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by Michael Stratford
The pumpkin! It’s touted as a superlative health food (absolutely true, rich in fiber and antioxidants) and the source of all things culinary around October, from pumpkin pie and cheesecake to pancakes and turkey dressings. But what put pumpkins at the top of the food chain during such a weirdly supernatural holiday as Halloween?
For answer, we have to look back to ancient history. When we pick up a knife and carve that vegetable, giving it the most ghoulish or comic face we can, we’re not just creating a jolly lawn decoration—we’re following Celtic man’s method of warding off evil. Halloween was the night the evil spirits roamed the earth before All Saints Day. The jack o’lantern (ignis fatuus if you want its cool Latin name) worked to the homeowner’s advantage in two ways on this fearful evening (and it was so important to ancient man that if he had no pumpkins, he’d use turnips, rutabagas or even chard).
First, it is a root vegetable, which puts it in the same category as mandrake root, that magical tuber that resembles a man-child (and it screams when re-potted, according to Harry Potter); it was therefore, as a seed from old Adam, a powerful charm against all evil. A mandrake root (or similar life-force sprung from the soil) could block and counter the charms of the Evil One, and protect the house until All-Hallows dawned, at which point the wandering devils had no further power.
Second, it had a ghoulish face carved in it, as if to tell whatever hungry hag, goblin or demon spirit that “this house is already occupied by one of your kind; seek elsewhere to work your mischief.” The evil spirit, thus foiled, would speed away to another, less fortunate person’s home, and the wickedness of the night would be averted.
By the way, the carving alone was not always considered enough. At some distance from the glowing globular face, the homeowner would put a dish of food to appease the frustrated spirit. We now know this as “trick or treat,” and we give candy to those spooky beings that pop by our houses to keep ourselves safe from their tricks.
Pumpkins and Halloween candy may have somewhat sinister origins, but, like many other holiday tokens, they’ve taken on an air of jolliness and fun. So carve that face and dish out that candy—and fear not!
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