THE TRADITIONS LIBRARY
Carving Jack-o’-Lanterns
A crooked smile, a pair of triangle eyes, or a face that looks more surprised than spooky-every jack-o’-lantern begins with a pumpkin and an idea.
Carving jack-o’-lanterns gives families and friends a chance to gather around a table, scoop out the seeds, and create something to display when the evenings grow dark. The finished lanterns might line a doorstep, sit in a window, or welcome trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.
The designs can be simple, silly, or carefully planned. Part of the fun is seeing how each pumpkin turns out.
Shared by:
The Traditions Library
0058
CATEGORY
Halloween
FREQUENCY
Annually
AGES
All Ages
COST
Flexible
The Story Behind It
The jack-o’-lantern has roots in older traditions of making lanterns from vegetables. In Ireland, people carved turnips into lanterns with frightening faces, sometimes carrying them or placing them in windows.
The name is associated with an Irish folktale about a man called Jack. In one version, Jack is left to wander with only a lantern to light his way. Like many folktales, the story has been told in different ways over time.
In North America, pumpkins became a familiar material for carved Halloween lanterns. Larger and more widely available there, they offered room for faces and other designs.
Today, the jack-o’-lantern remains a recognizable Halloween decoration, with each household adding its own expression to the tradition.
What You'll Need
• A pumpkin.
• A marker and a spoon or scoop.
• Carving tools for an adult to use.
• A battery-operated light, if you would like the lantern to glow.
Covering the work surface can make cleanup easier. A bowl is useful for collecting seeds and pulp.
Make It Your Own
Give everyone a pumpkin to decorate, or work together on one family design. You might make a traditional face, create a favourite animal, or challenge one another to draw the silliest expression.
For a no-carve version, paint or draw directly on the pumpkin, or add paper features with tape. You could also make a paper lantern or decorate a reusable pumpkin to bring out each year.
Take a photograph of the finished creations, name each one, or display them together with the lanterns from friends and neighbours. The tradition can be a whole evening of creating or a quick project before Halloween night.
How It’s Done
Choose a pumpkin and decide what kind of face or design to make. Draw the design on the outside, then open the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and pulp.
An adult can handle the cutting while children help choose the design, draw the face, or scoop out the inside. Once the carving is complete, place a battery-operated light inside and find a spot to display it.
If you wish, separate and save the seeds for roasting, following a recipe and handling them as food from the start.