History of Halloween.
In pre-Roman times an ancient people lived in the North of Europe
– the Celts.
They were farmers and they raised cattle.
By the end of Summer, they came down from the high mountains with the cattle and they started harvesting to prepare for long, cold and hard times of Winter.
Their calender was quite different from the calender we use nowadays.
The Celtic calendar was divided in two halves; one, the dark half, starting in October / November and, the light half beginning in April/May lunation. The end of the year was in October, 31st. Samhain is the name for the month of November. and Samhain seems to be also a kind of god for those ancient people So, in the end of Summer time there was plenty of food and they had parties to thank their gods for the good times.
The Celts believed in magic places and moments – when something ends and another thing begins, that was a magic place, or a magic time. When land finishes and the sea begins, when day ends and night starts, those were special and magic places or times for them.
When an old year passes by and a new year starts it was a very special and magic moment.
Why were they magic?
Because the Celts believed that in those moments, the veil that separates the dead people from the ones who are alive became extremely weak, so communication between the two worlds was possible.
When the Roman Catholic Church tried to stop those ancient pagan traditions they decided to join this celebration of harvest and Samhein with the Christian worship of dead, in the day before the day of All Saints.
This way both cultures began to mix, so, nowadays we celebrate Halloween, all hallows ( saints ) eve.
Nowadays there are many traditions, but the most popular is probably the cute Jack-o-lantern.
The legend says that Jack had a deal with the devil – he didn’t want to go to the Hell and the devil accepted, but Jack had to do always what the devil told. And so it was for many years. When Jack died he didn’t go to Hell, because that was the deal, but he had been so bad that he couldn’t go to Heaven,
So, Jack stayed in Earth wandering around for ever; it is said that to see his way at night he had a turnip, with a hole to put a candle. Later, the turnip turned out to be these lovely pumpkins, known as Jack-o-lantern.
Children usually carve big pumpkins to decorate the houses and at night they go out to play trick or treat and get some candies.
Sunday 25 October 2009
LOOK AT THE PICTURE!
MY GOD!
HE HAS GOT A KNIFE AND IT IS DIRTY.
IT’S BLOOD !!!!!!
Midnight !!
Lights off !!! Everyone is sleeping in the house.
Well, not everyone. Look!
Ten years old Alan jumped out of bed. He looked for his glasses. He opened the door of his bedroom and walked slowly downstairs. One of the steps of the stairs always made a strange noise, so, very carefully, he avoided it. Everything was calm and quiet, but he was afraid.
And if someone appeared to surprise him!? He avoided making noise. So, step by step, he passed the living-room and very, very slowly, he entered the next room.
“This is not correct – he spoke to himself - this is a crime, but no one knows what I am doing.”
He turned on the lights, looked round. He was very, very afraid. He listened to the strange night noises and carefully closed the door. He opened a drawer and looked for a big sharpened knife. He walked to the last door. It was a big and white door. He opened that door and his big, sharpened knife entered deeply into something and turned red.
- What a delicious strawberry cake!
Diet over!!!!
MY GOD!
HE HAS GOT A KNIFE AND IT IS DIRTY.
IT’S BLOOD !!!!!!
Midnight !!
Lights off !!! Everyone is sleeping in the house.
Well, not everyone. Look!
Ten years old Alan jumped out of bed. He looked for his glasses. He opened the door of his bedroom and walked slowly downstairs. One of the steps of the stairs always made a strange noise, so, very carefully, he avoided it. Everything was calm and quiet, but he was afraid.
And if someone appeared to surprise him!? He avoided making noise. So, step by step, he passed the living-room and very, very slowly, he entered the next room.
“This is not correct – he spoke to himself - this is a crime, but no one knows what I am doing.”
He turned on the lights, looked round. He was very, very afraid. He listened to the strange night noises and carefully closed the door. He opened a drawer and looked for a big sharpened knife. He walked to the last door. It was a big and white door. He opened that door and his big, sharpened knife entered deeply into something and turned red.
- What a delicious strawberry cake!
Diet over!!!!
Listen to the text
Alice – Hi, Kate. How are you?
Kate – Hello, Alice. I’m fine, thanks. Who is he ?
Alice – This is my little brother Tim.
Kate – How old is he ?
Alice – He’s only five.
Kate – Hello, Tim. Nice to meet you.
Tim – Hi, Kate, Nice to meet you, too.
Alice – Bye, Kate; see you later.
Kate – Bye, have a nice day.
Alice – Hi, Kate. How are you?
Kate – Hello, Alice. I’m fine, thanks. Who is he ?
Alice – This is my little brother Tim.
Kate – How old is he ?
Alice – He’s only five.
Kate – Hello, Tim. Nice to meet you.
Tim – Hi, Kate, Nice to meet you, too.
Alice – Bye, Kate; see you later.
Kate – Bye, have a nice day.
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Wednesday 15 July 2009
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Monday 13 July 2009
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