万圣节作文英语 篇一:The Origins and Traditions of Halloween
Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, is a holiday celebrated on October 31st each year. It has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions and has since evolved into a worldwide celebration filled with costumes, decorations, and spooky fun.
The origins of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This festival marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth.
To ward off these spirits, the Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes made from animal skins. They believed that disguising themselves would help them blend in with the spirits and avoid any harm. This tradition eventually evolved into the practice of dressing up in costumes that we see today.
When Christianity spread to the Celtic lands, the church sought to replace the pagan festival with a Christian one. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as All Saints' Day, a day to honor all saints and martyrs. The evening before, October 31st, became known as All Hallows' Eve, later shortened to Halloween.
Over time, Halloween has become a holiday filled with various customs and traditions. One of the most popular traditions is trick-or-treating. Children dress up in costumes and go door-to-door, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat." This tradition is believed to have originated from the medieval practice of "souling," where the poor would go from house to house, offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food.
Another common Halloween tradition is carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns. This practice stems from an Irish myth about a man named Stingy Jack who tricked the devil. According to the legend, Jack was cursed to roam the earth with only a hollowed-out turnip to light his way. When Irish immigrants came to America, they discovered that pumpkins were more readily available and began using them instead.
In addition to these traditions, Halloween is often associated with haunted houses, costume parties, and watching scary movies. It is a time when people can embrace their love for all things spooky and supernatural.
In conclusion, Halloween has its origins in ancient Celtic traditions and has evolved into a holiday celebrated worldwide. From its humble beginnings as a festival to ward off spirits, it has become a time for dressing up, trick-or-treating, and embracing the spirit of the season. Whether you enjoy the frights or the sweet treats, Halloween is a time for fun and celebration.
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万圣节作文英语 篇二:Halloween Around the World
Halloween, a holiday originally rooted in Celtic traditions, has spread across the globe and is now celebrated in many countries. While the customs and traditions may vary, the spirit of Halloween remains the same – a time for spooky fun and dressing up.
In the United States, Halloween is a major holiday filled with elaborate decorations, costume parties, and trick-or-treating. People go all out when it comes to decorating their homes, turning their front yards into haunted houses and creating spooky displays. Costume parties are also popular, with people dressing up as their favorite characters from movies, TV shows, or folklore. Trick-or-treating is a beloved tradition, where children go door-to-door in their neighborhoods, collecting candy from generous homeowners.
In Mexico, Halloween is celebrated alongside the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos. This holiday is a time to honor and remember deceased loved ones. Families create altars, or ofrendas, in their homes, adorned with photos, candles, and the favorite foods and drinks of the departed. Marigolds, known as the flower of the dead, are also used to decorate the altars and graves. The celebration often includes parades, music, and storytelling.
In Ireland and the United Kingdom, Halloween has strong ties to its Celtic roots. Bonfires are lit to ward off evil spirits, just as the Celts did centuries ago. Children dress up in costumes and go door-to-door, collecting candy, similar to the American tradition of trick-or-treating. However, instead of saying "trick or treat," they say "help the Halloween party."
In Japan, Halloween has gained popularity in recent years, particularly among young people. Costume parties and parades can be found in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Many people dress up as their favorite anime or manga characters, showcasing their creativity and love for Japanese pop culture.
In conclusion, Halloween has become a global celebration, with each country adding its own unique twist to the holiday. Whether it's the elaborate decorations of the United States, the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico, or the Celtic traditions in Ireland and the United Kingdom, Halloween is a time for people all over the world to come together, have fun, and embrace the spooky spirit.
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万圣节作文英语 篇三
The American tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives.
The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit
the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
万圣节作文英语 篇四
TINY ghost-like dolls hang from trees, big plastic spiders sit on rooftops and bloody plastic hands reach out from gravestones…Are you ready for the scariest night of the year? 树上到处悬挂着鬼怪小玩偶,屋顶盘踞着巨大的塑料蜘蛛,墓穴里伸出一双血淋淋的塑胶手……一年之中最恐怖的夜晚到来了,你好了吗?
October 31 is Halloween, one of the most popular festivals in the US, Canada and Britain. The festival began as a day to remember the dead. But nowadays it's all about the carnival atmosphere when people can enjoy dressing up and scaring each other.10月31日万圣节前夜是美国、加拿大和英国最受欢迎的节日。节日源起于对死者的纪念日。但现在它完全一场大狂欢,人们尽情享受着改装易容互相恐吓的乐趣。
Halloween is one of children's favourite nights of the year. They dress up as monsters and go to their neighbours'houses. Knocking on the door they shout: "Trick or treat!" Of course, usually people give them "treats" - a like sweets and chocolates. But, if you don't, you can expect a prank such as having your car windows soaped or your garbage cans turned over.万圣节前夜一年之中孩子们最喜欢的夜晚。打扮成妖怪去邻居家,敲着门大喊:“不给糖就捣蛋!”当然,人们通常会给“糖”——比如甜食或者巧克力。但你不给,那就等着一场恶作剧吧,你会你的车窗被涂上了肥皂,垃圾桶翻倒在地,等等。
Halloween is also a time for masquerade parties. Witches fly in on broomsticks, while ghosts and skeletons chat on the dance floor. 万圣节前夜举办化妆舞会的好时机。你会看到女巫坐着扫帚柄飞进来,鬼怪和骷髅则在舞池中窃窃私语。
You can even dress up as a famous monster like Dracula! The motto is: "The scarier, the better." 你还可以化妆成像吸血鬼那样可怕的妖怪。有句谚语说:“越恐怖越好。”
Even making Halloween food should be like casting a spell or mixing a magic drink. In Britain, people drink "Witch's Mix", made with apple, orange, grape and berry juice. Children also enjoy "Halloween Worms," made from egg noodles. And how do you like the sound of "Eye-Balls"? Don't worry, they're made with scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, shaped like human eyes. Skeleton-shaped cookies are equally popular.甚至连万圣节前夜做的食物也要像下了咒语或者配备魔法饮料。在英国,人们喝叫“巫师之饮”的.东西,用苹果、橘子、葡萄和浆果的汁调配而成。孩子们还喜欢吃“万圣节虫子”,是用鸡蛋面做的。你觉得“眼珠子”听上去怎么样?别担心,那只是用几勺巧克力和香草冰激凌做的,只不过像是人眼的形状。头盖骨形状的饼干同样也很受欢迎。
A well-known Halloween tradition is to make lanterns from pumpkins, called "Jack-o-lanterns". First, the inside of the pumpkin is removed. Then, a face is cut into the pumpkin, traditionally a smiling, devil face. Finally a candle is placed inside, and the lantern is put at the front of the house to keep evil spirits away.万圣节前夜的众所周知的传统用南瓜做成灯,叫“杰克灯”。,把南瓜里面掏空。然后在南瓜上切出一张脸孔,通常是一张笑眯眯的魔鬼面孔。最后,在里面放上一只蜡烛,然后把南瓜灯房子前面用来吓跑那些邪恶的幽灵。
Besides pumpkin cutting, "apple-bobbing" is another popular game. Several apples are put floating in water in a big bucket. Children have their hands tied behind their backs. They have to try to pick the apples out of the water using only their mouths. Of course, people get very wet and it is very funny to watch.除了切南瓜,“叼苹果”很流行的游戏。把几只苹果大水桶里面飘浮着。孩子们的手被绑在背后。只能用嘴巴把苹果从水里叼。当然了,人们会全都湿淋淋的,光看着就很有趣。