Halloween - Turnip/Swede Lanterns

[jason h]

When I was growing up in the 70s/80s I never saw a pumpkin at a market or supermarket. I remember my mum would carve out a lantern from either a turnip or swede. A small candle would be put inside and string used to carry it. Today, the smell of burnt turnip reminds me of Halloween.

Anyone else have these memories?

[big kid]

Re: Halloween - Turnip/Swede Lanterns

my mum and i were talking about this on saturday when we went to the market. we'd always get a swede. great times back then.

[marc]

Re: Halloween - Turnip/Swede Lanterns

Pumpkins seemed to come into the British Halloween during the 1990's, at least that's what I remember. It was always a swede back in the 1970s.

[victorbrunswick]

Re: Halloween - Turnip/Swede Lanterns

The tradition was brought to America from Ireland. It evolved into the now-familiar pumpkin Jack O'Lanterns because many of the Irish immigrants found them to be much easier to carve.

[staffslad]

Re: Halloween - Turnip/Swede Lanterns

It was always a swede in our house. Never saw a pumpkin back in the 70s and 80s. A candle inside and string to hang it in the back garden. We kept this up until around 2005, when my son was too old to be bothered about it.