Centuries ago in Ireland lived a blacksmithing drunkard by the name of Jack. Though his acts of trickery, selfishness and cruelty gave him the name Stingy Jack. He was so cruel, word of his actions spread everywhere, even to the depths of Hell, to where Satan heard of him. The devil himself could not believe such a vile man could exist, that being said, he planned to meet Jack. Passing as a dead man hanging off a tree, Satan hanged and wait to confront the sinner. As Jack walked in the moors of the country side, he saw the body, once he approached it it was he was then greeted with a sinister grin, a manic expression. Jack then and there knew that the devil has come to claim his soul and that his time was up. Jack then asked for a final drink from the tavern before going to hell, the devil feeling merciful, granted it. When the arrived, what was said to be only one drink became two, then another. When it became the time to pay the tab, Jack persuaded the devil to use his magical powers to turn himself into a piece of silver to pay the tab. The devil obliged and turned into the coin. However, instead of using it to pay, Jack put the coin in his pocket. Furious and betrayed, The devil tried to change his form but a crucifix in the pocket kept him trapped as a coin. Jack then made a deal with the devil to not only leave Jack alone but to live another decade in exchange Jack would set the devil free. The devil reluctantly agreed. When the devil came for what was due, Jack requested an apple for the journey down below. As the devil was in the tree, grabbing jack his apple, jack then quickly carved four crucifixes in the tree, trapping the devil once more. Jack then said he'd release him in exchange that his soul would never go to Hell. The devil once more reluctantly agreed. Jack the lived the rest of his life 'til the years of heavy drinking caught up to him. Now dead, Jack walked to the gates of Heaven only to be refused entry due to his actions in his life. Jack then traveled down to Hell only to be refused entry there as well as both to honor the deal and as a way of revenge by the devil. Jack begged for at least some light in order to find the way back. The devil tossed Jack an ember from Hell, which Jack used to make a lantern out of as well as a turnip in order to carry it. Jack, now damned to wander the countryside of Ireland as a ghost 'til judgement day. In an attempt to ward off Jack of the lantern and other evil spirits roaming the path on October 31st, the one time a year they could do so, the people caved menacing faces in turnips and rutabagas and put a lit candle inside them and place these lanterns infant of their homes. Over time, these turned into pumpkins and be named jack-o-lanterns in recognition of Jack and would act as decoration and not as a spectral ward. #Lantern

Thanks to Mythologies Unleashed for gathering the info: https://youtu.be/Lle7Y8gDu6I?si=CwcEYODb8jPB5Pro