Post by Ali on Oct 31, 2012 10:04:57 GMT 1
Ever wonder how pumpkins became part of Halloween?
It all began with the Irish and a guy nicknamed "Stingy Jack." He was a man who did a deal with the Devil and suffered the eternal consequences.
According to mythology, Jack summoned the Devil to have a drink with him. However, once it was time to pay, Jack stayed true to his nickname and refused to ante up. In order resolve the issue, the Devil turned himself into a coin. Jack put the coin (the Devil) in his pocket next to a silver cross and didn't pay the bar tab. Trapped in form because of the silver cross, the Devil made a deal with his captor to leave him alone for the next year and not claim his soul after death. At these words, Jack released the Devil.
Legend has it that one he finally died, Jack couldn't make into heaven because of his evil deeds. However, he couldn't go to hell either because of his prior agreement with the Devil. As a result, he was 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 began to roam the earth as a ghost. The Irish quit calling him "Stingy Jack" at this time and began to call him "Jack of the Lantern" or simply "Jack O'Lantern."
Afraid of the ghost of "Jack O'Lantern," the people of Ireland and Scotland began to fend off his spirit by making their own versions of his lantern. They placed turnips and potatoes carved with scary faces in their windows or near doors to frighten away "Stingy Jack" and any other wandering evil spirits. The tradition became popular and traveled the world as immigrants from this area went to different places. Once it hit America, it was practiced again, but only with a popular native fruit, the pumpkin.
(http://voices.yahoo.com/why-we-pumpkins-halloween-590701.html)
It all began with the Irish and a guy nicknamed "Stingy Jack." He was a man who did a deal with the Devil and suffered the eternal consequences.
According to mythology, Jack summoned the Devil to have a drink with him. However, once it was time to pay, Jack stayed true to his nickname and refused to ante up. In order resolve the issue, the Devil turned himself into a coin. Jack put the coin (the Devil) in his pocket next to a silver cross and didn't pay the bar tab. Trapped in form because of the silver cross, the Devil made a deal with his captor to leave him alone for the next year and not claim his soul after death. At these words, Jack released the Devil.
Legend has it that one he finally died, Jack couldn't make into heaven because of his evil deeds. However, he couldn't go to hell either because of his prior agreement with the Devil. As a result, he was 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 began to roam the earth as a ghost. The Irish quit calling him "Stingy Jack" at this time and began to call him "Jack of the Lantern" or simply "Jack O'Lantern."
Afraid of the ghost of "Jack O'Lantern," the people of Ireland and Scotland began to fend off his spirit by making their own versions of his lantern. They placed turnips and potatoes carved with scary faces in their windows or near doors to frighten away "Stingy Jack" and any other wandering evil spirits. The tradition became popular and traveled the world as immigrants from this area went to different places. Once it hit America, it was practiced again, but only with a popular native fruit, the pumpkin.
(http://voices.yahoo.com/why-we-pumpkins-halloween-590701.html)
