Pumpkins, as you may know, are not native to the British Isles. There, Jacks were originally carved from hollowed out turnips. Some say they were carried to frighten away witches and ghosts, but I’ve heard that these poor-man’s lanterns were carved as faces for companionship on long night’s journeys—as well as to shed light on the road and make a traveling party merrier. I know there weren’t Wiccans in the old days, but I do believe that the correspondence of “Jack of the Lantern” to Summer’s “Green Man” was obvious to everyone. The Green Man’s lit from outside, by the Sun; the Jack’s “sun” is inside, as a candle or a glowing coal.

Jack’s light is inside, and hidden by the uncarved back of the pumpkin, just as life’s spark is hidden by Winter’s apparent death. “Jack” is an Underworld aspect of the God, too; but remember, for the Celts from whose beliefs Wicca developed, the Underworld was not a dreadful place.

The Celtic Underworld—an aspect or realm of Wicca’s Summerland—is the fabulous land beneath (inside) the fairy mounds. One of Jack’s aspects is the King of the Underworld, the King of the Fairies. Powerful and dangerous He is, surely, and stern; sometimes ruthless—but not “evil” or cruel.