Halloween in the UK

Jack Skellington · Post by **Jack Skellington** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:37 pm

Pumpkin_Man,

Yes pumpkins are widely available here. I love carving Jack O' Lanterns, i've been doing it since I was a kid. Myself & my wife carve about 6 a year.

Years ago in Britain they used to use turnips or swede for their Jack O' Lanterns. Once the tradition moved to the USA, it was adapted to the carving of a pumpkin as these vegetables were more readily available, bigger and easier to carve.

Pumpkin_Man · Post by **Pumpkin_Man** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:45 pm

I remember reading about turnips being used in Ireland before the discovery of America. Pumpkins, as far as I know, are indigidious to the Americas.

Mike

Jack Skellington · Post by **Jack Skellington** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:46 pm

Pumpkin_Man wrote: I remember reading about turnips being used in Ireland before the discovery of America. Pumpkins, as far as I know, are indigidious to the Americas.

Mike

They are indigenous to North America yes, where I have read that they've grown for 5000 years! People buy seeds & grow them in England, but I wouldn't have thought they'ld be as good.

Supermarkets are full of them over here in October though. I'm sure they ship them over from North America rather than grow them here.

It must have been hard work to carve out a turnip. From what i've read I believe some people in Ireland still carve turnips.

Carving a pumpkin to make Jack O' Lantern's is my favourite thing about halloween.

By the way, have you ever read the story of 'Stingy Jack?' I like that story.

Pumpkin_Man · Post by **Pumpkin_Man** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:13 am

I'm suprised to hear that. I allways heard that England's climate is relatively mild as compared to other countries at that northern lattitude. I would think that pumpkins would grow pretty good over there. At any rate, I have tried and tried again to grow pumpkins here in Illinois, and every time I try it, the rabbits and squirls turn my pumpkin patch into a toss salad.

As for "Stingy Jack," I don't think I know the story per se, but I do know the story of Jack O'Lantern, which may or may not be the same thing. It's an old Irish tale handed down from generation to generation, (more or less told to children at Halloween here in the U S ) Anyway, Jack O'Lantern was so mean that God wouldn't let him into heaven, and the devil wouldn't even let him into hell, so he roms through out the earth for all eternity with a pumpkin lantern. Hence, that's why a carved pumpkin with a candle in it is called a jack o'lantern.

Mike

Jack Skellington · Post by **Jack Skellington** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:28 pm

I could be wrong though & maybe the supermarkets over here do buy them from farms growing them over here.

Yep that's pretty much the story of Stingy Jack. He was a drunk who tricked the devil & that's what led him to not be allowed to enter heaven or hell.

Here's a link to the Wikipedia page: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingy_Jack

Pumpkin_Man · Post by **Pumpkin_Man** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:50 pm

Interestig story. Thanks for posting the link.

Mike

Jack Skellington · Post by **Jack Skellington** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 4:46 am

Pumpkin_Man wrote: Interestig story. Thanks for posting the link.

Mike

No problem.

I've always loved that story.

Andybev01 · Post by **Andybev01** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:27 am

Sheesh, they are too many rules for getting into the afterlife that I'd just as soon roam the Earth as a spirit and be done with it.

iHaunt · Post by **iHaunt** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 11:04 am

Mike aka Pumpkin_Man is my own Irish uncle, and Chris aka HalloweenCom is my own Irish older brother.

Pumpkin_Man · Post by **Pumpkin_Man** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:54 pm

Thank you, for that kind gester, iHaunt. Come by my old haunted house this Halloween, and I'll be sure to put a few extra Butter Fingers in your ToT bag.

Mike

iHaunt · Post by **iHaunt** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 11:14 pm

Pumpkin_Man wrote: Thank you, for that kind gester, iHaunt. Come by my old haunted house this Halloween, and I'll be sure to put a few extra Butter Fingers in your ToT bag.

Mike

Ha ha! Very funny, Mike! Honestly, I really didn't like Butter Fingers. I prefer M&M peanuts or Snickers.

Also, Reese's peanut butter cups.

Pumpkin_Man · Post by **Pumpkin_Man** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:11 am

Well, I'll have plenty of Reeses and Snickers, too.

Mike

iHaunt · Post by **iHaunt** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:09 pm

Pumpkin_Man wrote: Well, I'll have plenty of Reeses and Snickers, too.

Mike

I love those candies!

How about M&M candies?

Jack Skellington · Post by **Jack Skellington** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 5:14 am

I love Reeses too!

I've seen them in the UK, although I havn't bought a pack for a while.

I love the Haribo halloween sweets, they're nice!

iHaunt · Post by **iHaunt** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 11:09 am

Jack Skellington wrote:I love Reeses too!

I've seen them in the UK, although I havn't bought a pack for a while.

I love the Haribo halloween sweets, they're nice!

Haribo sweets? Are they good?

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