Halloween  Happy Halloween Wishes
From 101lifeStyle.com
Jack-O-Lantern:
Jack-O-Lantern is another symbol associated with Halloween and refers to a carved pumpkin. In a Jack-o-lantern, the top is cut off and the flesh inside is scooped out, an image, usually a toothless monstrous grin, is carved onto the outer surface, and then the lid is replaced. At night a light is placed inside to illuminate it. Story Of Jack-O-Lantern:
 According to an old Irish folklore, a stingy, lazy and shrewd man named Jack. He once tricked the Devil into climbing a tree and once he went up, Jack quickly carved an image of the Holy Cross on the bark of the tree, so that the Devil could not come down. Jack struck a deal with the Devil and only agreed to let him go if he promised never to come for his soul. The devil agreed. After many years, when Jack died, he was considered too sinful to go to heaven. The Devil had promised not to take his soul, so Jack was not allowed entry into Hell also. It was a dark night and Jack had nowhere to go. The Devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the freezing blackness. To keep it glowing, Jack carved out a turnip which he was carrying, and put the ember inside it, and began to wander all over the Earth, searching for a place to rest. This ember in the turnip became his only light on the neverending journey which was a punishment for his trickery. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern", or Jack-o'-Lantern.
There are many variations to the story of Jack. Despite many variations, the term Jack-o'-Lantern, originally meant a night watchman.
On All Hallow's Eve, In Ireland, originally turnips were used as their Jack-O-Lanterns, with a light inside them to ward off evil spirits and keep stingy Jack also away. When Immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were plentiful than turnips. So pumpkins lit with an ember, came to be used in place of turnips. How To Make A Jack-O-Lantern?
If you have decided to carve your own pumpkin this Halloween, you can follow these simple guidelines and involve the whole family in the activity and see how much you enjoy.
 First and foremost, once you have decided to carve your own pumpkin, choose a design that you would like to carve on your pumpkin.- Considering the design that you have chosen, pick a pumpkin from the local market, which is of the ideal size and shape and smooth on the surface and ripe as well. Choose a pumpkin which has a long stem for holding.
- Wash the pumpkin well. Place the pumpkin over a spread out newspaper on a flat surface. From the top measure 2-5 inches and cut the top half of the pumpkin neatly around. Cut the pumpkin with the knife slanted and its tip pointing towards the center of the pumpkin. The lid then sits easily in the carved pumpkin. Remove the lid and scrape off the excess filling on the underside.
- Using a tablespoon, remove all the seed and flesh and make the bottom as flat as possible so that the light does not fall when placed inside the pumpkin.
- You can draw your designs on the pumpkin. If you are bad at drawing simply place the paper with its design on the outer surface of the pumpkin and trace the lines simply over the paper onto the pumpkin. Remove the paper when done.
- Once you are satisfied with your design, cut out the shapes with a knife, cutting small pieces at a time and taking time removing the pieces first before you cut another piece.
- Replace the lid.
- Place a candle or a battery operated light inside.
- Place the carved pumpkin outdoors. This will cool the pumpkin and increase its lifespan.
- You can use any design and make many such Jack-o-Lanterns of different sizes.
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