tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post4992424765005109918..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Mythic Monday: All Hallow's EveJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-10255171757888742442011-11-07T12:22:14.489-05:002011-11-07T12:22:14.489-05:00Thanks for that insight, S'mon! A true turnip...Thanks for that insight, S'mon! A true turnip carver in our (online midst) that's excellent!<br /><br />I have a friend who's a professor of religion, his book on holidays pinpointed the pumpkin carving to mid 19th century, sometime after all the Irish immigration related to famine. It's quite likely that earlier immigrants brought it to America, but perhaps it hadn't reached critical mass to take America by storm until after the Civil War.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-8653114397704693382011-11-07T11:00:54.602-05:002011-11-07T11:00:54.602-05:00"The jack-o-lantern tradition comes from turn..."The jack-o-lantern tradition comes from turnip carving in Ireland, brought to America in the middle of the 19th century (the story of Stingy Jack and the Devil, an Irish story, is a tale for another Monday). I can't imagine turnip-carving would be as enjoyable as pumpkin carving. "<br /><br />I grew up in Northern Ireland, carving turnips at Halloween, back when the English did not celebrate it. I can confirm turnip-carving is difficult, uncomfortable and quite dangerous - turnips are tough buggers!<br /><br />I was from an Ulster Protestant family; I'd be surprised if the Scots-Irish/Ulster-American Protestants didn't bring turnip carving over to America with them in the 17th century or early 18th?Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01173759805310975320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-53493845208645775852011-11-02T17:30:25.069-04:002011-11-02T17:30:25.069-04:00A good holiday post.A good holiday post.Theodric the Obscurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18201793290118146978noreply@blogger.com