The Mycenaean

Carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns is an integral part of celebrating Halloween.

Jack-o-lanterns started as turnips with hot coals or candles inside. After the Gaelic people, originally from Ireland and Scotland, migrated to America, pumpkins began being used for these spooky light sources.

Halloween has been celebrated in many different forms for almost 3000 years. Its roots are in the Gaelic festival of Samhain, which means ‘end of summer’, and the Catholic holiday of All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day. 

Traditionally, there was a celebration of the dead on October 31, the eve of Samhain. it was believed that on the following day the world of the gods was revealed, the gods used this day to play tricks on and torment their worshippers.

Along with the trickster gods, the dead and other lost souls visited the mortal world. One of these lost souls was a man named Stingy Jack. who would travel across Ireland for his silver tongue. 

The devil was intrigued and envious of his abilities, so he decided to go collect his soul. Jack realized this and tricked the devil into never taking his soul. Jack grew tired of his eternal life and tried to go to either heaven or hell yet neither would take him, forcing him to wander the Earth forever.

Jack-o-lanterns are the only way to keep Jack’s angry spirit away from a home, saving its inhabitants from his torment. Now the flaming pumpkins symbolize Halloween and a fun family bonding activity.

Clara Davis, senior, said, “My favorite thing to do with pumpkins probably painting them. My family used to have a tradition where instead of carving them because it was messy and gross we would paint them instead.”

The Leesville area has many pumpkin patches nearby, from Paige Farms to the Leesville Road Pumpkin Patch. Pumpkins have sprouted many different Leesville traditions such as the LRHS Pumpkin Instagram page and the Cross Country Pumpkin Run.

Lily Lesher, junior, said, “It’s really fun because I get to do a fun run with with all my friends, get a pumpkin and then ice cream after.” Davis said, “The pumpkin run is probably my favorite day in all of cross country. We run down Leesville Road in funny costumes to the pumpkin patch and we buy pumpkins. Then we run to Goodberries and then run really fast back to Leesville before the ice cream kicks in.”

While jack-o-lanterns have lost their original meaning and traditions, they have gained new ones that bring people together.