And what do turnips have to do with it?
People carved out turnips, placed a candle inside, and set them outside their doors. The glowing turnips helped guide the spirits to their homes. But why a turnip? Because the European climate is very different from Québec’s, making it difficult to grow certain vegetables such as squash. However, root vegetables — like turnips, potatoes, and beets — were plentiful.
Here in Québec, we grow all kinds of squash in abundance, including pumpkins. With the arrival of Irish immigrants, the tradition took root here too, but pumpkins quickly became the preferred option: prettier, larger, and much easier to carve!
