The term jack-o’-lantern was first applied to people, not pumpkins. As far back as 1663, the term meant a man with a lantern or a night watchman. Just a decade or so later, it began to be used ...

Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist with nearly two decades of newsroom experience. She is also the co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel ...

It’s hard to know what to carve every year! Sure, you can just put some spooky eyes and teeth on your jack-o’-lantern and call it a day, but this year we decided to be a bit more ambitious and ...

Jack-o’-lanterns aren’t truly "alive" until they're lit up. Historically, this has been done using real candles, but these days, there are many more ways to set them aglow that don't involve ...

Ready for a gourd time? Nothing says Halloween like Jack O'Lantern Spectacular, a nighttime stroll through a dark forest speckled with thousands of glowing carved pumpkins. This magical treat ...

Walk through thousands of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns at Jack O’ Lantern World! The popular pumpkin attraction is returning to Lake Zurich this month to kick off spooky season. As dusk turns to ...

Jack-o’-lantern personified the unknown ... Excerpted from Pumpkin: The Curious History of an American Icon by Cindy Ott (2012). Used with permission from the University of Washington Press.