From what vegetable are Halloween lanterns traditionally made?

Halloween traditions have evolved over centuries, with roots in Celtic harvest festivals like Samhain. Originally, people believed that on October 31st, the boundary between the living and the dead blurred, and spirits roamed the earth. To ward off these spirits, people would carve faces into vegetables and place candles inside to create spooky lanterns. While various vegetables were used initially, including turnips and swedes, the tradition evolved when it arrived in North America. Pumpkins, native to North America, were much larger and easier to carve than turnips. Their bright orange colour also made them more visually striking. So, while turnips were the original choice in the UK and Ireland, pumpkins became the standard for Halloween lanterns in North America, and this practice spread globally. That's why pumpkins are now the vegetable most associated with Halloween lanterns. You might think of potatoes or other root vegetables, but pumpkins are the iconic image we associate with Halloween today.