The Jack-O-Lantern tradition springs from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack who invited the devil to
share a drink one night. In the end, Jack tricked the devil so he couldn’t lay claim to his soul… but he was denied entrance into heaven due to his shifty ways. Fated to wander the earth for all eternity with a makeshift lantern carved from a turnip, the ghost of Stingy Jack came to be known as “Jack of the Lantern.”
Centuries after Irish immigrants brought the Jack-O-Lantern to the new world, crafty folks have fine-tuned the art. Martha Stewart recommends using a scraper to reduce the thickness of the pumpkin walls, paving the way for fine design. She prefers a keyhole saw for carving—it’s safer and offers greater control than a knife— and she suggests cutting your candle hole on the bottom of the pumpkin. This technique offers easy access and may keep you from burning your fingers. More carving tips can be found at MarthaStewart.com.
Looking to add an extra touch to wow the ghosts and goblins? Buy five or six baby pumpkins, carve a hole in the top, and place a votive candle in each one
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