52
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2014
I
t’s Halloween time, and the one thing on everyone’s mind is
pumpkin carving (OK, maybe candy, too!). Just as everything
else has evolved, pumpkin carving has turned into an art for
some. Many people are ditching the traditional Jack-O-Lantern
style, and are trying to come up with the most extravagant designs
to showcase on their front porch.
Last year, we brought our boys to our neighbor’s house to carve and
decorate pumpkins. In my opinion, they took the carving thing to
a whole different level. They had a ninja turtle pumpkin, and a cat
face pumpkin along with a few others. Call me old-fashioned (or
boring), but I prefer to carve the “normal” Jack-O-Lantern face on
my pumpkin.
Did you know that Halloween and the actual carving of pumpkins
came from Samhain, an ancient Celtic holiday? October 31
st
was
the end of the Celtic year, and it was the night to honor those who
passed on. It was considered the most magical night of the year by
the Celts,Witches, and other nature-based religions. On
this night, the people would carve Jack-O-Lantern faces
on turnips and gourds. They would then place lumps of
burning coal in them to welcome deceased loved ones and
to help ward off evil spirits. When the Europeans came
to America, they discovered that the native pumpkin was
larger and easier to carve than the turnips and gourds.
pick or treat
Halloween Pumpkins
by
Mandy Rouse Martinolich, 3rd Generation
Ninja turtle pumpkin and cat pumpkin carved by the Giardina Family.
There is an Irish myth about a guy named
Stingy Jack who couldn’t get into Heaven
or Hell. So, he carved a turnip and filled
it with burning coal to light his way. He
became known as "Jack of the Lantern".
the
Outdoors
issue
