Did you know the first
Jack-o'-lanterns were not made out of pumpkins? Over 2,000 years ago, turnips were used. Carving turnips into Jack-o'-lanterns began in Ireland, Scotland and England to
celebrate the Celtic festival of Samhain which marked the end of summer and the
harvest season.
The celebration started on the eve
of October 31st which was believed to be the night when the
veil between the living and dead was thought to be extra thin. People had
bonfires, dressed in costumes (to disguise themselves from evil spirits) and
lit a candle inside their Jack-o'-lantern to ward off demons. Then they would go door-to-door to
offer prayers for the dead in exchange for food - they called it souling. Possibly an old
school version of trick or treating?
In the 19th century, immigrants brought the Jack-o'-lantern tradition to America. They toned down the thinning of the veil belief and switched it up from turnips to pumpkins because pumpkins were plentiful, larger and a lot easier to carve.
There is no way any turnip can be this cute.
As pumpkins ripen in the fields and the leaves start to fall, I replace t-shirts and shorts with turtlenecks, long pants and a myriad of warm scarves. I also find it tempting to go to bed earlier and sleep in later as the daylight hours diminish.
Fall brings on a variety of changes. Here are a few fall facts from Google:
- A
study in the Journal of Aging suggests people born in the fall have a better
chance of reaching 100 years old. They also may be taller, smarter and more athletic
than babies born in winter, spring or summer. Dang, that's why I'm short. I’m a March baby.
- The lower humidity in the fall can influence moods and increase testosterone levels in both men and women. I’m not touching that one.
- During the fall, the hippocampus of a squirrel's brain—the part that controls memory—grows by 15% and makes squirrels smarter which helps them remember where they hid their nuts. I wonder what experiments they did to figure that out.
- In the 14th century, bobbing for apples was a British courting ritual. The classic party game would have suitor’s apples hanging from strings or floating in a tub of water. If a girl successfully bit into an apple belonging to the boy she liked, it was a sign they were destined to be together forever. No Apps required in the old days to find a mate.
- A belief from the Encyclopedia of Superstitions suggests that catching a falling leaf in the autumn brings one month of happiness. In some cultures, to catch a falling leaf brings a year’s worth of good luck. To heck with the Encyclopedia of Superstitions - I’m going with option 2.
- Pumpkin spice flavoring does not contain any actual pumpkin. It's a blend of spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. What?
Make sure you enjoy all the season has to offer. Feast well on Thanksgiving and keep your eyes peeled for the perfect carving pumpkin.
After all the leaves have fallen (or maybe even before
that happens), that white stuff will start. And you know what that
means.
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Summer of Lies by
Barbara Baker — BWL Publishing
What About Me? by Barbara Baker — BWL
Publishing
Jillian of Banff XO —
BWL Publishing
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