▁of ▁the ▁mel on , ▁so ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁container ▁to ▁put ▁food ▁or ▁flowers ▁in . ▁Chinese ▁fruit ▁car ving ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁tell ▁their ▁leg ends ▁and ▁stories . ▁ ▁Europe ▁F ruit ▁car ving ▁is ▁included ▁in ▁Matth ias ▁G ieg her ' s ▁ 1 6 2 1 ▁work ▁Il ▁Tr inci ante ▁(" The ▁Car ver "), ▁where ▁he ▁describes ▁car ving ▁or anges ▁and ▁cit rons ▁into ▁abstract ▁patterns , ▁shell - fish , ▁four - leg ged ▁animals ▁and ▁the ▁H abs burg s ' ▁double - head ed ▁e agle , ▁but ▁the ▁art ▁was ▁not ▁common ▁in ▁Europe ▁or ▁North ▁America ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁when ▁several ▁books ▁on ▁the ▁topic ▁were ▁published . ▁ ▁Th ailand ▁▁ ▁F ruit ▁car ving ▁is ▁a ▁significant ▁part ▁of ▁Th ai ▁cultural ▁her itage . ▁Wat erm el on ▁car ving ▁dates ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century ▁in ▁Th ailand ▁during ▁the ▁Su kh oth ai ▁dynast y . ▁The ▁annual ▁Lo i ▁Kr ath ong ▁Festival ▁occurs ▁each ▁November ▁where ▁people ▁in ▁Th ailand ▁float ▁l amps ▁and ▁lan tern s ▁down ▁a ▁river ▁to ▁honor ▁water ▁spirits . ▁One ▁legend ▁is ▁that ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁king ’ s ▁ma ids ▁decor ated ▁her ▁lan tern ▁with ▁a ▁wat erm el on ▁car ved ▁with ▁flower ▁designs ▁to ▁impress ▁him ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁so ▁pleased ▁that ▁he ▁encourag ed ▁all ▁Th ai ▁women ▁to ▁adopt