Who Wants A New Pumpkin Carving Idea For 2009
A couple years ago a some great jack-o-lantern carvings showed up on the world wide web. A finely carved pumpkin but nothing too had to do. Two eyes, a nose, and a wide, gaping mouth that was in most ways unextraordinary.
The thing that made this design great was, the carver took the inside gook of the pumpkin and arranged it so that it looked like the pumpkin was throwing up. Some times too much punch from a holiday party can make one feel this way. Every time I see this image in my head I have to laugh out loud.
Here is a second winning jack-o-lantern carving design. Carve a fierce looking jack-o-lantern. He should have pointed fangs in his large mouth, to go with angry slim eyes.,. Then, in one side of the mouth stick a smaller pumpkin with a frightened, horrified look on its face. The smaller jack-o-lantern looks like it is being eaten by the larger one. When done correctly, you add a bit of malicious delight to All Hallow’s Eve.
For centuries the jack-o-lanterns have been a large part of the Halloween tradition. According to wikipedia, the origin of the jack-o-lantern is as follows:
Another version of the myth says that Jack was getting chased by some villagers from whom he had stolen, when he met the Devil, who claimed it was time for him to die. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. Jack told the Devil to turn into a coin with which he would pay for the stolen goods (the Devil could take on any shape he wanted); later, when the coin/Devil disappeared, the Christian villagers would fight over who had stolen it. This seemed like a good plan to the Devil. The devil changed into a coin of silver and leaped into Jacks open wallet. It happened so fast he did not see the cross also in the wallet. The devil was trapped and his powers gone, once the wallet with the cross inside, closed. In both stories. the Devil is let go because he agrees to have Jack keep his soul forever. Soon there after jack died. No big surprise, Jack’s life had been too sinful to go to heaven; but the Mr D. said he would not to take his soul, and so he could not go to hell either. Jack now had no home, nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. The burning ember was placed in a large turnip Jack carved out. He then wandered the Earth looking for a final resting place. From then on he was known as Jack-o’-Lantern - Jack of the Lantern.
Remember this tale when you dream up your own jack-o-lantern carving ideas!
Mail this post
Tags: halloween, jack o lantern, pumpkin carving, pumpkins
Leave a Reply