The tradition of carving pumpkins on Halloween originates from an old Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack. According to the legend, Jack tricked the Devil and was doomed to roam the earth for eternity with only a burning coal to light his way. He placed the coal inside a hollowed-out turnip to create a lantern. To ward off Jack's wandering spirit, Irish people began carving faces into turnips, beets, or potatoes and placing candles inside them. When Irish immigrants came to America, they found pumpkins more abundant and easier to carve, so pumpkins became the preferred vegetable for making these "Jack-o'-lanterns." The carvings were believed to scare away evil spirits on Halloween night, a tradition tied to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain and later Halloween celebrations.
Thus, carving pumpkins on Halloween is both a symbolic and protective custom rooted in folklore and has evolved into a popular and enjoyable seasonal tradition.
