Stephanie Small

The Daily

Spooky eyes. A sinister smile. An eerie glow.

Halloween is almost here, a time of scares, ghouls and goblins that wouldn't be the same without the presence of a characteristic jack-o-lantern, an orange concoction of pumpkins, smiles and tradition.

The history of the spooky pumpkins will be a great tale to tell to your friends on Halloween night, while the candles from the jacks create an eerie orange glow to help guide you down the street.

History of the

Jack-o-Lantern

People have been making jack-o-lanterns for centuries. According to the Web site, pumpkinnook.com, the tradition originated in Ireland, from a man in a myth named "Stingy Jack."

According to the legend, Stingy Jack invited the devil to have a drink with him, but didn't want to pay for it. So, he convinced the devil to turn into a coin so they didn't have to pay, but instead tricked the devil by putting the money into his pocket next to a silver cross, so that the devil could not change back.

Jack then promised to let the devil change back only if he promised not to bother him for another year, and that should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The devil agreed.

Years later, Jack died. Because he had tricked the devil, God would not let him into heaven, and the devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him, would not let him into hell, either. Jack was left with only a coal to light his way, a spirit to wander the world.

Jack then put the coal into a carved out turnip and has supposedly been wandering the earth ever since, and that's how the jack-o-lantern was born.

Evolved from a turnip to a pumpkin, people lit the carved-out pumpkins to ward off the spirit of Stingy Jack.

Many choices are available for the design of the face, but the right pumpkin must first be found.

Finding the Perfect Pumpkin

The perfect jack-o-lantern begins with the perfect pumpkin. Certain characteristics make one pumpkin more desirable than others and ultimately easier to carve and design.

Junior Angela Jin, who carves pumpkins every year, likes to pick a pumpkin with a good orange color.

"Color is important, as well as making sure there are no knots or anything that might hinder the carving ability," she said.

Along with color and making sure no blemishes are on the pumpkin, shape is another factor.

Senior Suzanne Teng offers her advice to those looking for pumpkins:

"Pick a nice, round pumpkin. They make the best jack-o-lanterns," she said.

Pumpkins are relatively easy to find around Halloween as well. Jin purchased her pumpkin from QFC for about $6.

"They are relatively cheap there. Mine was big and cost that much," she said.

Safeway, Albertson's and Fred Meyer also sell the cheerful Halloween squash. All are about the same price as QFC, so anyone can afford a little holiday scare.

Another great way to really get into the Halloween spirit is to go to a pumpkin patch and hand-pick a pumpkin. The crisp fall air can make anyone feel spooky, and the sight of all the orange bundles of joy will make even the old feel young again.

Once the perfect pumpkin is acquired, now the fun begins — creating the carving design.

Carving the Pumpkin

Perhaps the most exciting part of making a jack-o-lantern is carving it.

Various methods for carving pumpkins are available. Jin prefers the tried and true method of designing a carving from scratch.

"I go online to get some ideas, but I prefer to make my own design so that it is original and one-of-a-kind," she said.

Jin's concepts truly embody the Halloween theme, she carves cats, ghosts or messages such as "boo." And every year she designs something new.

If creativity is not your forte, have no fear — pre-made stencils can be used to carve simple or intricate designs onto a pumpkin. Teng uses these and swears by them.

"I love using stencils because they make everything so easy, and, in my opinion, a lot more fun because of that," she said.

Stencils can be purchased individually in a book or as part of a complete kit, which Teng buys every year. Safety utensils and other safety precautions are also included in the kits, which is why Teng likes them so much.

"It's just so convenient to have everything I need in one kit," she said. "I use the special pumpkin carving knife in the kit so that I don't cut myself."

Jin uses the knife as well as newspaper to prevent any slipping that may occur while moving the pumpkin around while carving.

"The newspaper is really helpful when the pumpkins are feeling a bit slippery," she said. "It nails them down so I can create a masterpiece."

Best of all, the safety equipment mentioned above is all very inexpensive. A carving kit can run under $10. Safety is priceless, so don't forget to take proper measures.

Have a Happy Halloween

After completing the jack-o-lantern process, sit back and take a look at what was created. Don't forget to place it somewhere cool, and definitely don't forget to light a candle inside it — no one wants Stingy Jack hanging around.

Ultimately though, have fun carving pumpkins this Halloween. Whether solo or with a group, jack-o-lantern making brings the holiday spirit to any ghoul.

[Reach reporter Stephanie Small at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]