Today, pumpkins are seen everywhere in Halloween movies, decorations, and trick-or-treat baskets.

They’re often carved with faces, and lit with candles to brighten up the night.

But did you know that pumpkins weren’t originally the symbol of Halloween?

In Ireland, where Halloween began over two thousand years ago, people used turnips, or singkamas in Filipino,  as symbols.

At that time, pumpkins hadn’t been introduced in Europe, and turnips were more readily available in Ireland.

People would carve faces into turnips, believing it would ward off spirits that were thought to return on Halloween night.

The pumpkin later gained popularity because of the story of “Jack O’ Lantern.”

The tale of Jack tells of a trickster who outwitted the devil.

When Jack died, the devil granted his request not to take his soul but instead sent him off into the dark night with only a coal for light.

Jack placed the coal inside a carved turnip and wandered the earth, eventually becoming known as “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack O’ Lantern.”

This story was brought to America by Irish immigrants.

Since pumpkins were more abundant in the United States of America than turnips, they became the preferred choice for carving spooky faces as Halloween symbols.

According to historians and experts in cultural studies, Halloween has become a way for people to express their fears and beliefs about spirits and unseen beings.

People once believed that Jack O’ Lanterns helped protect them on Halloween night by scaring away restless spirits, providing a sense of safety.

Extra carved pumpkins were also used to make pumpkin soup, helping to reduce food waste.

In the Philippines, pumpkins are not traditionally used as Halloween symbols.

Halloween here is often observed as “Undas” or “All Souls’ Day,” focusing more on Catholic traditions.

Rather than pumpkins, Filipinos honor the departed by lighting candles, offering flowers, and visiting graves.

Though using pumpkins as decorations has grown in popularity due to media and Western influence, Halloween in the Philippines remains centered on showing respect and remembrance for loved ones who have passed on.

**VALERIE ANN DISMAYA