HALLOWEEN

Trick or treat!
What is Halloween ?

Halloween, or Hallowe’en... is a holiday that's celebrated annually on the night of

October 31 in different countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United
States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and other parts of the world.

Origin and history

The word ‘Halloween’ comes from the name of a holiday held in 800 AD called ‘All
Hallows’ Eve’, the day and evening before ‘All Saints’ Day’, celebrated on November 1st

In ancient times, October 31st was the eve of the Celtic New Year. On this day, the Celts
held the festival of Samhain in honour of the Celtic lord of the dead;

The celebration of Samhain also marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning
of the cold, dark time of year.

Celebration’s significance

Halloween’s day is often associated with orange and black, and strongly associated with
symbols like the jack-o'-lantern;

Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume

parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, reading scary stories, and
watching horror films.

Halloween customs

Jack-o’-lantern

According to an Irish legend, Jack was a man who could not enter heaven because he was
a miser. He couldn’t enter hell either, because he had played jokes on the devil, so,
instead, he was doomed to wander around with a lantern until Judgement Day;
Fire

Fire was very important to the Celts. In the old days, people lit bonfires to scare evil
spirits away.

“Trick or Treat!”

On October 31st , dozens of children dressed in costumes go from door to door asking for
treats, or else a trick would be played on them;

As they give each child a treat, the owners of the house exclaim over the costumes and try
to guess who is under the masks.

Dressing Up

On Halloween, when it was believed that Ghosts came back to Earth, people would wear
masks to avoid being recognised by them;

Halloween costumes are traditionally those of monsters such as ghosts, skeletons, witches
and devils. Costumes are also based on themes other than traditional horror, such as those
of characters from television shows, films, and other pop culture icons.

Apple bobbing

Apple bobbing, or Duck-apple, was a Roman festival held on the same day as Samhain for
remembering Pomona, the goddess of the trees and fruits ;

The contestants, sometimes blindfolded, must take one bite from one of the apples without
using

their hands.

Halloween Superstitions

On Halloween, journeys must be finished before sunset;

Unmarried women put a sprig of rosemary and a sixpence under their pillow on
Halloween night to dream of their future husband;

If the flame on a candle goes out on Halloween night, then you have a ghost visiting you;

If you ring a bell on Halloween, evil spirits will fly away;

If you happen to see a spider on Halloween, then the spirit of a loved one is watching over
you.

Halloween Jokes

Q: What do you call a witch who lives at the beach?

A: A sand- witch

Q- What is a vampire’s favourite holiday?

A: Fangsgiving

Q: What happens when two vampires meet?

A: It was love at first bite

Q: What would the skeletons say before eating?

A: Bone appetite

Q: Where do vampires keep their money?

A: In a blood bank

Teacher: Stoica Mirela Elena

School: Scoala Gimnaziala Putineiu