UMSL Global Pumpkin Carving!

If you have never carved a Halloween pumpkin before, you must give this a try.

Written By: Dana Pierson

As amber, gold, and ruby colored leaves paint the walkways of the University of Missouri- St. Louis’s (UMSL), autumn marks its arrival in the Midwest heartland. September came and went, now October beckons with all its glory. Perhaps what October is most known for is its celebration of Halloween. As the weeks lead up to the night of Halloween, children and their families in the US may place pumpkins on their doorstep. Not just any old pumpkins though, but Jack-o-Lanterns. Carved with funny or scary faces, these hollowed out pumpkins illuminate the night with their bright candlelight.

The Jack-o-Lantern tradition comes to us from Ireland. It is to be said that a man, Jack, was so stingy that when he died, he was forced to wander amidst the Irish countryside, holding a candle in a turnip as his guide. Locals called his ghost, “Jack of the Lantern,” and later “Jack O’Lantern.” In Ireland and Scotland, people started carving their own Jack-o-Lanterns out of turnips.  When this custom came to America with immigrants, pumpkins were picked up in popularity. Today Jack-o-Lanterns can represent any image: witch, ghost, lion, or even an owl. All it needs is a little imagination!

Want to Carve Your Own Pumpkin?

Check out the UMSL Global Pumpkin Carving event! Details are the following:

-Date and Time: Friday, Oct. 16^th at 1pm

-Location: The Quad (intersection of Social Sciences building,  Lucas Hall, and the Thomas Jefferson Library)

-Pumpkins and Tools Provided

-RSVP Required by 4:00 pm on October 15 at: http://umslglobal.eventbrite.com

Please wear masks and keep social distancing

From the UMSL Global Team, we hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!