Who Wants A New Pumpkin Carving Idea For 2009
admin | October 31, 2009
The best pumpkin carving I’ve ever seen made its way around the Internet several years ago. It was a jack-o-lantern of expert, but unexceptional carving. How could it be a simple wide open mouth and 2 eyes and a nose.
What made this the best pumpkin carving was that whoever did it took the scooped out innards of the pumpkin and arranged them in a way that made it seem that the jack-o-lantern was caught in mid-vomit. 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.
Another of the best pumpkin carving ideas I can remember is in the same vein. Cut your jack-o-lantern with a scary looking face. Give him narrow, angry eyes and a gaping maw with sharp fangs. Next your carve a small pumpkin with a very frightened look and stick it in the large pumpkins mouth. Done properly this should look like the larger jack-o-lantern is eating the smaller one, a bit of malicious delight on All Hallow’s Eve.
And it’s important to note that jack-o-lanterns are an important part of the Halloween tradition, and have been for centuries. 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. To stall his death, the thief offered the devil a way to bewitch the villagers hot on his trail. Since The Devil could take any shape, he was convinced by Jack to be changed into a silver coin. A coin that could be used to pay for the stolen property. They also figured that the villagers would fight who stole the coin, once it disappeared. 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. From the flames of hell, the Devil gave Jack an ever glowing ember to light his way. The burning ember was placed in a large turnip Jack carved out. He then wandered the Earth looking for a final resting place. He became known as “Jack of the Lantern”, or Jack-o’-Lantern.
So don’t forget that when looking for the best pumpkin carving ideas, either!
