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| How to carve a Jack-O-Lantern or How to Carve a Halloween Pumpkin |
| For free tracing patterns click here For Printable Pumpkin Carving Instructions click here. For Pumpkin Carving Instructions and tips click here Click here to learn how to make your own pattern Back to Halloween home |
Without a doubt the most recognizable symbol of Halloween is a pumpkin
carved into a jack-o-lantern. To understand the origins of how pumpkin carving
began and what it really means we must first take a look at the holiday itself.
How long has Halloween been around? Have there always been pumpkins
carved? Here are some answers!
For most of the general population it is known as Halloween and is a night for
dressing up, telling ghost stories, having spooky parties, trick-or-treating and
pumpkin carving. What most people don't know is that Halloween is actually
based on an ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain (pronounced "sow wan"),
which means "summer's end".
It was the end of the Celtic year, starting at sundown on October 31st and
going through to sundown November 1st. It was a night to honor loved ones
that had passed on since the veil between their realm and ours is at it's thinnest
on that night.
Celebrated for centuries by the Celts of old, Witches and many other nature
based religions, it is the most magical night of the year. It is the Witches' New
Year, and the Last Harvest. Although the religious significance of it has passed
for the general public, Halloween is a "magical" night for all!
On this magical night, glowing jack-o-lanterns, carved from turnips or gourds,
were set on porches and in windows to welcome deceased loved ones, but
also to act as protection against malevolent spirits. Burning lumps of coal were
used inside as a source of light, later to be replaced by candles.
When European settlers, particularly the Irish, arrived in American they found
the native pumpkin to be larger, easier to carve and seemed the perfect
choice for jack-o-lanterns. Halloween didn't really catch on big in this country
until the late 1800's and has been celebrated in so many ways ever since!
Pumpkins are indigenous to the western hemisphere and were completely
unknown in Europe before the time of Columbus. In 1584, the French explorer
Jacques Cartier reported from the St. Lawrence region that he had found "gros
melons", which was translated into English as "ponpions," or pumpkins. In fact,
pumpkins have been grown in America for over 5,000 years. Native Americans
called pumpkins "isquotersquash."
Did you know that pumpkins are not a vegetable - they are a fruit! Pumpkins,
like gourds, and other varieties of squash are all members of the Cucurbitacae
family , which also includes cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.
carved into a jack-o-lantern. To understand the origins of how pumpkin carving
began and what it really means we must first take a look at the holiday itself.
How long has Halloween been around? Have there always been pumpkins
carved? Here are some answers!
For most of the general population it is known as Halloween and is a night for
dressing up, telling ghost stories, having spooky parties, trick-or-treating and
pumpkin carving. What most people don't know is that Halloween is actually
based on an ancient Celtic holiday known as Samhain (pronounced "sow wan"),
which means "summer's end".
It was the end of the Celtic year, starting at sundown on October 31st and
going through to sundown November 1st. It was a night to honor loved ones
that had passed on since the veil between their realm and ours is at it's thinnest
on that night.
Celebrated for centuries by the Celts of old, Witches and many other nature
based religions, it is the most magical night of the year. It is the Witches' New
Year, and the Last Harvest. Although the religious significance of it has passed
for the general public, Halloween is a "magical" night for all!
On this magical night, glowing jack-o-lanterns, carved from turnips or gourds,
were set on porches and in windows to welcome deceased loved ones, but
also to act as protection against malevolent spirits. Burning lumps of coal were
used inside as a source of light, later to be replaced by candles.
When European settlers, particularly the Irish, arrived in American they found
the native pumpkin to be larger, easier to carve and seemed the perfect
choice for jack-o-lanterns. Halloween didn't really catch on big in this country
until the late 1800's and has been celebrated in so many ways ever since!
Pumpkins are indigenous to the western hemisphere and were completely
unknown in Europe before the time of Columbus. In 1584, the French explorer
Jacques Cartier reported from the St. Lawrence region that he had found "gros
melons", which was translated into English as "ponpions," or pumpkins. In fact,
pumpkins have been grown in America for over 5,000 years. Native Americans
called pumpkins "isquotersquash."
Did you know that pumpkins are not a vegetable - they are a fruit! Pumpkins,
like gourds, and other varieties of squash are all members of the Cucurbitacae
family , which also includes cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.
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About
Activities
Africa
Alphabet
Bible
Colour & Activity
Contact
Crafts
Curriculum
Calendar
Dolch Words
Freebies
Gallery
Games
Health
Homeschooling
Kids Fun Pages
Language
Links
Maths
Menus4Moms
Nursery Rhymes
Parents
Phonics
Pre-K
Services
Site Map
South Africa
Spelling
Surfnet Kids
Teens
Themes
WAHM
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