Entering the grove…
seasonal craftintermediate
Samhain Lantern Making
Carve a traditional turnip lantern for Samhain, the original Jack-o'-lantern of the British Isles.
~90 minutes · Season: samhain
Materials Needed
- A large turnip or swede (rutabaga)
- A sharp kitchen knife
- A sturdy metal spoon for scooping
- A smaller paring knife or craft knife for detail work
- A tea light candle
- Newspaper to protect the work surface
- A marker pen for drawing the face design
- A bowl for turnip scrapings (these can be cooked into soup)
## Samhain Lantern Making
Long before the American pumpkin jack-o'-lantern, the people of the British Isles carved lanterns from turnips and swedes (rutabaga) to light the way on Samhain — the night of October 31st when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. These turnip lanterns are the original jack-o'-lanterns, and they are considerably more eerie than their pumpkin cousins: smaller, harder, with a ghastly, skull-like quality when candlelit from within.
The tradition is particularly strong in Ireland and Scotland, where the lanterns were carved with grotesque faces and placed in windows or carried through the dark lanes to ward off wandering spirits. In parts of England, the tradition survives as "punkie night" in Somerset, where children carry carved mangel-wurzels (a type of beet) through the village singing traditional songs.
In this workshop, you will learn to select and carve a traditional Samhain lantern. Turnips and swedes are hard root vegetables — much more challenging to carve than a soft-fleshed pumpkin — and you will learn the techniques needed to hollow them safely and efficiently. We use a strong spoon for scooping, a sharp knife for the features, and patience for the detailed work.
We explore the folklore behind the tradition: the story of Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil and was condemned to wander the earth with only a burning coal in a hollowed turnip to light his way. We discuss the deeper symbolism of light in darkness, the honouring of ancestors, and the role of the lantern as a liminal object — bridging the worlds of the living and the dead.
Each participant will complete one lantern, fitted with a tea light, ready to glow in the window on Samhain night. We also cover preservation tips to keep your lantern from drying out too quickly, and suggestions for creating a Samhain altar or threshold display.