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Momma, why do we carve pumpkins?

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With our recent pumpkin carving contest, it would only be appropriate to explain how pumpkin carving came to be. We all know that October is mostly defined by the spooky Halloween season. This is the time where we eat candy, make costumes and trick-or-treat. But haven’t you ever wondered how pumpkin carving came to be a staple for Halloween?

Well, way back when, there was something a called a Celtic Festival of Samhain. This was celebrated on the sunset of October 31st and lasted through the sunset of November 1st. The festival celebrated and honored the deceased relatives of friends and family. It was believed that this time of year was the most magical. In order to welcome the spirits and lead them to their homes, they would carve turnips, pears and veggies and put lighted coals. It was also believed that displaying these lanterns would ward off evil spirits from entering the home. Now though, we just carve pumpkins for fun, yay!

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