Yesterday afternoon, I was thinking about traditional turnip lanterns – the gnarlier, spookier ancestor of the pumpkin! Long before people went mad for pumpkin spice and porch displays, it was turnips that flickered in the night, giving passersby a good scare. Turnip carving is an old-school custom that hails from the UK and Ireland, and honestly, it might be the most delightfully eerie tradition around.
Why a Turnip?
Turnip carving was done as part of Samhain (hellooooooo, favourite season!), a time when folks believed the veil between worlds was paper-thin and spirits roamed freely. To ward off mischievous ghosts and wandering souls, people carved grotesque faces into turnips, then plopped a candle inside to create a macabre little lantern. These nightmarish turnips, usually small but mighty spooky, were thought to scare off anything that might want to mess with the living. Imagine a turnip with a flickering grin staring at you in the dark – absolutely terrifying!
How Did It All Start?
This brilliant bit of folk magic comes from the Celtic belief that Samhain was a liminal time, a crack between this world and the next. And during that in-between time, spirits of the dead weren’t the only ones wandering; fairies, too, were known to be up to their tricks. (Turnips don’t mind being sentinels, mind you – they don’t scare easy!)
The tradition grew from Irish and Scottish lore, particularly the tale of Stingy Jack. Jack, a bit of a rogue, tricked the devil a few too many times and found himself barred from both heaven and hell when he died. His only comfort? A burning coal from the devil himself, which Jack placed in a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. Hence, the “Jack o’ Lantern” was born!
Was It Just a UK Thing?
Mostly, yes. This was a British Isles phenomenon, especially big in Ireland and Scotland, where turnips were readily available and known for being…tough. The carving wasn’t for the faint-hearted – it was practically a workout. When Irish and Scottish immigrants took this custom to the United States, they found pumpkins, which were much softer, larger, and frankly, a lot easier on the wrists! So, the pumpkin became the new face of Halloween, and turnips (a bit bitter about it, I imagine) were left to their fate back in the fields of old Europe.
Carving Your Very Own Turnip
If you want to be truly traditional this Samhain, go grab yourself a turnip! Now, I asked the Hubby to pick up a turnip for me on his travels, but he came back with a swede. It’s no bother really – Swedes and turnips are different species in the brassica family. Swedes’ botanical name is Brassica oleracea and turnips’ is Brassica rapa. I was carving the damn thing either way, plus, it was a really tasty snack!
Anyway, carving a swe-nip (see what I did there?) can be quite the arm workout, so here’s a few tips to make it slightly easier:
- Choose Your Turnip Wisely: Go for a larger one if you can find it, as it’ll give you more room to work with. Smaller turnips are much tougher to handle and carve.
- Soften It Up: Try soaking the turnip in warm water for a bit – this can help soften the flesh just enough to make the carving easier. Some people even zap it in the microwave for a few seconds (but not too long, or it could get mushy).
- Tools: Forget dainty pumpkin-carving kits; you’ll want a sturdy knife, like a small paring knife or even a spoon for scooping out the middle. A melon baller or an old-fashioned metal spoon can help scrape out the insides nicely. I actually found an apple corer was extremely helpful too.
- Take It Slow: Start with the top and carve out a “lid,” then work on hollowing out the middle. Once that’s done, carefully carve your face – remember, the thicker the walls, the harder the work, so a bit of patience goes a long way.
- Light It Up: Once you’re all carved up, pop a small candle or tea light inside (or even a battery-powered one, to be safe). Turnips cast a beautifully eerie glow, and their knobbly texture makes for some truly spooky shadows!
I gave my little guy some sheaves of wheat for hair and some arms; I actually think he’s really cute – kinda like a little piece of history grinning up at me! Stuff putting him outside to scare off the nasties, he’s going the sit centre stage on my altar.
Good luck – may your swe-nip be as ghostly and protective as tradition demands!
