Back to the Roots: Skip the pumpkins, carve turnips

RAD ROOTS: These turnip jack-o-lanterns are on display at the editor’s home in 2025.

By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com

Think your jack ‘o lantern is the creepiest one in town this Halloween? 

Until you’ve seen the grimace of a carved turnip curl into itself like a slowly dying witch, think again.

This Halloween (or next), consider adding a turnip or two to your spooky decor. You won’t be disappointed. What may disappoint you, however, is if Grandma substitutes turnips for mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving without giving you a heads up (Trust me: I speak from experience).

The turnip is a root vegetable deeply rooted in Halloween traditions. In ancient times turnips were carved for lanterns during Samhain, a pagan festival celebrating the end of summer. Ancient Celts of the British Isles felt these lanterns would ward off spirits that meant them harm.

The ubiquitous pumpkin jack o’ lantern we know in modern times is a result of Irish immigrants bringing their traditions to the U.S., eventually replacing turnips with the orange gourd associated with today’s Halloween.

Honor the roots of the holiday and try carving a turnip. Doing so will not only pay homage to pagan traditions that influenced modern Halloween customs, but will also make your Halloween decor stand out as the scariest on the block. After all, isn’t that what Halloween is all about?

For starters, a single turnip costs around a dollar (compared to a pumpkin, which generally costs between $4 to $8), so adding a single turnip to your Halloween routine is a no-brainer; adding several is also easy on the wallet, extending the fun and offering limitless designs.

A turnip jack ‘o lantern has a more rugged, creepy appearance that, over the course of a few days, will only get creepier as your turnip wilts.

Use the same tools you would to carve a pumpkin, but keep in mind that turnips take a little more effort to hollow out because of their dense innards.

Once you’ve got the hard part out of the way, pencil your design on the turnip’s face and carve away. Add a tea light, then admire and show off your work in a windowsill (be sure it faces the street to keep the ghouls at bay!)

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