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Original poster

When I was a kid we didn't have pumpkins at Halloween, we used turnips, was I a deprived child?!

76 replies

northerner · 29/10/2006 08:02

Noone else I have met used turnips, only me and my group of friends. There must be someone on here who used turnips also? My muim says it's because they were easier to carry and cheaper.

We would go off Halloweening carring our turnip and we would actually sing a Halloween song, not just say 'Trick or treat'.....

The sky is Blue
The grass is green
Have you got a penny for Halloween, for Halloween
If you haven't got a penny
A Hapenny will do
If you haven't got a Hapenny
Theny God bless you

OP posts:
foxtrot · 29/10/2006 08:03

A Scottish friend brought a turnip to my halloween party once, that was the first timei'd come across it but she said it was the norm in glasgow.

ludaloo · 29/10/2006 08:03

Is a turnip easy to carve out???

I like the song!

Yorkiegirl · 29/10/2006 08:04

Message withdrawn

lipsbite · 29/10/2006 08:04

dont u worry as we also used turnips for halloween too and my mum made an excellent job too....awwww all those memories!!

Original poster
northerner · 29/10/2006 08:05

I swear if you go shopping in REdcar/Middlesbrough now the shops will be full of turnips.

Don't know about it being even to carve out - will ask my Dad!

OP posts:
FrannyandZooey · 29/10/2006 08:05

My dp had a turnip and yes he was a bit deprived IMO. I was looking at swedes and turnips yesterday and wondering how you carved them out?

Original poster
northerner · 29/10/2006 08:07

Maybe it is a deprived thing then?

I grew up on a council estate, how about you fellow turnipers?

OP posts:
WitchICouldGiveUpWork · 29/10/2006 08:08

Yes we used ti use swedes-my poor Mum-have no idea how she managed it-they are so damn hard.

I am making mini lanterns out of oranges for dd and her little friends for halloween tea.

lipsbite · 29/10/2006 08:09

i grew up on a homeowners estate but all my friends had the turnips...not one of them had a pumpkin

Yorkiegirl · 29/10/2006 08:09

Message withdrawn

lipsbite · 29/10/2006 08:11

im fron lpool.....

any southerners had turnips for halloween???

gothicmama · 29/10/2006 08:14

we did - it i far more traditional pumpkins are a USA thing cos the settlers from UK couldn't find turnips only pumpkins to use at Halloween also turnips were cheaper but now seem to be more expensive than pumpkins

MrsApron · 29/10/2006 08:21

had turnips.... and rsi from carving them.

in scotland in the 70s/80s was the norm i think.

lucy5 · 29/10/2006 08:21

We used to have a swede, how my poor mother managed to carve them, lord only knows. I don't think we had pumpkins in the UK when I was a kid. Trick or treat didn't exist either, god I sound like i'm 100!

lucy5 · 29/10/2006 08:23

I'm from the south of England, by the way.

LittleGlowormOfHorrors · 29/10/2006 08:26

I'm in Ireland and we had turnips too.
I dont think you would have found something as "exotic" as a pumpkin in rural Donegal for love nor money in the 70's

sammac · 29/10/2006 08:33

I'm in Glasgow and we were turnips too- wouldn't have known a pumpkin if it had fallen on my head!
Now it's pumpkins everywhere, no-one uses a turnip.

Blandmum · 29/10/2006 08:37

We used turnips in south Wales. Turnips were Hard Core. If you had the persistance to carve oneof tose you you really wanted to 'do' halloween!

fondant4000 · 29/10/2006 08:39

Yes, hollowing out a swede here (from North East originally). Took nearly all day.. ha ha!

Still use it as an example of 'ow we 'ad it 'ard - [children rolleyes]

Maddison · 29/10/2006 08:39

Funny you should start this thread Northener - me and my brother were talking last night saying how we only ever used turnips and only ever saw others carrying turnips. I'm in Durham so I suppose it is a northern thing

juuule · 29/10/2006 08:39

"The Jack O' Lantern used to be made from a turnip, but Irish emigrants to America adopted the plentiful pumpkin since it is much easier to carve."
From this site here

FillyjonkthePumpkinEater · 29/10/2006 08:41

When she wanted to get some housework done, dh's mum would give him a turnip to carve...

with a spoon

fondant4000 · 29/10/2006 08:41

[Had an odd smell too when you lit the candle...}

Did a pumpkin for the first time with dd yesterday, took about 15 mins - my but they've got it easy, it'll make 'em all soft, jessies, mark my words... etc. etc.

Maddison · 29/10/2006 08:42

Ah just read more posts, maybe it's not so 'northern' after all!

peppapog · 29/10/2006 08:42

I only ever had a turnip.

The smell of the candle on burning the hollowed out turnip was GORGEOUS. It really brings back some lovely childhood memories.

We did the song too

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