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.

The thing that made this design great was, the carver took the inside gook of the pumpkin and arranged it so that it looked like the pumpkin was throwing up. 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.

Here is a second winning jack-o-lantern carving design. Carve a fierce looking jack-o-lantern. He should have pointed fangs in his large mouth, to go with angry slim eyes.,. Next your carve a small pumpkin with a very frightened look and stick it in the large pumpkins mouth. The smaller jack-o-lantern looks like it is being eaten by the larger one. When done correctly, you add a bit of malicious delight to 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. However, the thief stalled his death by tempting the Devil with a chance to bedevil the church-going villagers chasing him. 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. He turned himself into a silver coin and jumped into Jack’s wallet, only to find himself next to a cross Jack had also picked up in the village. The devil was trapped and his powers gone, once the wallet with the cross inside, closed. In both myths, Jack only lets the Devil go when he agrees never to take his soul. After a while the thief died, as all living things do. Of course, his life had been too sinful for Jack to go to heaven; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. With no home, where was Jack to go. From the flames of hell, the Devil gave Jack an ever glowing ember to light his way. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which was his favourite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He became known as “Jack of the Lantern”, or Jack-o’-Lantern.

Remember this tale when you dream up your own jack-o-lantern carving ideas!