In Ireland, Britain, and Cornwall, Jack-O’-Lanterns were originally carved from turnips, beets, mangelwurzels, rutabagas, and potatoes, but when the tradition () in America, the pumpkin was substituted for the turnip and coals or candles were used to light the grotesque faces. An old Celtic tradition was to carve ghoulish faces into turnips and use burning embers inside. These lit turnips would be placed in windows and doorways on Samhain to frighten off wandering evil spirits and other supernatural beings that were said to roam the earth on Samhain Eve when the veil between the worlds grew thin. According to legend in Ireland and Scotland, it is thought to be the carved turnip of Stingy Jack, a man who was cursed to roam the twilight world as punishment for tricking the devil on many occasions.
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