English Club

Halloween

Which Witch is Witch?

Halloween story told by a British girl Natasha. 

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Hello! 
As you can tell it is Halloween. 
Some people are very enthusiastic at celebrating Halloween; others are not very happy seeing these spiders, sculls, skeletons, horrible masks, zombies and other stuff. 
Personally I am very neutral to this celebration, just don’t like seeing so many monsters. 
But I think the better part of Halloween is trick or treating. 
Trick or treating, is an activity for children on or around Halloween in which they proceed from house to house in costumes, asking for treats with the question, “Trick-or-treat?” The “trick” part of “trick-or-treat” is a threat to play a trick on the house owner or his property if no treat is given. 
Trick or treating is one of the main traditions of Halloween. 
It’s one of children’s favourite parts of Halloween. It is really exciting to wait for a stranger to open their door so you can scream the words “Trick or treat!” But why do we say that? What does it actually mean? The practice of asking for treats from your neighbours dates back to the Middle Ages, but back then it wasn’t a game. 
Poor people would make the rounds begging for food. In return, they offered prayers for the dead. 
Before you decide that you are against or with Halloween, let me tell you a little bit more about the origin of this tradition. 
The history of Halloween goes back more than 2,000 years. 
Ancient Celts, who lived in Britain, celebrated their New Year on November 1. 
This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. 
October 31 was the last day of the old year. 
It was thought to be a time when the door to the Otherworld was opened allowing the souls of the dead to walk freely between worlds and join us in our place. 
Although people used to respect their ancestors, they even would place bowls of food outside their homes to please them, but they believed that some of the spirits like Witches, evil Ghosts and Goblins go around at night looking for a body to live-in to stay in our world. Of course people were frightened. 
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. 
People used to disguise themselves as a form of protection from these underworld beings. This practice transformed into the modern tradition of fancy dress on Halloween. 
So, this is the background of Halloween celebrations, it is up to you to decide what do you want to do when October 31st comes. I’ve done my bit, can’t wait for the Fun day! 
See you! Goodbye!

ENGLISH HALLOWEEN CUSTOMS

The celebration of All Saints Day or just Halloween takes place on October 31st. The tradition of Halloween began in the fifth century B.C. This day the Irish Celts celebrated their New Year at that time, because they organized their year according to the agricultural calendar and marked the transition from one year to the next on October 31.
In the year 835 A. D. the Roman Catholic Church made November 1st a church holiday to honour all the saints. This day is called All Saint's Day. Since that time many years have passed. Some traditions are gone, new traditions appeared. I am going to tell you about the most popular customs of Halloween.
The most known custom is the tradition of dressing.
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 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, people placed bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter their home.
Fire has always played an important part in Halloween. Fire was very important to the Celts as it was to all early people. In the old days people lit bonfires to ward away evil spirits and in some places they used to jump over the fire to bring good luck. Today, we light candles in pumpkin and then put them outside our homes to ward of evil spirits.
Another tradition is Apple Bobbing. It has the roman origins. The Roman festival for remembering the dead was also in October. During this time, the Romans remembered their goddess, Pomona. She was the goddess of the trees and fruits, and when the Romans came to Britain, they began to hold these two festivals on the same day as Samhain. Apples probably became associated with Halloween because of this festival. Some people believe that, if you slice an apple through the equator (to reveal the five-pointed star within) and then eat it by candlelight before a mirror, your future spouse will appear over your shoulder.
Trick or Treat was first known as Mischief Night. Halloween was a time for making mischief - many parts of England still recognize this date as Mischief Night - when children would knock on doors demanding a treat (Trick or Treat) and people would disguise themselves as witches ghosts or, in order to obtain food and money from nervous householders.
Halloween was sometimes called Nut Crack Night or Snap Apple Night, in England. Families would sit by the fire and tell stories while they ate apples and nuts.

QUESTIONS
1. When does Halloween take place?
2. When did the tradition of All Saints Day begin?
3. When did the Roman Catholic Church make November 1st the church holiday of All Saints?
4. What are the roots of tradition of dressing in costumes for Halloween?
5. Why did people wear masks and dress in costumes for Halloween?
6. Why do people light fire in Halloween?
7. What Halloween traditions do you know?
8. What is Apple Bobbing?
9. What people do on Snap Apple Night?

VOCABULARY
All Saints Day - День всех святых
Irish Celts - ирландские кельты
transition - переход, окончание
to honour - здесь: в честь
earthly world - земной мир
bonfire - костер
to mistake (past mistook, p.p. mistaken) smb. for - принять кого-то за
early people - здесь: древние люди
to ward away - здесь: отпугивать
pumpkin - тыква
goddess - богиня
evil spirits - злые духи
associate - ассоциировать
candlelight - свет свечей
to treat - шутить
to disguise - прятать, здесь: переодеваться
witch - ведьма ghost - дух
to slice - нарезать ломтиками
mirror - зеркало
spouse - супруг, супруга
Mischief Night - Ночь выходок
nervous householders - нервные жители
Snap Apple Night - ночь поедания яблок

“Halloween peek-a-boo”.

Слова песни.

Walking walking down the street
It is Halloween. Trick or treat!
Costumes, Candy, Me and You.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!
Do you see A witch and A monster!
I see a witch Peek-a-Boo!
I see a monster Peek-a-Boo!
You see me. I see you.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!

Look! There is vampire! and Mummy!

I see a vampire Peek-a-Boo!
I see a mummy Peek-a-Boo!
You see me. I see you.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!

Let’s make a line and go walking

Walking walking down the street
It is Halloween. Trick or treat!
Costumes, Candy, Me and You.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!

Look! There is a black cat! and a werewolf!

I see a black cat Peek-a-Boo!
I see a werewoof! Peek-a-Boo!
You see me. I see you.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!

Look up there it’s a bat and a ghost!

I see a bat Peek-a-Boo!
I see a ghost Peek-a-Boo!
You see me. I see you.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!
(eveyone sing together)
Walking walking down the street
It is Halloween. Trick or treat!
Costumes, Candy, Me and You.
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!
The Halloween Peek-a-Boo!

Thanskgiving Day

The History of Thanksgiving

The story for kids

Oh, Mayflower!

Thanksgiving Day Tradition

  There is one day a year when all Americans stay  home with their families and eat a big dinner. This is Thanksgiving Day. The pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621. The pilgrims sailed to America from Plymouth, England, in September, 1620. They came to America for religious freedom. They were among the first European settlers in America. The name of their ship was the "Mayflower." They landed at Plymouth Rock, in what is now the state of Massachusetts in December, 1620.

   There were people living in America before the pilgrims arrived. These people were the Native American Indians. The Indians began settling in America about 25,000 years ago. They hunted, fished, and farmed to survive. There were many groups, or tribes, and each had its own customs and beliefs.

   The pilgrims' first winter in the New World was difficult. They had arrived too late to grow many crops. Without fresh food, half of the pilgrims died. The following spring the Indians taught the pilgrims how to hunt, fish, plant, and survive in America. The crops did well, and in the fall of 1621 the pilgrims had a great harvest. They were thankful and decided to celebrate with a Thanksgiving feast. They prepared a dinner of turkey, corn, beans, and pumpkins. They invited their Indian friends to share this feast. The Indians brought food to the feast, too (they even brought popcorn!). Americans still celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the fall. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. Turkey is still the main dish and pumpkin pie is the most popular dessert.

Poem "It's happy Thanksgiving"

It's happy Thanksgiving,
Thanksgiving! Horray!
We're going to dinner
at Grandma's today.

I love it at Grandma's
It's cozy and snug,
I love giving Grandma
a Thanksgiving hug.

I help make the gravy.
I pour and stir,
it smells so delicious,
I love helping her.

We laugh and we talk,
oh! she makes such a fuss
as she bustles about
cooking dinner for us.

When we sit at the table
and Daddy says grace,
there's a beautiful smile
on my grandmother's face.

Though the weather is windy
and chilly and gray,
our family is happy
this Thanksgiving day.