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September 2010_june_july_2009.qxd 29/09/2010 11:00 PM Page 33 History of Halloween 33 History of Halloween wisp. In Labrador and Newfoundland, both After a while the thief died, as all living things names "Jacky Lantern" and "Jack the Lantern" do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Continued from Page 33 refer to the will-o'-the-wisp concept rather than Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had the pumpkin carving aspect. promised not to take his soul, and so he was A jack-o'-lantern (sometimes also Halloween costumes are outfits worn on barred from Hell as well. Jack now had nowhere spelled Jack O'Lantern) is typically a carved or around October 31, the day of Halloween. to go. He asked how he would see where to go, pumpkin. It is associated chiefly with the Halloween is a modern-day holiday originating as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly holiday Halloween. Typically the top is cut off, in the Pagan Celtic holiday of Samhain (in tossed him an ember that would never burn out and the inside flesh then scooped out; an image, Christian times, the eve of All Saints Day). from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of usually a monstrous face, is carved onto the Although popular histories of Halloween claim his turnips (which was his favorite food), put outside surface, and the lid replaced. During the that the practice goes back to ancient the ember inside it, and began endlessly night, a candle is placed inside to illuminate the celebrations of Samhain, in fact there is little wandering the Earth for a resting place. He effect. The term is not particularly common primary documentation of masking or became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or outside North America, although the practice of costuming on Halloween before the twentieth Jack-o'-Lantern. carving lanterns for Halloween is. century. Costuming became popular for There are variations on the legend: In folklore, an old Irish folk tale tells of Jack, a Halloween parties in America in the early Some versions include a "wise and good lazy yet shrewd farmer who uses a cross to trap 1900s, as often for adults as for children. The man", or even God helping Jack to prevail over the Devil. One story says that Jack tricked the first mass-produced Halloween costumes the Devil. Devil into climbing an apple tree, and once he appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or- There are different versions of Jack's was up there Jack quickly placed crosses around treating was becoming popular in the United bargain with the Devil. Some variations say the the trunk or carved a cross into the bark, so that States. deal was only temporary but the Devil, the Devil couldn't get down. Another myth says What sets Halloween costumes apart embarrassed and vengeful, refuses Jack entry to that Jack put a key in the Devil's pocket while from costumes for other celebrations or days of hell after Jack dies. he was suspended upside-down; dressing up is that they are often designed to Jack is considered a greedy man and is Another version of the myth says that imitate supernatural and scary beings. Costumes not allowed into either heaven or hell, without Jack was getting chased by some villagers from are traditionally those of monsters such as any mention of the Devil. whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, vampires, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Despite the colorful legends, the term who claimed it was time for him to die. There are also costumes of pop culture figures jack-o'-lantern originally meant a night However, the thief stalled his death by tempting like presidents, or film, television, and cartoon watchman, or man with a lantern, with the the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church- characters. Another popular trend is for women earliest known use in the mid-17th century; and going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil (and in some cases, men) to use Halloween as later, meaning an ignis fatuus or will-o'-the- to turn into a coin with which he would pay for an excuse to wear particularly revealing wisp. In Labrador and Newfoundland, both the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any costumes, showing off more skin than would be names "Jacky Lantern" and "Jack the Lantern" shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil socially acceptable otherwise. refer to the will-o'-the-wisp concept rather than disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight A jack-o'-lantern (sometimes also the pumpkin carving aspect. over who had stolen it. The Devil agreed to this spelled Jack O'Lantern) is typically a carved Halloween costumes are outfits worn on plan. He turned himself into a silver coin and pumpkin. It is associated chiefly with the or around October 31, the day of Halloween. jumped into Jack's wallet, only to find himself holiday Halloween. Typically the top is cut off, Halloween is a modern-day holiday originating next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the and the inside flesh then scooped out; an image, in the Pagan Celtic holiday of Samhain (in village. Jack had closed the wallet tight, and the usually a monstrous face, is carved onto the Christian times, the eve of All Saints Day). cross stripped the Devil of his powers; and so he outside surface, and the lid replaced. During the Although popular histories of Halloween claim was trapped. In both myths, Jack only lets the night, a candle is placed inside to illuminate the that the practice goes back to ancient Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. effect. The term is not particularly common celebrations of Samhain, in fact there is little After a while the thief died, as all living things outside North America, although the practice of primary documentation of masking or do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for carving lanterns for Halloween is. costuming on Halloween before the twentieth Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had In folklore, an old Irish folk tale tells of century. Costuming became popular for promised not to take his soul, and so he was Jack, a lazy yet shrewd farmer who uses a cross Halloween parties in America in the early barred from Hell as well. Jack now had nowhere to trap the Devil. One story says that Jack 1900s, as often for adults as for children. The to go. He asked how he would see where to go, tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree, first mass-produced Halloween costumes as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly and once he was up there Jack quickly placed appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or- tossed him an ember that would never burn out crosses around the trunk or carved a cross into treating was becoming popular in the United from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of the bark, so that the Devil couldn't get down. States. his turnips (which was his favorite food), put Another myth says that Jack put a key in the What sets Halloween costumes apart the ember inside it, and began endlessly Devil's pocket while he was suspended upside- from costumes for other celebrations or days of wandering the Earth for a resting place. He down; dressing up is that they are often designed to became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or Another version of the myth says that imitate supernatural and scary beings. Costumes Jack-o'-Lantern. Jack was getting chased by some villagers from are traditionally those of monsters such as There are variations on the legend: whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, vampires, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Some versions include a "wise and good who claimed it was time for him to die. There are also costumes of pop culture figures man", or even God helping Jack to prevail over However, the thief stalled his death by tempting like presidents, or film, television, and cartoon the Devil. the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church- characters. Another popular trend is for women There are different versions of Jack's going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil (and in some cases, men) to use Halloween as bargain with the Devil. Some variations say the to turn into a coin with which he would pay for an excuse to wear particularly revealing deal was only temporary but the Devil, the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any costumes, showing off more skin than would be embarrassed and vengeful, refuses Jack entry to shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil socially acceptable otherwise.[] hell after Jack dies. disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight Jack is considered a greedy man and is over who had stolen it. The Devil agreed to this not allowed into either heaven or hell, without plan. He turned himself into a silver coin and any mention of the Devil. jumped into Jack's wallet, only to find himself Despite the colorful legends, the term next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the jack-o'-lantern originally meant a night village. Jack had closed the wallet tight, and the watchman, or man with a lantern, with the cross stripped the Devil of his powers; and so he earliest known use in the mid-17th century; and was trapped. In both myths, Jack only lets the later, meaning an ignis fatuus or will-o'-the- Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul.