Jack into hell and told him to go find his own hell. He did, however, give him one burning coal that Jack placed inside of a carved out turnip, to light his way, as he was destined to wander the earth for all eternity.     

Add this to the eerie lights that rise up from bogs, swamps and marshes in Ireland, and people thought they had seen Jack and his lantern. Scientists explained that the “ghost lights—are created when gases from decomposing plant matter ignite as they come into contact with electricity or heat as they oxidize.”

Since turnips, beets and potatoes were plentiful, they were carved, candles were placed inside, and used for lights to ward off Jack of the Lantern. He came to be called Jack O’Lantern, and the tradition of carving ghostly faces came to be, in an attempt to scare off all of the evil spirits that wandered in the dark.

Once word of it circulated in America, pumpkins, much larger, easier to carve, and also plentiful, became the fruit of choice in which to make the Jack O’Lanterns.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween and stay enchanted!