THE STORY OF JACK O' LANTERN

One day a man nicknamed 'Stingy Jack' invited the Devil to have a drink with him. Jack didnt want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. When the Devil did so, Jack kept the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, stopping the Devil from changing back to his origional state. Jack eventually freed the Devil under the condition that, should Jack die. the Devil would not claim his soul. The next year Jack tricked the Devil into climbing a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was in the tree, Jack carved a cross into the tree so the Devil could not come down until he promised not to bother Jack for 10 more years.



Soon after Jack died and God didnt want such a sneaky person in heaven so He sent him to Hell. And because the Devil was so upset by the tricks that Jack had played on him, the Devil would not allow Jack into Hell. But the Devil sent Jack on his way into the dark night with only a single burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved out turnip and has been roaming the earth ever since.

October 31st is All Souls Eve when the ancient Celtic people believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. To celebrate, they built huge bonfires and dressed in animal skins and other type of costumes. November 1st was All Saints day and people celebrated by dressing as Saints, angels, devils and witches. By combining these festivals we now celebrate Halloween although is not celebrated in every country the same way.