(Halloween) we chose in one of the previous publications. If you want a real celebration with all the paraphernalia, we definitely take a pumpkin! After all, this is the main symbol of the holiday! Where did the tradition of carving a scary face out of a pumpkin and putting a candle inside come from?
Legend has it that several centuries ago in Ireland there lived a blacksmith named Jack. He was famous not for his work, but for his drunkenness, cunning and greed. He was lazy, his best friends were a glass of ale and a bottle of whiskey, and those around him accused Jack of fraud and theft. Rumors about the thieving drunkard reached the devil himself, who decided to test how sinful this man was.
One day Jack was walking drunk along the road and saw a lying corpse. Greedy decided to check the unfortunate man's pockets in the hope of finding money or at least something valuable. Turning the body over, Jack saw the grinning face of Satan and realized that he had been fooled. Having prayed to the devil, who was about to take his soul to hell, Jack asked for his last wish: to go to the pub and drink a glass of ale. As you know, it is not customary to refuse the last wish, and Satan and the sinner went to a drinking establishment.
According to rumors, this feast took place on October 31, All Hallows' Eve, around 1750.
Having had a good time, it was time to pay, but even here Jack was not at a loss and offered the devil this option: the devil would turn into a coin with which they could pay for the party. And after the drinker leaves the establishment, Lucifer will again take his form. The evil spirit really liked this dishonest plan, so he agreed. As soon as the transformation took place, Jack put the transformed coin into his pocket, where lay a silver cross that Jack had recently picked up in the village. This proximity deprived Satan of the opportunity to reincarnate in his own form, and he found himself trapped.
Only the promise not to take Jack's soul for a year and not to cause him any trouble helped the devil to free himself.
A year later, when Lucifer came to the soul of a drunkard, Jack asked for an apple on the path, as it seemed at first glance, a completely harmless request, even funny. Jack was already old, so he asked the devil to climb a tree. As soon as he climbed onto the branches, the cunning man took the salt he had prepared in advance and drew a circle under the apple tree. The devil again found himself a hostage, and the bidding for the soul resumed.
This time, the tormented Satan promised never to take Greedy Jack's soul, after which he was released.
Soon Jack died, but he was not allowed into either hell or heaven. On the threshold of hell, Jack asked the same devil what he should do now, to which he received the answer to go back to where he came from. The drunkard began to complain that the road was too dark, there wasn’t even any light. Then the evil spirit threw him a coal, which was placed in a hollowed out turnip. Since then, the spirit, nicknamed Jack's Lantern, has been wandering the earth, symbolizing damned and restless souls.
Initially, in Ireland, the birthplace of the holiday, they used rutabaga or turnips, and pumpkin was later brought by the Americans. Before this, no one in Ireland had heard of the existence of pumpkin, but when they saw the beautiful, bright fruit, they accepted it with joy. Looks much better and easier to cut.
How to Carve a Halloween Pumpkin
Classic schemes
Original ideas: how to cut and where to place a pumpkin
Glamorous ideas, in case someone finds the classic Jack-o'-lantern too scary and rude
You can also use pineapple instead of pumpkin. Your guests will be surprised!
What dishes to prepare for Halloween, how to serve snacks and drinks in the spirit of the holiday
Food served just like that is boring and uninteresting, but originally designed dishes and Halloween themed recipes will make the atmosphere even more mysterious, and your guests will be able to experience the holiday even more vividly.
Happy Halloween!
First of all, a little about the holiday. It came into our lives recently and the main brand of this holiday has long been the jack-o'-lantern.
Carving an original pumpkin lantern with your own hands
The origins of this holiday go back to the beginning of the new era back in the culture of the Celts. At first the holiday was called Samhain. It was dedicated to honoring the dead and harvesting the harvest. Celebrations began on the eve of November 1st. It was a holiday typical of our Christmas, but with slightly different traditions and rituals. For a long time, this holiday absorbed many traditions and customs of holidays of the same nature from other peoples of Europe. These are the festivals of Felaria and the goddess Pomona, which were celebrated by the Romans. The holiday was adopted by the Germanic tribes, even before the migration of the Angles and Saxons to the British Isles. In those days, the jack-o-lantern had not yet become a staple of the holiday and was not yet invited to Halloween.
Together with the settlers, the holiday came to America. For the first time they began to grow pumpkins there. This is where this holiday brand came from - a jack-o'-lantern.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the holiday acquired its final name, and in Russian it sounds like Halloween.
Masquerade.On the day of the holiday all over the world, where it is celebrated (and it has become truly international). On this day, it is customary to dress up in costumes of devils and witches and in such outfits walk through the streets in crowds with hollow pumpkins in their hands. Let's talk about pumpkins below. As the holiday acquired the image of “the domination of evil spirits,” many of the real rituals of the holiday were distorted. When the world lived in strictness and the short-term removal of the moral framework from people’s behavior, the desire to dress up as a demon on the night of the holiday and “rage” from the heart was understandable. Today, for the most part, the image of the supremacy of evil spirits among many people is based precisely on this motive in their souls. But for many people, this is a holiday in which they can drive away all fears and darkness. On this day, as a rule, a rich feast is arranged, which does not stop even at night and becomes a real master class of festivities.
Offerings.Today, pagan myths of antiquity intersect in surprising and mysterious ways with the traditions of Christianity and modern pop culture.
It became common practice for everyone to give gifts. Otherwise, it was believed that if you don’t give to someone asking in the house, it could cause harm to the owner. And children, as a rule, take revenge on such people by smearing the walls and doors of houses where they do not serve dirt.
Fire from a pumpkin.The jack-o'-lantern, or jack-o'-lantern as it became known. The fact is that the ripening of vegetables symbolizes the end of the harvest. Fire scares away evil spirits.
Together, pumpkin and fire became the main symbols of the holiday. It is for this reason that the pumpkin lamp became a symbol of the holiday.
How to make a pumpkin jack-o'-lantern for the holidays:- To make a holiday lantern (lamp), you need a good flat and plump pumpkin, a sharp knife, a tablespoon, a bowl for the core taken out, a ballpoint pen and a candle and some kind of stand for the candle, two pieces of steel wire with a cross-section of 1 mm and a length of 50 cm.
- Wash the pumpkin, then use the sharp end of a knife to cut off the top of the lid, clean both the lid and the inside of the pumpkin from the entire volume with a tablespoon of pulp, and then wipe the inside with a piece of bandage or just a rag to remove any remaining moisture.
- Now you need to mark the surface of the pumpkin with a ballpoint pen: where you plan to make the cuts with a knife. For the pen to make a clear mark, the surface of the pumpkin must be dry.
- Cut out the extra pieces according to the drawing.
- This is what the finished pumpkin lantern will look like in working order. Now insert a candle into this lamp body through the hole inside. But before this, the candle also needs to be prepared.
- We wind several turns of steel wire onto the candle, leaving tails of such length that at the installation site these tips fit into the pumpkin crust without piercing it. The tails should fit into the crust, forming a cross and so that the candle does not touch the pumpkin either from above or from below.
- Beautiful lamps are obtained by applying a creative approach to manufacturing and a careful attitude to the creation process
- And this is real art!
In the video collection you can see a real master class on the art of making such lamps and smile a little.
Video selection on the topic of the article
First of all, a little about the holiday. It came into our lives recently and the main brand of this holiday has long been the jack-o'-lantern.
Carving an original pumpkin lantern with your own hands
The origins of this holiday go back to the beginning of the new era back in the culture of the Celts. At first the holiday was called Samhain. It was dedicated to honoring the dead and harvesting the harvest. Celebrations began on the eve of November 1st. It was a holiday typical of our Christmas, but with slightly different traditions and rituals. For a long time, this holiday absorbed many traditions and customs of holidays of the same nature from other peoples of Europe. These are the festivals of Felaria and the goddess Pomona, which were celebrated by the Romans. The holiday was adopted by the Germanic tribes, even before the migration of the Angles and Saxons to the British Isles. In those days, the jack-o-lantern had not yet become a staple of the holiday and was not yet invited to Halloween.
Together with the settlers, the holiday came to America. For the first time they began to grow pumpkins there. This is where this holiday brand came from - a jack-o'-lantern.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the holiday acquired its final name, and in Russian it sounds like Halloween.
Masquerade.On the day of the holiday all over the world, where it is celebrated (and it has become truly international). On this day, it is customary to dress up in costumes of devils and witches and in such outfits walk through the streets in crowds with hollow pumpkins in their hands. Let's talk about pumpkins below. As the holiday acquired the image of “the domination of evil spirits,” many of the real rituals of the holiday were distorted. When the world lived in strictness and the short-term removal of the moral framework from people’s behavior, the desire to dress up as a demon on the night of the holiday and “rage” from the heart was understandable. Today, for the most part, the image of the supremacy of evil spirits among many people is based precisely on this motive in their souls. But for many people, this is a holiday in which they can drive away all fears and darkness. On this day, as a rule, a rich feast is arranged, which does not stop even at night and becomes a real master class of festivities.
Offerings.Today, pagan myths of antiquity intersect in surprising and mysterious ways with the traditions of Christianity and modern pop culture.
It became common practice for everyone to give gifts. Otherwise, it was believed that if you don’t give to someone asking in the house, it could cause harm to the owner. And children, as a rule, take revenge on such people by smearing the walls and doors of houses where they do not serve dirt.
Fire from a pumpkin.The jack-o'-lantern, or jack-o'-lantern as it became known. The fact is that the ripening of vegetables symbolizes the end of the harvest. Fire scares away evil spirits.
Together, pumpkin and fire became the main symbols of the holiday. It is for this reason that the pumpkin lamp became a symbol of the holiday.
How to make a pumpkin jack-o'-lantern for the holidays:- To make a holiday lantern (lamp), you need a good flat and plump pumpkin, a sharp knife, a tablespoon, a bowl for the core taken out, a ballpoint pen and a candle and some kind of stand for the candle, two pieces of steel wire with a cross-section of 1 mm and a length of 50 cm.
- Wash the pumpkin, then use the sharp end of a knife to cut off the top of the lid, clean both the lid and the inside of the pumpkin from the entire volume with a tablespoon of pulp, and then wipe the inside with a piece of bandage or just a rag to remove any remaining moisture.
- Now you need to mark the surface of the pumpkin with a ballpoint pen: where you plan to make the cuts with a knife. For the pen to make a clear mark, the surface of the pumpkin must be dry.
- Cut out the extra pieces according to the drawing.
- This is what the finished pumpkin lantern will look like in working order. Now insert a candle into this lamp body through the hole inside. But before this, the candle also needs to be prepared.
- We wind several turns of steel wire onto the candle, leaving tails of such length that at the installation site these tips fit into the pumpkin crust without piercing it. The tails should fit into the crust, forming a cross and so that the candle does not touch the pumpkin either from above or from below.
- Beautiful lamps are obtained by applying a creative approach to manufacturing and a careful attitude to the creation process
- And this is real art!
In the video collection you can see a real master class on the art of making such lamps and smile a little.
Video selection on the topic of the article
Where did the tradition of celebrating Halloween come from? And why is pumpkin one of the main symbols of the holiday? Let's delve into history, after which we will make an unchangeable attribute of the holiday with our own hands. This is Halloween!
Origins of Halloween
Most people believe that Halloween was invented by the Americans. The exact origin of the holiday is unknown to anyone: there are a large number of versions, shrouded in secrets and riddles. But here's what scientists managed to find out. The tradition of organizing a holiday of dark forces came from the ancient Irish and Scottish Celts who lived in the territory of the modern British Isles. The Celts had two seasons: winter and summer. With the first day of November, winter began - the dark part of the year, whose onset was marked by "Samhain" - a Celtic pagan festival marking the end of the harvest.
They celebrated from three to seven days. People, afraid of the harsh winter, tried to please the spirits of darkness and gloom, with whom they had to live for six months until the winter ended. 
The Celts dressed up in creepy costumes, decorated (or more accurately “terrified”) their homes, sacrificed animals, cast spells, and told each other terrible stories. 
When Christianity replaced paganism, Samhain came under fire due to the demonic rampages of devil worshipers. The festival has lost its original appearance, but pagan traditions still remain: dressing up, decorating the house, having fun. The Pope declared November 1 All Saints' Day. Hence the name of the holiday: the word “Halloween” comes from the Scottish “All-Hallows-Even,” which means “All Hallows’ Eve.”
Halloween symbol
It's not a Halloween without a jack-o-lantern in the shape of a head. The Halloween pumpkin has a history as rich as the holiday itself. 
In general, carving faces out of vegetables is a common ritual of the ancient Irish and British. It was believed that a fruit (turnip, beet, apple, etc.) with an evil grinning face, inside of which a candle burns, drives away evil spirits from the house. Therefore, in the absence of a pumpkin, you can use another vegetable or fruit suitable for carving an evil smile.
The tradition of using pumpkin appeared thanks to one legend. An ancient Irish legend says that there lived a thief and drunkard, Jack, who in any situation always turned out to be more cunning than the rest. One day, after a successful business, he met the devil on his way. For his own benefit, the scoundrel invited the devil to turn into a coin. The devil turned into a silver coin, which Jack put in his pocket next to the cross. Because of this proximity, the devil lost his witchcraft powers. Jack promised to let the devil go if he did not take his soul to hell.
When Jack died, he did not go to heaven because of his sinful life, nor to hell, as he was promised. He walked from hell, where he was not allowed, in absolute darkness. Jack asked the devil for a lantern, and he angrily threw him some coals from hell. Jack carved a jack-o'-lantern and placed smoldering coals in it. So his lost soul wandered in search of peace.
To make the main symbol of Halloween from an ordinary pumpkin, you will need:
- the pumpkin itself;
- sharp knife;
- marker or felt-tip pen;
- spoon;
- lantern or candle;
Having prepared everything you need, follow the step-by-step instructions.
Jack Lantern is ready!
By the last day of October, come up with a creepy costume and decorate your apartment. The scarier the better! Prepare delicious treats. On the Internet you can find a huge number of recipes specifically for Halloween. Just imagine: “Witch’s Fingers” cookies, sweet “eyes”, chocolate “spiders”. Invite your family and friends and have a party. After all, the scariest holiday of the year is one of the most fun. Spooky fun Halloween!
Liliya Sidorova
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The real symbol of Halloween is the pumpkin lantern - Jack's lantern. If you believe the Irish medieval legend, then there lived a guy named Jack in this world. He was known as a cunning rogue, constantly getting away with it and being able to deceive anyone.
One day a stranger invited him to a pub for a glass of beer. But the man identified the Devil. The discovered Devil told Jack that somehow this is how you are taken to hell. He finished his beer and asked the Devil if he could become a sixpence that the merchant could accept. The head of hell accomplished this. Jack, not being a fool, grabbed the coin and put it in his pocket - where the silver cross lay. Therefore, his interlocutor could not accept his real appearance.
Having made the Devil promise that he will not take him to hell, Jack releases the head of evil. After his death, he was not allowed into heaven, and he was certainly not taken into hell. As a farewell, he was given a hellish coal that illuminated the way back. The man imprisoned him in a turnip lantern. Since then, it is believed that he still wanders around the world with a flashlight.
After the discovery of America, they began to make pumpkins. Now they come out in a variety of different ways: angry, cheerful, have vampire fangs or a rabbit bite, wink or smile... Even fantastic scenes can be made from pumpkins.
Jack-o-lantern from a pumpkin - how to make it yourself
So, let's make a lantern ourselves.
First things first, you need a pumpkin. A small circle is carefully and carefully cut out from above, through which the pulp and seeds are removed.
A face of the desired type is cut out on the wall of the pumpkin (it’s most convenient to first draw it with a pencil). For this you need a very sharp knife.
A small candle or flashlight is installed on the bottom.
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