- Jack-O-Lantern: This term sort of follows Will-O'-the-Wisp's origin in terms of the name (according to Wikipedia: The term "will-o'-the-wisp" comes from "wisp", a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch, and the name "Will": thus, "Will-of-the-torch"). Where Will-O'-the-Wisp is saying Will of the Wisp, Jack-O-Lantern is Jack of the Lantern. The story of the Jack-O-Lantern is coined in the tale of Stingy Jack, a man who lived in Ireland several centuries ago and was well-known for causing a lot of trouble by being very manipulative and tricky. When the Devil heard of Jack's exploits, he decided to pay Jack a visit to see if the rumors were true. As was normal for Jack on the fateful night he met the Devil, he was drunk. He wandered drunkenly until he came upon what he thought was a dead body laying in the road. The dead body turned out to be the Devil, surprising Jack. Since Jack thought this was the end and the Devil was coming to collect his soul, Jack made a final request to the Devil and asked him for some ale before going to hell. The Devil didn't see any harm in this and escorted Jack to a local pub where Jack drank to his content. Afterwards, Jack asked the Devil to pay the tab. The Devil turned himself into a silver coin, which Jack stuck in his pocket along with a crucifix to keep the Devil from turning back into himself. In order to escape Jack's pocket, Jack and the Devil reached an agreement giving Jack another 10 years before the Devil would come back and try again for him. As promised, the Devil shows up 10 years later, and Jack makes a final request; this time, for an apple. The Devil climbs up a tree to retrieve some fruit for Jack, and Jack surrounds the trunk of the tree with crucifixes to prevent the Devil from coming down. This time, the agreement was that the Devil would never be allowed to take Jack's soul to hell. Eventually Jack died of his own accord after the drinking and otherwise bad lifestyle caught up with him. At the Pearly Gates, Jack was told my St. Peter that because of his deceitful and drunken lifestyle, he could not be permitted into heaven. And so he was sent to hell, where the Devil could not take his soul, as per their agreement. To warn others of the risk of being stuck in purgatory, the Devil gave Jack and ember from hell as a light to guide his way in the darkness. In order to better hold the ember, Jack hallowed out a turnip and set the ember in it, making a makeshift lantern. And so, the story goes, Jack is forever doomed to walk the ground between heaven and hell with only the one ember to light his way.
- Halloween: also seen as Hallowe'en, a contraction of Hallow Even (or evening). AKA All Hallows Eve. Traditions included mostly games of telling the future. Games such as peeling an apple and throwing the skin over a player's shoulder. The skin will land in the shape of the letter that the player's future spouse's name starts with. Also, if unmarried women sit in a dark room on Halloween night and look into a mirror, their future husband's face will appear. However, if they are to die before they marry, they will will see a skull instead.
- All Hallows Eve: the night before the feast of All Hallows, a Christian holiday where prayers are lifted for all saints: those who were and those who will be. AKA All Saints Eve. Christian traditions include ringing bells for the souls in purgatory, and "souling," baking bread or a cake for all christened souls. Souls in purgatory are given this day once a year as a chance to come back to the land of the living and take revenge on their enemies before moving on to the afterlife.
- All Hallows/All Saints Day: A Christian holiday to celebrate all saints and commemorates those who have successfully made it into heaven. The day following Halloween. In more protestant churches, specifically Methodist, All Saints Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in November as a way of remembering deceased members of the congregation, as well as all saints.
Hope y'all enjoyed that as much as I did! :)
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