Is it PUMPKIN Carving?

Pumpkin Carving?  Or.....?

Our home is just down the road from a Pumpkin Lot.  I drove past the lot this afternoon and how neat it was to see kids out there searching just as hard as they could, for their perfect pumpkin. 

A simple, yet classic carved ????

When I was young, we always had a carved Jack-O'-lantern for Halloween Night.  My mom would place a candle in it for us to burn that night, and it would burn all night long or until the candle burned out.  We always set it on the top of the steps coming up onto the porch.    Back then, the candles were the tall, slender candles and I can remember how mother would melt some of the candle in the bottom of the  pumpkin, in order to make a "wax" well for the tall candle to secure it.  

I sure wish we had pictures of some of the pumpkins we carved!!  Pitiful they were!  You know the normal triangle eyes and nose that we all used back then...that is what we always carved out!  AND...those choppy teeth!

                           True.....I heard Christmas Music playing at Walmart Yesterday!

Pumpkin carving is a fun and creative way to celebrate Halloween or even the Fall Season. In my family, it was always a tradition and you know how traditions are.....they carry on from one generation to the next.  

We actually called them "Jack-O'-lanterns" way back then.   There is an old folklore about a man named Stingy Jack.  Jack tricked the devil and was cursed to wander the earth with only a hollowed out turnip containing an ember from Hell to light his way.   Over time, pumpkins became the preferred choice for carving.  People began carving pumpkins by making scary faces and by placing a light inside of the pumpkin, in order to scare Stingy Jack away.  

There are numerous stories about Stingy Jack and although they pretty much deliver the same message, some of the stories are more detailed and a bit more scary.  

During the pumpkin season, there are all kinds of carved pumpkins.  Spooky, Ghost, Fun, Creative, cute, animals, human looking, and even many cartoon created pumpkins.

 AND...did you know that Pumpkin carving Contest are huge events these days?  Well, these contest took place back in the older days too!   lol....

So...... does your family relate to these beautiful pieces of art, as Carved Pumpkins 🎃OR Jack-O'-lanterns?

Shug.......