People have been making pumpkin lanterns on Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from the Irish legend about a man nicknamed “The Miserly Jack”.
According to the story, the Miserly Jack invites the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Jack the Miser doesn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinces the Devil to turn it into a coin that Jack can use to buy his drinks. After the devil does this, Jack decides to hide the money and puts it in his pocket next to a silver cross. Thanks to the cross, he prevented Satan from returning to his old self.
Stingy Jack O'Lantern, also known as Jack the Smith, Drunk Jack, Flaky Jack or Jack-o'-lantern, is a mythical character sometimes associated with All Hallows Eve while also acting as the mascot of the holiday. The "jack-o'-lantern" may be derived from the character.
Jack finally frees the Devil on the condition that he does not bother him for a year and that he does not take over his soul if Jack dies. The following year, Jack again tricks the Devil into climbing a tree to pick a piece of fruit. With the devil at the top of the tree, Jack carves a cross into the tree's bark. Because of this sign, Satan is trapped on the hill. He frees the Devil on the condition that the demon does not bother Jack for another ten years.
Soon after, Jack dies. According to legend, God would not allow such an ugly figure to enter heaven. Satan, who is disturbed by Jack's tricks and keeps his promise that he will not take over his soul, does not allow Jack to go to hell. He sends Jack into the dark night with a small burning coal to light his way. Jack puts charcoal in a hollowed-out turnip and has been roaming Earth ever since. The Irish began referring to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern" and then simply "Jack O'Lantern".
In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack O'Lantern by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them near windows or doors to scare away the Miserable Jack and other evil spirits. Large beets are used in England. When immigrants from these countries came to the United States, they brought with them the tradition of the jack-o'-lantern. They soon discovered that the pumpkin, a fruit native to the Americas, made excellent Jack O'Lantern lanterns.
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ORIGINS OF THE JACK-O’-LANTERN: LEGEND OF STINGY JACK
https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/stingy-jack/
The Shocking Ancient Pagan Origin of the Legend of Stingy Jack
https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2022/10/31/the-shocking-ancient-pagan-origin-of-the-legend-of-stingy-jack/