Today, the pumpkin is inseparable from Halloween festivities. Whether carving them into ornamental jack-o’-lanterns or making a hearty seasonal soup, pumpkins are as versatile as they are iconic; however, this was not always the way. Once, turnips dominated the spooky autumnal landscape.
Until the late 20th century, folkloric beliefs and limited resources meant Scots carved turnips, also known as neeps or tumshies, instead of pumpkins. In Celtic tradition, the Samhain festival, which marked the end of autumn, was viewed as a time where spirits stuck in the liminal space between life and death could wander the earth.
Most prominent of these spirits was Stingy Jack, a man who was denied entry to heaven and hell after tricking the Devil, and condemned to roam the earth instead. Jack was given a burning ember by the Devil, which he rested in a hollowed-out turnip; this makeshift lantern guided him on his endless prowl.
In response to this tale, Gaelic communities in Scotland and Ireland carved their own turnips into frightening figures. They were then placed around the village at Samhain to ward off evil spirits, such as Stingy Jack.
As a result of migration in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this tradition spread to North America. Not only did pumpkins grow more readily in America than turnips, but their size and softness made them far easier to carve. Eventually, this worked its way back to Europe along with other aspects of the Americanised Halloween we know today.
If you’re looking to carve a turnip this Halloween in homage to the Celtic tradition, be prepared to bend a few spoons. Turnips are incredibly tough, with unyielding skin and dense flesh. Though this makes it all the more rewarding! Once you’ve used a sharp tool to carefully cut a lid off, a melon scoop would be the best implement to scoop out the insides. From here, the shell of the turnip is surprisingly easy to carve a face into. Although the size of turnips can make them a bit finickity to work with, the small lanterns produced are incredibly cute.
This Celtic tradition has undoubtedly been overtaken in popularity, with many unaware it exists at all. This Halloween, perhaps you could help revive the art of turnip carving, or even start your own tradition by trying out a new root vegetable!
Image by Culture Vannin on Openverse.