As autumn blankets the landscape in amber hues and the chill of Halloween approaches, the time-honoured tradition of carving jack-o"-lanterns comes to life. In Canada, as Irish immigrants settled, abundant pumpkins became the ideal substitutes for the turnips and potatoes they had previously used to create lanterns. By hollowing out pumpkins and lighting them with candles, they transformed the gourds into flickering defences against evil spirits.