Pumpkins and their cultural significance in Halloween.

Carved pumpkins have become indispensable works of art in Halloween celebrations.

The Halloween festival, celebrated in many parts of the world , has ancient origins and is believed to have originated in Ireland, introduced to the United States by Irish immigrants. This Irish custom spread to America and then spread to Europe with American soldiers, gradually becoming very popular there. There are also other explanations for the origin of Halloween and why it is celebrated so enthusiastically worldwide. Today, the symbol of Halloween is not only the bizarre costumes and masks that surprise and frighten, but also hollow pumpkins with flames shining through carved slits, used both as permanent displays and as lanterns. Pumpkins have become an indispensable part of the annual Halloween festival. It wasn't quite like that in the beginning.

Legend has it that long ago there was a wicked man named Jack. After he died, he knocked on the gates of heaven. God refused him entry because he had been too wicked in his life on earth. He was driven away in the cold, dark night. A devil in heaven took pity on him and gave him a glowing ember from the hearth of hell, placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to use as a lamp to light his way through the darkness. The light helped him overcome his fear and drove away the devil.

Irish immigrants to America brought with them the Halloween custom and this turnip lantern. They placed them in front of their houses to ward off evil spirits. Europe is where turnips are grown, while America is not. In America, there are many varieties of pumpkins that produce large, high-yielding fruits. Pumpkins are also easier to carve. Therefore, pumpkins gradually replaced turnips at Halloween celebrations.

Over time, ancient religious and spiritual practices have transformed into genuine cultural traditions and gradually spread to places near and far around the world. Pumpkins are not only used as lamps to replace the turnips in legend, but also carry their own unique cultural mission. Hollowed out to hold a lamp inside, and carved and sculpted into various shapes and styles, pumpkins make Halloween a very special and distinctive festival, bridging the world of legend with the real world, connecting past history with the present.

Over time, the annual Halloween festival gradually developed into a Pumpkin Festival and a Pumpkin King crowning contest in many places around the world. These contests select pumpkins that are the largest, heaviest, and most beautifully or bizarrely shaped. Pumpkin Festivals are essentially pure pumpkin fairs for display and trade, but also for competing for record-breaking pumpkin titles.

And then, thanks to Halloween, the pumpkin entered the world of art. From the initial simple carvings on turnips to let the light from the embers of a hellish fireplace shine through, pumpkins were later carved into unique works of art or to mimic existing artworks, monuments, and sculptures on their shells. And then, exhibitions showcasing carved pumpkin artworks and installations were organized in many localities, countries, and around the world.

Halloween exploits the fear-inducing effect on people through spooky costumes and masks, as well as the demonic imagery in pumpkin lanterns. However, it has also gained the effect and spread of a cultural and artistic activity, allowing people to enjoy the beauty and artistry of this ancient custom.

MINH HANH

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