What does a Jack-o-Lantern symbolize?

Answer 1

"On Hallows' eve, the ancient Celts would place a skeleton on their window sill to represent the departed. Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip or rutabaga. Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body, containing the spirit and the knowledge, the Celts used the "head" of the vegetable to frighten off the embodiment of superstitions...The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America[14] where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger- making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their doorstep after dark."

-Wikipedia

Answer 2

The tradition of carving pumpkins originated from an Irish legend of Stingy Jack, doomed to wander endlessly through dark nights with only a burning coal in a turnip that had been hollowed out for light. People would carve scary faces into turnips and place them in their windows to keep "Jack of the Lantern" away. Immigrants to the United States began using native pumpkins rather then turnips, and the practice continues to this day.

Answer 3

Supposedly, the Jack-O-Lantern came about by a man nicknamed "stingy Jack". According to the story "stingy Jack" had invited the devil to have a drink with him one night. Jack didn't want to pay up to the devil, so he convinced the devil to turn into a coin so Jack could buy his round. The devil had done so and "stingy Jack" then decided to keep the coin in his pocket next to a crucifix, preventing the devil from changing back. Eventually Jack decided to let the devil go, but before he did so he put several conditions up to the devil.

1. the devil could not bother Jack for a year

2. if Jack were to die the devil could not take his soul

The devil agreed and Jack let him go. One year later, Jack managed to trick the devil once more. Jack had the devil climb up a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While the devil was up in the tree, Jack carved a cross into the bark of the tree, causing the devil to be stuck in the tree. To get down the devil had to promise not to bother Jack for another 10 years. Soon after Jack had died.

They say that when Jack died, God wouldn't let him into heaven because of the unsavory tricks he played. Later Jack found out he wasnt allowed to enter hell because the devil had promised not to take his soul.The devil sent Jack back up to the living, but Jack could only show up at night with one piece of burning coal.

The Irish now say that Jack put a piece of coal in a carved out turnip and roamed through towns at night. Others believe that on Halloween night souls are let out and able to roam free. Centuries ago people thought if you put a hollowed out turnips (pumpkins) to:

1. impersonate stingy Jack

2. scare away unwanted spirits

Answer 4

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Jack, a stingy, drunken Irishman, is the reason why jack o' lanterns have been associated with Halloween for centuries.

One popular version of an Irish legend tells of Jack drinking too much liquor at a local pub on All Hallow's Eve. The more drinks Jack consumed the more his life was slipping away. As the intoxicated Jack stumbled home, the Devil demanded that Jack come to Hell with him because of his evil ways. Jack, who was not too eager to die, convinced the Devil to climb a nearby tree to pluck him an apple. As the Devil climbed the tree, Jack carved a cross in the tree's trunk--preventing the Devil from coming back down. The angry and deceived Devil demanded that Jack release him. But first, the clever Jack wanted to make a pact with the Devil. Jack made the Devil promise that when he died the Devil would not claim his soul. The Devil agreed and Jack set him free.

On the following All Hallow's Eve Jack died from his excessive drinking. He was forbidden to enter the gates of Heaven because of his mean and evil habits. Desperate for a resting place, Jack tried entering Hell, but the Devil denied Jack access because of their previous promise. The Devil gave the rejected Jack a lighted coal to help him find his resting place. Jack, who was munching down on a turnip at the time, placed the coal inside the turnip to light his way through the dark night. Since then, Jack has been roaming the world with his jack o'lantern looking for a place to rest.

The use of Jack O'Lanterns as festive lights at Halloween is a legendary custom that descended from the Irish who used carved out potatoes, beets, or turnips as lanterns.

Pumpkins were not used until Irish immigrants came to America and realized that these big orange squashes were more abundant and cheaper than beets or turnips.

Answer 5

The practice of carving pumpkins into Jack O' Lanterns is well over 100 years old. However, the practice of carving faces into other vegetables goes back way further and was believed to keep away evil spirits.

Answer 6

Because they represent Halloween and also in this way, you are celebrating Halloween.

Answer 7

we carve jack o lanterns because stingy jack tricked the devil into going to hell and the smile is to represent jack's smile when he did

Answer 8

To scare off vampires.