Pumpkins!

So, here's a pumpkin I prepared [grew] earlier!

But why do we have carved out pumpkins at Halloween?

Halloween is based on a Celtic festival called Samhain.  It is linked with the ending of the summer and the belief that during Samhain the souls of those who had died that year travelled to the otherworld and that other souls would return to visit their homes.   In the 8th century the Roman Catholic Church decided that All Saints Day should fall on the 1st November so that meant All Hallows’ Eve (that is, All Saints Day, or Halloween) fell on October 31st.

Add, then, the combination of pagan and religious beliefs and interpretations into the mix and, surprise, surprise, even more convolution!  So, a tradition developed whereby demonic faces were carved out of vegetables – originally turnips – called jack-o’-lanterns.  This practise originated from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil for his own monetary gain. The myth elaborated that when Jack died, God would not allow him into heaven, and the Devil wouldn’t allow him into hell, so Jack was sentenced to roam the earth for eternity. It was believed that the carved demonic faces would frighten away Jack’s wandering soul. Therefore, when Irish immigrants moved America, they began carving jack-o’-lanterns from pumpkins, as these were native to the region.
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So, now you know!