Jack o’Lanterns were added to Minecraft in the Halloween Update, way back in October 2010, making them a little under ten years old. Happy birthday, Jack! They were added alongside a handful of other scary things. Like... er... the entirety of the Nether dimension. And sunrises. And fish.
They’re pretty easy to make. Find a pumpkin – either out in the world, or in a shipwreck, or from a trader, or by growing on yourself from seeds – then use shears on it to carve a spooky face into the front. Finally, stick a candle inside in a crafting grid to light it up.
Alternatively, you can go hunting. You’ll occasionally find a pre-made Jack o’Lantern in the piles of pumpkins which generate in taiga and snowy taiga villages. They’re most easily found at night because Jack o’Lanterns will glow brightly – even under water – and melt snow and ice around them.
As well as lighting, Jack o’Lanterns are used to make golems – of both the snow and iron varieties. Once you’ve stacked up the requisite number of blocks of snow or iron in the right configuration, pop a Jack o’Lantern on top and wait for spooky magic to animate your creation. Pro tip: screaming “It’s alive... IT’S ALLIIIIVEEE” may speed up the process.
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