The story
From punkie (“lantern similar to a jack-o’-lantern”) + night.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Punkie Night
Punk·ie NightToday it means: A night near the end of October, related to Halloween, observed in parts of South West England by the displaying of punkies (“lanterns similar to jack-o'-lanterns”), and traditionally by children begging for candles for their punkies and threatening people who refuse their requests. Full definition →