While Baton Rouge might not be getting the leaf-changing,air-crisping effects of the Halloween season, it is certainlygetting its share of sugar binges, hidden identities and mostimportantly, cool pumpkins.
According to the History Channel, jack-o-lanterns sprung from anIrish myth about “Stingy Jack,” a man who was notallowed into either heaven or hell after he died, but was banishedinto the dark with nothing but a burning coal in a carved-outturnip. People in Ireland and Scotland made their own turnip orpotato jack-o-lanterns to scare away evil spirits. Pumpkinjack-o-lanterns started when immigrants brought the tradition toAmerica.
The tradition lives on today, according to Ryan Wickstrand,creator of zombiepumpkins.com.
“While I appreciate and respect the history ofjack-o-lanterns, I also like to think that, just maybe, I’vehelped reinvent the tradition,” Wickstrand said.
Wickstrand said zombiepumpkins.com has provided pumpkin carvingstencils over the past two years, including patterns of FreddyKrueger, Marilyn Manson and SpongeBob SquarePants for “tensof thousands” of people.
Wickstrand said his favorite stencil this year “has to be‘Eye of the Beholder’ — a creepy old man withstringy hair, whose plucked-out eyeball is looking back athim.”
Wickstrand said “anyone can create these wildjack-o-lanterns” with the “right tools and a littlepatience.” He said “if you haven’t carved apumpkin using a stencil before, just give it a shot andyou’ll be hooked.”
Pumpkin painting is an alternative for those who are knife-wary.The Union hosted its fourth annual pumpkin decorating eventTuesday.
Julie Ruckstuhl, chair of the Union marketing committee, saidthat about 35 pumpkins compete every year. She said this year,Union vendors donated prizes, including a suitcase from STA traveland $10 Paw Points gift certificates from Dining Services.
Students spread political messages and expressed themselves atthe competition, though Alesi Ngemi, an animal science junior, saidhe made his two-sided pumpkin “just to kill time, just forfun.”
Scott Scribner, a geography senior, painted a bipartisan pumpkinencouraging people to vote Nov. 2.
Rachel All, a psychology senior, hoped to expose the dangers ofunprotected sex with “Syphilberry,” hersyphilis-infected strawberry-pumpkin.
Wickstrand said pumpkins are great for decorating.
“When you put these carved monstrosities on your porch,you’re guaranteed to be the hit of your block. It’shard to not love pumpkin carving when your entire neighborhood isshowering your doorstep with ‘Oohs’ and‘Aahs.'”
Wickstrand said anyone can carve a pumpkin.
“Even if you think you don’t have the talent, evenif the idea of reaching your hand into pumpkin guts appalls you,just give it a chance. When you light up that final product,you’ll be so impressed with what you were able to doyourself.”
To get a pumpkin stencil or to learn more about pumpkindecorating, go to Wickstrand’s website atwww.zombiepumpkins.com.