Jack-O'-Lanterns Celtic Style

Some historians claim that the original idea for Jack-O'-Lanterns came from the Celts, who hollowed out apples and vegetables (even turnips) and used them as candle holders, which were later used as small lanterns by medieval Europeans.

It is not known if the Celts carved faces in the produce.

The Irish who are descended from the Celts tell a story of a lazy farmer named Jack and how the devil decided one day that he wanted Jack's soul.

Jack said, "If you can climb that big old oak tree and touch the top you can have it."

Well, the devil climb to the top and got stuck.

"Help me down Jack and I will give you what ever you want."

Jack said, "If I let you down, promise me you'll never let me into hell."

"Done," said the devil.

Well, after a life of debauchery, Jack died. When he tried to get into heaven he was told there was only room for good people there. He then went to the gates of hell and asked to come in. He was refused, for he had made a deal with the devil while alive.

There is no room at this end, unless you can exchange your soul for another's Jack was told.

"It's dark down here, how can I see to find someone to take my place," Jack asked.

"Here," said the devil, throwing Jack a glowing coal.

Jack took a turnip and hollowed it out to carry the ember.

On Halloween eve, when the veil between the worlds is thin, you can see Jack and his little light searching for someone to take his place.

If you hollow out a turnip and put a light in it, then Jack will think you are lost too and leave you alone.

The Irish carried this tale of folklore with them to America. There were plenty of pumpkins in their new homeland, so they carved these instead of turnips.

The Colonel wanted to carve turnips for this Halloween this year.

We hollowed out our turnips with a melon baller and carved the faces with an Exacto knife. It was easier than we thought it would be. We both anticipated the turnip would be harder than it was.

We carved little holes in the bottom of our turnips and set them on top of battery powered tea lights.

Carving turnips was a lot faster and a lot less messy than carving pumpkins and made for a nice little change this Halloween but nothing smells like a carved pumpkin when its candle lightly burns the lid; it smells a bit like a pumpkin pie baking.