The American version of the jack-o’-lantern comes from old-world folklore, but once it hit U.S. soil, it found new life in neighborhood Halloween traditions. By the mid-20th century, magazines and newspapers were full of DIY carving tips, offering up new faces to try with household tools and leftover vegetables. In 1959, Better Homes and Garden published a holiday issue featuring ideas like “Slap-happy Sam” and the “Daffy Devil,” giving families creative ways to turn pumpkins and even butternut squash into holiday centerpieces. Decorations didn’t stop at carved features either — additions like olives, celery, macaroni and carrots turned these lanterns into characters.
The article reprint we’ve shared here from 1959 show how folks approached jack-o’-lantern fun with humor and hands-on inventiveness. These designs might inspire your own carving this year — or at least give you a peek at how Halloween creativity looked in kitchens and classrooms more than 60 years ago.
When jack-o’-lantern carving time rolls around, conjure up your own designs, or try one of these that use pumpkins or squash!
Droll “outer space” man will make spirits rise
For this Halloween man from Mars, cut V-shaped lid off pumpkin; scoop out seeds. Continue line to form V-shaped eyes, as shown. Place big ripe olives where eyes meet. Cut nose with potato parer.
Cut mouth; poke in twisted-macaroni teeth. Ears are carrots, halved lengthwise, fastened with toothpicks. Curly carrot tops make hair.
Start with butternut squash for Slap-happy Sam
There’s no reason to use a pumpkin every time! Pick a squash and fashion this jolly comic.
First, cut an opening in the back of squash — top stays intact. Scoop out. With apple corer, carve eyes and teeth (easy if you sketch features on first). Finish eyes, mouth with paring knife. For tongue, anchor half a large radish in mouth with toothpick.
Cut nose and push piece out slightly at bottom; secure with toothpicks. Make strands of hair with carrot tops or fluffs of parsley. For jaunty hat: Cut a hole in paper coaster and push over stem. Glue an upside-down nut cup atop to form the crown.
Daffy Devil has carrot horns, eyebrows of celery
Light a candle inside this pumpkin-head and set in a window to greet little “tricksters,” or use it to keynote a fall buffet.
Choose a tall pumpkin. Cut the lid V-shape with the point in front. (Slant knife inward so lid will be smaller at bottom and won’t fall in pumpkin.) Remove contents. Cut triangular features as shown. From the eye cutouts, carve flat triangles and pivot slightly in openings so they project for eyelids; secure with toothpicks.
Cut mouth; attach mouthpiece with pins or toothpicks to form lower lip. Attach small leafy celery stalks for eyebrows. Toothpick big carrots in place for horns (slant ends to fit against pumpkin).
Saucer-eyed Goblin Girl will invite smiles
Try a jack-o’-lantern lass for once!
You’ll need a round pumpkin with a long stem. Draw a zigzag line around top for the hair; cut along line and remove lid. Scoop out contents.
Make eyes with apple corer. Carve out mouth with paring knife. Poke toothpicks into the radish nose from inside pumpkin. Gently press in upper edge of pumpkin-the “Italian haircut” will stand out when lid’s in place. Now tie a wide-ribbon bow on stem.
SEE MORE: 30 Halloween pumpkin face template stencils for carving Jack-o’-lanterns the easy way
