About Jack-O-Lanterns & Pumpkins

Tivoli was dressed in orange during the Fall Break. 

Pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns enlightened the small squares and alleys in the evening. 

Our youngest son read out loud from his English book, 

that the tradition of carving pumpkins goes back to Ireland. 

In the old days Irish children carved turnips and put candles in them 

to light the night on Halloween, calling them Jack-O-Lanterns. 

When the Irish came to America as immigrants, 

they found out that the American pumpkins were a lot easier to carve, 

so today the Jack-O-Lanterns are made from pumpkins. 

We saw many beautifully carved pumpkins, but no turnips ... 

 The traditions for All Hallows' Eve in Scandinavia is different from family to family - many visit the  graves of their beloved ones, lighting up a candle.

In the picture above you see The Flying Trunk-house, named after a fairytale of Hans Christian Andersen.  In the Flying Trunk-house you can wander from one fairytale to another, listening and watching the main plots of the popular fairytales of H.C. Andersen.

Soft light and the Jack-O-Lanterns created a warm and fairy-like atmosphere.

In the middle of the main square there was a huge, smoking pot. The boys had won dracula-teeth from the "archery", so they thought it was fun to wear the teeth while stirring the pot with a huge spoon.

A wooden windmill was spinning at the square.

In front of the windmill there was a little market with pumpkins, where you could 

choose a pumpkin, carve it and light a candle inside.

Having a go on a Harley Davidson was really exciting 

- especially in the final straight!

Since our traditions for the All Hallows' Eve differ from carving pumpkins and Trickle & Treat, it is enriching to be able to learn more about Jack-O-Lanters, and experience a bit what it might be like to go and find a pumpkin from the pumpkin field, carve it and decorate the house, bake pumpkin pies and other nice things!