# @kirstenalana on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CG-lGE8hTDu
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/2429377-kirstenalana-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/3356af5fb3.jpg
- **Posted:** 2020-10-30T18:31:07.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Kirsten Alana (@KirstenAlana) — https://gondola.cc/KirstenAlana

## Caption

You probably already know I LOVE history. 😉 Did you know that what we now celebrate as Halloween has its roots in the Gaelic Samhain? 🤔 It’s a word I’ve heard many times in Scotland but it also has to do with Ireland. So I hope I will get this right and not butcher it but from what I read, the night of 31 October: what we now call Halloween, is Oíche Shamhna in the Irish and Oidhche Shamhna in Scottish Gaelic. It means "Samhain night". Of course there’s history to the Jack-o-lantern too. Many stories exist but I like the one that tells of how Celts used to carry home embers from their communal bonfires in hollowed out turnips to light their way. The more spooky story talks about how an Irish blacksmith named Jack, was denied entry to heaven and condemned to walk the earth for all eternity after colluding with the devil. He asked for some light to guide his way and was given a hallowed-out turnip with a burning coal inside; which later caused people to hang a lantern in their front window to keep Jack from visiting. When the Scots and the Irish emigrated to America, they used pumpkins as it was more difficult to find turnips. What do you believe? 🎃 And do you celebrate Halloween in any form? 🎃 It was always a big deal for my family as my artist mother got really into making new costumes for us every year! 🎃 Thanks to TourismIreland who sent me this huge box of items as a gift to kit out my celebration at home this year and enjoy a little of Ireland here in LA. #IrelandHomeofHalloween #halloweenathome #halloweenhistory #samhain #tourismireland #gaelichistory #halloween

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 186
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- **Comments:** 38

## Tags

halloween, halloweenhistory, halloweenathome, tourismireland, samhain, gaelichistory, irelandhomeofhalloween

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