The one day of the year when we can celebrate zombies, spiders, witches, skeletons, and monsters is Halloween. Naturally, no Halloween would be complete without a spooky lantern carved from a pumpkin. This tradition has also made its way into Minecraft, introducing the fantastic Jack-o’-lantern! Jack-o’-lanterns were incorporated into Minecraft Bedrock during the Halloween update in 2010, marking their 10th anniversary in the game this year! Alongside these lanterns, many other eerie elements have emerged, such as various Nether creatures, dawn, and all kinds of fish.
Jack o’lanterns are quite easy to create. You can find a pumpkin in wrecked ships or from merchants, or you can grow one yourself using seeds. After that, take some shears and carve a spooky face into it. Finally, place the pumpkin and a candle in the crafting grid to transform your pumpkin into a full-fledged Jack o’lantern!
If you’d rather not spend time crafting, you can search for an already made lantern. In piles of pumpkins found in snowy taiga villages, you might occasionally come across a Jack o’lantern. It’s best to look for it at night, as it glows brightly (even underwater) and melts the snow and ice around it.
In addition to providing illumination, Jack o’ Lanterns are utilized for crafting golems from both snow and iron. Once you have arranged the required number of snow or iron blocks in the correct formation, place a Jack o’ Lantern on top and wait for the eerie lightning to bring your creation to life. Here’s a pro tip: shouting the phrase “It’s alive… This creature has come to life!!!” might speed up the process. The origins of the Jack o’ Lantern trace back deep into Irish folklore. There was once a very miserly and unpleasant old man named Jack. He was quite a cruel individual and often played tricks on his neighbors and family. One day, the devil intended to claim Jack’s soul, but he cleverly set traps and captured the devil instead. In exchange for his release, the devil promised that he would never take Jack’s soul to hell.
Ultimately, Jack meets his demise and finds himself at the pearly gates. However, he is denied entry and subsequently descends into hell. The devil, recalling his promise, also turns Jack away but, in an effort to rid himself of Jack, hands him a smoldering ember. With nothing but his favorite vegetable on hand, Jack places the ember inside it and begins to wander the earth alone for all eternity.
Here’s another intriguing fact: In the early 2000s, a cosmic nebula was discovered that resembles Jack’s lantern, largely due to the bright star located at its center.
This star is incredibly massive, approximately 15-20 times larger than the Sun. It serves as a source of cosmic dread, emitting radiation and particles that slice through the surrounding gas and dust. Studying small stars located in the Jack-o’-lantern Nebula aids astrophysicists in determining whether stars at the center of the galaxy are growing more rapidly.
In Minecraft, we don’t need to worry about cosmic nebulae and their issues at all. However, what we should truly consider are the zombies approaching our homes during the night. Light up a Jack-o’-lantern and place it by your door. This way, you’ll at least be able to see the monsters coming.
