The story of the Jack O Lantern mask and the pumpkin lamps

Pumpkins are one of the things that makes us think about Halloween the most, whether we find them in decorations, costume masks or the classic Jack O Lantern pumpkins.

There are two origins of these pumpkins, and in this article we share them with you.

Historical origin of pumpkin lamps

The origin of the decorations or lamps made with pumpkins comes from Celtic Ireland and has always been related to Halloween, a festival known in Irish as Samhain.

 

This festival marked the end of the Celtic year and it is a night when the souls of deceased people returned to their former homes, they used to live when they were alive, and other vengeful spirits and evil fairies roamed the Earth.

 

Pumpkins became a very popular symbol for Halloween as during Samhain, the Celts carved terrifying faces on pumpkins and used them to prevent unwanted guests from entering their homes. Adding a lit candle to the hollow face gave it extra protection.

Origin of the pumpkins of “Jack O Lantern“

According to the legend, the origin of the pumpkin lamps can be found in the story of a young blacksmith named Jack O’Lantern who made a pact with the devil and managed to make him promise that he would never take away his soul.

 

When he finally died, Jack was denied entry to heaven due to his drunken, lewd, and greedy behavior. The devil, remembering his earlier promise, also refused to allow him to enter hell. So Jack was condemned to roam the dark hills and trails of Ireland for the eternity.

 

His only possessions were a turnip with the center torn off and a burning coal thrown at him by the devil. He put the charcoal inside the turnip to light his way through the dark field where he still wanders. Based on this legend, people began to use turnips to make lamps like Jack O Lantern, and over the years turnips were replaced for pumpkins.

 

Today it is believed that the use of pumpkins for Halloween is based on the two previous stories, but regardless of their origins, they will always be the preferred decorations for people.

 

Are you interested in acquiring a Jack O Latern mask or a horror pumpkin mask for the next Halloween? Visit our online mask store!

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