You can find jack-o'-lanterns on the front steps of countless American homes on October 31 , Halloween night . Decorating a pumpkin for the holiday can be a lot of fun , especially for children . Many people buy a pumpkin from a store or from a real pumpkin patch on a farm . Making a jack-o'-lantern takes time and at least one good , sharp knife . So , make sure you have plenty of both . This is why children do this activity with someone older . First , cut off the stem , or top of the pumpkin . But don't throw it out . You will need it later to finish the jack-o'-lantern . Now , reach your hands inside the pumpkin and remove everything inside . And yes -- it will feel slimy . Next , make a picture of a face or something else on the skin , or rind , of the pumpkin . Then , carefully cut along the lines of your artwork . Finally , put a candle or some other lighting inside to light up the design you have cut . You have turned a pumpkin into a jack-o'-lantern . Now , you might have a few questions . For example , why does the term jack-o'-lantern have a man's name -- “Jack ?” It says people in England began using the term in the 17th-century . It meant “a man with a lantern ” or a night watchman . At that time , people living in England reportedly called a man they did not know “Jack .” So , an unknown man carrying a lantern was sometimes called "Jack with the lantern " or "Jack of the lantern ." Your next question might be : But what does this have to do with Halloween ? Merriam-Webster and Encyclopedia Britannica both say the term “jack-o'-lantern ” comes from a very old Irish story about a man named Stingy Jack . As the story goes , he tricked the Devil to get money . When Jack died , God refused to let him go to heaven . So , Jack's punishment was to wander the earth forever . His soul was stuck . And like most spirits trapped on Earth , he probably spent most of his time trying to frighten humans . At least , that's what I imagine trapped souls would do . To protect themselves and frighten away Jack's wandering soul , people in Ireland would carve scary faces on turnips . I suspect that turnips were a common root vegetable at the time . When Irish families moved to the United States , they brought this tradition with them . These immigrants began carving jack-o'-lanterns from pumpkins , which were more common than turnips in their new home . Halloween is based on the Celtic celebration from ancient times . It marked the end of summer . It was believed that during this time of the year , the souls of those who had died that year would return to visit their homes . Encyclopedia Britannica goes on to explain that in the 8th century , the Roman Catholic Church moved All Saints ’ Day , a religious day , to November 1 . This meant that All Hallows ’ Eve , or Halloween , fell on October 31 . Traditions from the old Celtic celebration remained , such as wearing costumes to hide yourself from the souls of the dead and carving jack-o'-lanterns . Today , people who celebrate Halloween continue to do both !