Pumpkins weren’t always the symbol of spooky season. Originally, jack-o-lanterns were carved from turnips — and you'll probably agree they look a lot scarier than the toothy orange gourds you see around Halloween today!
Despite their truly frightening appearance, the original jack-o-lantern served an important purpose in ancient Celtic tradition: warding off bad luck and evil spirits. Later, Irish immigrants to America brought the custom with them, and the rest is history. (Speaking of history, peep the video above to learn more about the origins of Halloween!)