#795 – Dick Bernard: "Trick or Treats, Money or Eats"

Today is Halloween.
Down at my coffee place, Caribou Coffee in Woodbury, the trivia question of the day was this:
The tradition of Jack-o-Lantern to ward off spirits is thousands of years old. Which vegetable were they originally made?
a) squash
b) pumpkin
c) turnip
d) melons
I guessed correctly and got my 10 cent discount. The correct answer at the end.
Two of the counter folks were dressed for the occasion:
(click to enlarge)

Enroute home I stopped by one house decorated for this evenings parade of little “rapscallions”:

We live in a neighborhood with limited visitors on Halloween night: Few kids, better pickins’ in other nearby precincts. Nonetheless we’re armed with goodies, just in case.
For most of us, there are memories connected with Halloweens past.
My memories go back to the days of tipping over outhouses. NOT ME, I hasten to say. My parents were school teachers in the little towns in which we lived, and I wouldn’t have dared. But that happened, of course, and at our house from time to time.
The day was a time for more malicious kinds of stunts as well. It was as if the Devil were allowed out for an evening. Mostly, though, the fun was restricted to getting a bit of candy from this neighbor or that – in those days before obese kids, the portion of candy, even on halloween, was relatively small. And you’d hear about the psychopaths as well, which made things like apples a risky treat – a problem rare, but real.
The Day – All Souls Day in Christian terms – is recognized in different ways in different cultures. Many places today Dia de Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is recognized in the Mexican community.
Quite by chance, in November 5, 2001, we came across a variation of Halloween in London. Our abode overlooked a small park where people were celebrating what seemed to be Halloween but was, we found later, to be Guy Fawkes Day, recognition of a significant historical event related to religion.
Events like Halloween have their own histories and traditions, pieced together one generation and one culture at a time.
Now, the answer to the question which began this blog: I guessed “c” Turnip, and I was right.
The only reason for the guess: the turnip is a root, from below ground, and thus perhaps relates to spirits of people past.
Without looking before I wrote that last sentence, here’s what I discovered about the history of the Jack-o-Lantern. As you’ll note, my reasoning was off. But who cares? I got a dime off my coffee!
Happy Halloween, whatever your opinions are about the day.
Remember some of your own stories…. You can comment here if you wish.