Surprising History: The Legend of "Stingy Jack"
According to legend the practice of making Jack-O'-Lanterns originated from an Irish myth about a man named "Stingy Jack." Story has it that Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. Being a cheap ass Stingy Jack refused to pay for his drink so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. After the Devil did this, Jack decided to keep the money (devil coin) into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. Pushing his luck, Jack again tricked the Devil the following year into climbing a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While the Devil was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised not to bother him for ten more years.
Soon after, Jack died - most likely from the excessive drinking, and living fast and dangerously tempting the devil. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, still pissed about being tricked twice but keeping his word not to claim Jack's soul, would not allow Jack into Hell. Jack was instead sent off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with it ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," but in simplified Irish lingo - "Jack O'Lantern."
In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits (although Stingy Jack seems to like cared out vegetables with lights in it so not sure how that would work). In England, large beets were used. Immigrants from these countries brought the Jack O'lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit Native to America, make perfect jack-o'-lanterns.
Topical Music
This Is Halloween from Nightmare Before Christmas
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