The Legend of “Stingy Jack”

I can’t believe how fast the summer flew by! But here we are in October and the leaves are turning all shades of yellow, orange, and red before finally falling to the ground leaving a huge mess for me to rake up around the house.?

At the end of the month, it’ll be Halloween and in my neighborhood we have lots of little kids who get super excited about going trick-or-treating.

Normally, I don’t prepare anything fancy except for having plenty of store-bought candy, but last weekend I had a change of heart. At my neighborhood supermarket, there were literally tons of pumpkins for sale, and I don’t know what got into me, but I decided to buy a couple of them. I said to myself,?this year will be different and I’m going to carve up a couple of Jack-o’-Lanterns to dress up the house. It won’t?compare to the intricate displays in the neighborhood, but it’ll be nice to get into the Halloween spirit.

And?speaking of spirits, do you know where the custom of carving up a?pumpkin into a?Jack-o’-Lantern came from? I didn’t either, but while surfing YouTube to seek out the easiest way to make a scary face on a pumpkin, I came across a few videos that explained the?origin of this custom.?

The tradition of the Jack-o’-Lantern?began in?Ireland?and originated from an ancient Celtic festival known as?Samhain?(about 2,500 years ago), which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. People at that time believed that during Samhain, spirits of the dead would return to earth. To ward off these spirits, faces would be carved into?turnips?or beets,?and these were placed in windows or near doors, often with a candle inside, to frighten away any wandering ghosts.

The Legend of “Stingy Jack”

The name “Jack-o’-Lantern” comes from an Irish folktale about a man named?Stingy Jack, who was said to have tricked the Devil several times. According to the legend:

• After Jack’s death, he was not allowed into heaven because of his sinful life, and the Devil, angry about being tricked, wouldn’t let him into hell either.
• As a result, Jack was condemned to roam the Earth forever, with only a burning coal to light his way.
• Jack placed the coal into a carved-out turnip, creating a lantern, and he became known as?“Jack of the Lantern,”?or “Jack-o’-Lantern.”

Arrival in America and the Use of Pumpkins:

When Irish immigrants came to?America?in the 19th century, they brought the Jack-o’-Lantern tradition with them. However, they found that?pumpkins, native to North America, were much larger and easier to carve than the smaller root vegetables used in Ireland. Over time, pumpkins became the preferred choice for Jack-o’-Lanterns and the tradition became firmly associated with?Halloween.

Modern Tradition:

Today, Jack-o’-Lanterns are a central part of Halloween celebrations in many parts of the world. People carve pumpkins into various designs, ranging from simple faces to intricate patterns, placing them outside their homes, often lit with candles or electric lights. When trick or treaters see a Jack-o’-Lantern in the window, they often get excited and rush up to the house proclaiming, “Trick or Treat!”

So, now that I know where the?Jack-o’-Lantern tradition has come from, I feel motivated to make the scariest Jack-o’-Lantern face I can. And if I really get good at this, I might even consider entering a Jack-o’-Lantern pumpkin carving contest in the future!

Wishing you a wonderful fall season and a Happy Halloween!

Nancy?Seiverd

CMI?Credit Mediators, Inc.

All?Rights Reserved

Image?by freepik.com

If you're still struggling with past due accounts or are worried about current ones that are showing signs they could default, please click here to see our services or give us a call at 1-800-456-3328. There's no reason for past due accounts to become a constant source of concern. With almost 50 years experience, let us be your trusted business partner!