The Story of Jack O' Lantern

One of the most common Halloween traditions is the placing of a Jack O'Lantern on the front porch. On Halloween night, these grinning pumpkins illuminate the street with their devious grins. But where does this tradition come from?

The Irish brought the story of Jack O' Lantern with them from the old country. According to legend, Jack was a mischievous man who spent his time playing terrible tricks on all those around him. He knew his soul was in danger due to his terrible behavior, so he tricked the devil into climbing a tree and then surrounded the tree with crosses. The devil was trapped and Jack was able to give him an ultimatum, spend eternity in that tree or promise you will never take my soul. The devil promised he would ever take Jack's soul.

Time past and Jack spent his terrible life doing one bad thing after another. When he died, he went to heaven but St. Peter would not let him in. Jack was desolate, so he went to the devil, but the devil honored his promise and turned him away. Jack was left to wander the earth in darkness with only an ember he stole from hell to light his way. He hollowed out a turnip and placed the ember in the turnip. He became Jack O' Lantern who wasn't wanted by heaven or hell.

The Irish carved out turnips and beats every Halloween to scare away bad spirits like Jack O'Lantern and even gave the turnips his name. When they cam to America, they found pumpkins were much easier to carve than turnips and thus the modern Jack O' Lantern was born.

Five Forgotten Halloween Traditions to Bring Back

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while might remember this post.  As I hang spiders and bake mummy dogs by the dozens for tomorrow's Halloween party, I thought it might be nice to reuse my favorite Halloween post from last year. Halloween is my favorite Holiday. It has a very long history that is often forgotten. Although Halloween's roots can be traced back to pagan practices, it's name came from Christians. Halloween was the time of year when the ancient Celts believed that the veil between this world and the "otherworld" became thin allowing for spirits to have more access to our world. This was, naturally, quite terrifying to the Celts. In order to protect themselves from the spirits, people built enormous bonfires and cast bones into them to scare the spirits away. They also dressed up as terrifying spirits to confuse wicked spirits into believing they were spirits themselves. The Celts called Halloween Samhain. It was the Catholics that came up with the name Halloween. The early Christians were masters at taking local pagan holidays and integrating into their own Christian days. Even Christmas was stolen from Saturnalia. Catholics took Samhain and made it All Saints day, a day to celebrate the spirits of all the deceased saint. All Hallow's Eve was the night before All Saints day. The term All Hallow's Eve was eventually shortened to Halloween.


Through Halloween's long history there have been many traditions that have been simply left behind. This saddens me. So here are some I think we should bring back.

1.Colcannon: This is an Irish dish made with cabbage, kale, and potatoes. Small coins and prizes are usually hidden in this dish making it a little treasure hunt. I admit, this dish sounds repugnant, however, if altered slightly to regular potatoes the treasure hunt in dinner form is great fun for kids and adults. Just don't swallow the pennies.

2. Barmbrack: This is another food tradition. It is a tradition Irish fruitcake baked into a ring. Items are placed within the cake that for tell the future. For example, if you find the wedding ring, you'll be married soon. Finding coins predicts great wealth.

3. Tricking: Back in the old days the trick in trick or treating had meaning. People would hit the streets causing mayhem and playing tricks on people in their costumes and the only way to avoid the "tricking" was to give out treats. What happened to the tricks? Not saying you should set your neighbor's lawn on fire or anything, but if stingy old Ms. Brown isn't giving out candy this year, some fake poo on her porch might be perfect.

4. Bonfires: Why not scare bad spirits away with fires? Fires are fun. I'm building a fire in my fire pit this Halloween.

5. Fortune Telling: There are many types of fortune telling done on Halloween night, but one's fortune was always believe to be most easily predicted on Halloween. Whether you were reading tea leaves, apple peals, or gazing into mirrors to see your future, a prediction made on Halloween was always accurate.

Why We Wear Halloween Costumes

One of the most popular parts of Halloween is the costumes.  Dressing up as a sexy maid or a horrible zombie is the Hallmark of our modern Holiday celebration.  But as Halloween creeps up on us, I always think it is fun to think back to where this tradition came from.  It is good to know why we dress up on Halloween.  Halloween's history is most commonly traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain. During Samhain, the Celts believed that the divider between this world and the next became thin. This thinning allowed both malevolent and benevolent spirits to cross over to our world. This naturally caused a good deal of fear and anxiety for the ancient Celts. While family ghosts were welcomed, bad spirits had to be scared off. Celts used bonfires to drive evil spirits off. They also used apotropaic devices to scare off bad spirits.

Apotropaic literally means to ward off evil but apotopaic devices are often devices that are so terrifying that they scare away evil. My favorite examples of apotropaic devices are the gargoyles and terrible monsters that line the outside and insides of medieval cathedrals in Europe. The most holy places in the medieval world were lined with horrifying demons and monsters that are often depicted devouring people and animals. These horrors were so terrible that medieval people thought that even evil spirits would be frightened off.

Costumes were used as both apotropaic devices and disguises to confuse the spirits. In Scotland, young men pretended to be dead by blackening their faces. These costumes evolved over the years and were eventually used in the late medieval practice of souling when poor people would go door to door asking for food. This practice eventually evolved into costumed trick or treating. So as you plan your costume this year remember that it should not only be interesting, but it should scare off evil spirits as well!

The Origins of Halloween Costumes

Halloween's history is most commonly traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain.  During Samhain, the Celts believed that the divider between this world and the next became thin.  This thinning allowed both malevolent and benevolent spirits to cross over to our world.  This naturally caused a good deal of fear and anxiety for the ancient Celts.  While family ghosts were welcomed, bad spirits had to be scared off.  Celts used bonfires to drive evil spirits off.  They also used apotropaic devices to scare off bad spirits.  

Apotropaic literally means to ward off evil but apotopaic devices are often devices that are so terrifying that they scare away evil.  My favorite examples of apotropaic devices are the gargoyles and terrible monsters that line the outside and insides of medieval cathedrals in Europe.  The most holy places in the medieval world were lined with horrifying demons and monsters that are often depicted devouring people and animals.  These horrors were so terrible that medieval people thought that even evil spirits would be frightened off.  

Costumes were used as both apotropaic devices and disguises to confuse the spirits.  In Scotland, young men interpreted the dead by blackening their faces.  These costumes evolved over the years and were eventually used in the late medieval practice of souling when poor people would go door to door asking for food.  This practice eventually evolved into costumed trick or treating.   So as you plan your costume this year remember that it should not only be interesting, but it should scare off evil spirits as well!

The Story of Jack O'Lantern

One of the most common Halloween traditions is the placing of a Jack O'Lantern on the front porch.  On Halloween night,  these grinning pumpkins illuminate the street with their devious grins.  But where does this tradition come from?

The Irish brought the story of Jack O' Lantern with them from the old country.  According to legend, Jack was a mischievous man who spent his time playing terrible tricks on all those around him.  He knew his soul was in danger due to his terrible behavior, so he tricked the devil into climbing a tree and then surrounded the tree with crosses.   The devil was trapped and Jack was able to give him an ultimatum, spend eternity in that tree or promise you will never take my soul.  The devil promised he would ever take Jack's soul.

Time past and Jack spent his terrible life doing one bad thing after another.  When he died,  he went to heaven but St. Peter would not let him in.   Jack was desolate, so he went to the devil, but the devil honored his promise and turned him away.  Jack was left to wander the earth in darkness with only an ember he stole from hell to light his way.  He hollowed out a turnip and placed the ember in the turnip.  He became Jack O' Lantern who wasn't wanted by heaven or hell.

The Irish carved out turnips and beats every Halloween to scare away bad spirits like Jack O'Lantern and even gave the turnips his name.  When they cam to America,  they found pumpkins were much easier to carve than turnips and thus the modern Jack O' Lantern was born.

5 Forgotten Halloween Traditions to Bring Back

Halloween is my favorite Holiday.  It has a very long history that is often forgotten.    Although Halloween's roots can be traced back to pagan practices,  it's name came from Christians.  Halloween was the time of year when the ancient Celts believed that the veil between this world and the "otherworld" became thin allowing for spirits to have more access to our world.  This was, naturally, quite terrifying to the Celts.  In order to protect themselves from the spirits,  people built enormous bonfires and cast bones into them to scare the spirits away.  They also dressed up as terrifying spirits to confuse wicked spirits into believing they were spirits themselves.  The Celts called Halloween Samhain.   It was the Catholics that came up with the name Halloween.  The early Christians were masters at taking local pagan holidays and integrating into their own Christian days.  Even Christmas was stolen from Saturnalia.   Catholics took Samhain and made it All Saints day, a day to celebrate the spirits of all the deceased saint.  All Hallow's Eve was the night before All Saints day.  The term All Hallow's Eve was eventually shortened to Halloween. 

Through Halloween's long history there have been many traditions that have been simply left behind.  This saddens me.  So here are some I think we should bring back.

1.Colcannon:   This is an Irish dish made with cabbage, kale, and potatoes.  Small coins and prizes are usually hidden in this dish making it a little treasure hunt.   I admit,  this dish sounds repugnant, however,  if altered slightly to regular potatoes the treasure hunt in dinner form is great fun for kids and adults.  Just don't swallow the pennies.

2. Barmbrack:   This is another food tradition.  It is a tradition Irish fruitcake baked into a ring.  Items are placed within the cake that for tell the future.  For example,  if you find the wedding ring, you'll be married soon. Finding coins predicts great wealth. 

3.  Tricking:  Back in the old days the trick in trick or treating had meaning.  People would hit the streets causing mayhem and playing tricks on people in their costumes and the only way to avoid the "tricking" was to give out treats.  What happened to the tricks?  Not saying  you should set your neighbor's lawn on fire or anything, but if stingy old Ms. Brown isn't giving out candy this year, some fake poo on her porch might be perfect.

4.  Bonfires:   Why not scare bad spirits away with fires?  Fires are fun.  I'm building a fire in my fire pit this Halloween.

5. Fortune Telling:  There are many types of fortune telling done on Halloween night, but one's fortune was always believe to be most easily predicted on Halloween.  Whether you were reading tea leaves, apple peals, or gazing into mirrors to see your future, a prediction made on Halloween was always accurate.