Punky Night
Punky (Punkie) Night
Although this custom is observed in other English towns, the celebration at Hinton St. George is by far the best established. There is a procession of children carrying punkies through the streets, begging for money, and singing the "punky song." A prize is given out for the best carved punky. There is no evidence that the name "punky" came from "pumpkin," but the custom is very similar to what takes place on Halloween in the United States, where carved, candlelit pumpkins are displayed in windows and on doorsteps.
DictDays-1988, p. 92
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 603
OxYear-1999, p. 394