The History of Jack-O'-Lanterns: Carving Pumpkins On Halloween Originates In Celtic Tradition

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Carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns is a popular Halloween tradition that originated hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Source: (gettyimages.com)

Today, jack-o'-lanterns are a Halloween staple that almost single-handedly keep America's pumpkin farmers in business. Originally, though, the practice of carving comical or frightening faces into hollowed-out vegetables and lighting them from within had nothing to do with Halloween---even if it was just as spooky. Where did this tradition come from? How was it brought to America? Here’s the story of how jack-o'-lanterns came to be.