It is believed that the tradition of decorating jack-o’-lanterns began in the 19th century in Ireland, using, however, potatoes and turnips instead of pumpkins first. The name jack-o’-lantern appeared first in an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. The pumpkins were used as canvases in the 1800’s when Irish immigrants came to America and discovered that pumpkins were better for carving.