Pumpkin Holiday Halloween

2023 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 05:47

All Saints' Eve is one of the oldest and most revered holidays in the world. It occurs every year on the same day - October 31st. It got its modern name in the Middle Ages, it was called All Hallows' Eve (in Old English "hallow" - saint).

And the history of this holiday begins even earlier, in the Celtic time. On November 1, the Celts celebrated the New Year, Samhain, and the beginning of winter. It was believed that on New Year's Eve, the ghosts and spirits of the deceased return in search of a body that they can take over for the next year. The Celts believed that all the laws of time and existence did not work on this night, allowing the spirits to do whatever they wanted. One of the most famous Halloween traditions dates back to Irish folklore.

According to legend, the dodgy and alcoholic Jack deceived the devil, forcing him to climb a tree and draw a cross on the trunk, so that the devil could not go down. When Jack died, he, of course, was not taken to heaven for all his sins, but he was also denied in hell because he outwitted the devil himself. Jack was only given one smoldering ember, designed to illuminate his further endless path in the icy darkness. This ember was put in an empty turnip so that it burned longer. This is where the tradition of lighting candles on Halloween came from. When Irish immigrants came to America, they found that the pumpkin was much more convenient for lighting, and pumpkins were used for vessels with candles.

Such lanterns (they were called jack lanterns) are now lit on the eve of All Saints' Day in many homes, illuminating the festive table with a gloomy trembling light, and the pumpkin eventually became the only vegetable that was honored to become a symbol of the holiday. Moreover, pumpkin lanterns are not limited to Halloween - it is believed that pumpkin dishes on the table bring good luck on this day, and they are an indispensable attribute of the festive table.

Why don't we celebrate Halloween this year too? After all, it's enough just to get pumpkin lanterns and candles, and also cook a couple of pumpkin dishes. It's both funny and healthy.

How to cut a jack lantern from a pumpkin?

Beautiful pumpkin lanterns have always been classic Halloween decorations and are a snap to make.

1. Take a large pumpkin and use a large sharp serrated knife to cut off the "lid".
2. Use a dessert spoon to scrub the seeds and fibers, then scrape out a little pulp with a strong spoon (like for ice cream) (you can do more - it will come in handy when preparing festive pumpkin dishes).
3. Using a felt-tip pen, draw facial features on the pumpkin, which you will then cut out. Use a small knife to carve the eyes, nose and mouth on the pumpkin. Put a small candle inside and cover with a cut-off lid on top.