Good evening welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: During October its National Pumpkin Month and I know my Mother n Law Sherry is excited about this because she loves Pumpkins. As for me I only like to decorate Pumpkins for Halloween. How about you?
WHAT IS NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY?
National Pumpkin Day falls on October 26. Pumpkins are so much more than just a fun holiday accessory. Not only are they one of the best-known sources of beta-carotene (an antioxidant converted to vitamin A in the body), but pumpkins are loaded with fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Try some on National Pumpkin Day (and of course have a little fun carving them).
How Pumpkins Became Popularized as Jack O’ Lanterns
The Pumpkin is associated with the month of October and Halloween specifically. That’s probably because it was around Halloween that the Irish and Scottish immigrants to the United States began carving Pumpkins and calling them “Jack-O-Lanterns.”
They did this because of an Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack. In the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to drink with him but Stingy didn’t want to pay for his drink. He asked the devil to turn into a coin that he could use to pay for the drinks.
When the Devil changed into the coin, however, Stingy Jack decided to not pay for the drinks but instead place the coin into his pocket next to a silver cross. The silver cross prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form and Jack thought of a way he could benefit from this situation. He eventually came up with an idea that he thought was pretty clever.
Stingy Jack told the Devil that he would let him change back if the Devil would not claim his soul after he died or bother him for a full year. The Devil agreed and Jack let him free. The following year, Stingy Jack once again managed to trick the Devil by having the him climb a tree to pick a piece of Fruit and carved a cross underneath the Devil so he couldn’t come down. Jack then made the Devil promise that he wouldn’t bother him for another ten years.
Unfortunately for Jack, right after he tricked the Devil for the second time, he fell ill and died. Jack then attempted to get into heaven but was refused by God because of his misdeeds, so he tried to get into Hell. Once he got to the gates of Hell, however, the devil refused him entrance because he had promised Jack he wouldn’t claim his soul.
The Devil did give Jack a burning ember from Hell so Jack could light his way as he walked the Earth in limbo. Jack carved out a Potato and placed the burning coal into to light his path. He was then known as Jack of the Lantern – a term which was changed to Jack O’ Lantern – and he was forced to walk the Earth on Halloween. Since Pumpkins were so readily available around Halloween, Jack O’ Lanterns eventually stopped being created from Potatoes andTurnips started creating them from Pumpkins.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
