Why do we carve pumpkins on Halloween? The spooky story behind jack-o’-lanterns

Before pumpkins became a Halloween symbol, people carved turnips. Here’s the story of Stingy Jack and how the jack-o’-lantern tradition evolved.

New Delhi: Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31. One of Halloween’s most recognisable sights is a pumpkin carved with a spooky face and lit from within. These glowing decorations, known as jack-o’-lanterns, appear on every doorstep, window and at Halloween parties every year.

Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31. But have you ever wondered how carving pumpkins became part of the October 31 tradition?

What is the story behind pumpkin carving?

The tradition of making Halloween lanterns comes from an old Irish story about a man named Stingy Jack. Legend has it that Jack was a few tricks ahead of the devil. When he died, he was left to wander in the darkness with........

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