   a jack-o'-lantern (or jack o'lantern) is a carved pumpkin, or turnip, associated chiefly with the holiday of halloween and named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called will-o'-the-wisp or jack-o'-lantern. in a jack-o'-lantern, the top is cut off to form a lid and the inside flesh then scooped out; an image, usually a monstrous or comical face, is carved out of the pumpkin's rind to expose the hollow interior. to create the lantern effect, a light source (such as a candle or tea light) is placed within before the lid is closed. this is traditionally a flame or electric candle, though pumpkin lights featuring various colors and flickering effects are also marketed specifically for this purpose. it is common to see jack-o'-lanterns on doorsteps and otherwise used as decorations prior to and during halloween. ==etymology== thumbnail|left|an assortment of carved pumpkins the term jack-o'-lantern is in origin a term for the visual phenomenon ignis fatuus (lit., "foolish fire") known as a will-o'-the-wisp in english folklore. used especially in east england, its earliest known use dates to the 1660s. the term "will-o'-the-wisp" uses "wisp" (a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch) and the proper name "will": thus, "will-of-the-torch." the term jack-o'-lantern is of the same construction: "jack of [the] lantern." ==origin==   the origin of the custom of jack-o'-lantern carving is uncertain. the carving of vegetables has been a common practice in many parts of the world, with gourds being the earliest plant species domesticated by humans c. 10,000 years ago, primarily for their carving potential. gourds were used to carve lanterns by the maori over 700 years ago,{{cite web|title=te ao hou - the maori magazine june 1962|url=http://teao
Food_decorations Fruit_and_vegetable_characters Ghosts Halloween_practices