This is why Jack O’Lantern is so famous

In the midst of an annual debate as to whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a film to watch at Halloween or Christmas time, I took the opportunity to impart some of my useless facts about Jack O'Lantern.

Jack used to (and I presume still does) guide unsuspecting people to their death, his method is simple. A weary traveller (they are always weary) would see a light in the dark of the night, this light was not that far away and would almost certainly provide them shelter for the night.

However, when following the light the poor victim would be lead to their death - usually drowning. Whilst I was dazzling my work colleagues with some classic BrainSilt Halloween knowledge there was a dissenting voice who told me my story was incorrect and I was, in fact, describing a 'Willow the Wisp'.........!

There was some back and forth on the subject but eventually, it was discovered that the two names are one and the same and would very much depend on whether you were being told the story in England or Ireland.

My version of the story has been told for over 500 years so I will stick with it!

Jack O'Lantern was never really a pumpkin-headed man, he was a real live person originally and thought to be a blacksmith named Stingy Jack.

Somehow or another Jack was drinking with the Devil, neither of them wanted to pay for the drinks so they decided to trick the tavern keeper. The Devil turned himself into a coin and Jack was supposed to pay using that coin, however Stingy Jack had other ideas and pocketed the coin trapping the Devil alongside a silver cross so he was unable to escape.

Eventually, Jack released him but first made the Devil promise he would not seek revenge or claim his soul when he died. Upon Jack's death, he found that God would not allow him into heaven and the Devil kept his promise and would not claim his soul either.

As a 'kindness' the Devil gave Jack a piece of coal from the fires of Hell and told Jack it would light his way so he could find his own hell. Obviously, this piece of coal was too hot for Jack to carry in his hands so he carved out a turnip to carry it in.

And ever since 'Jack of the Lantern' or Jack O'Lantern has roamed the Earth (or at least the Irish Countryside) with his light luring people into the Peat Bogs and their death.

Why would he carve out a turnip? Well, there was a tradition of making these lanterns from various root vegetables to celebrate the late harvest.

As the years when by and the legend grew often people would trick each other by hiding off the road and pretending to be Jack O'Lantern guiding people with their lights.

The tradition was exported to America with lots of Irish emigrating, but turnips weren't so easy to come by so they used something that was - the pumpkin.

As a bonus pumpkins are far easier to carve, which meant people could try to make actual shapes - this was usually a scary face to try and frighten people.

By the mid-1800s the carved faces in pumpkins were referred to as Jack O'Lantern's and by the end of that Century, the pumpkin had become part of the Halloween traditional decoration.

As for the film, well I maintain it is for somewhere between Halloween & Christmas but neither time really - others have pretty strong views on it being one or the other.

What's your thoughts on the best time to watch it?