关于万圣节的英语作文素材

OnOctober31st,dozensofchildrendressedincostumes(节日服装)knockontheirneighbors’doorsandyell"TrickorTreat"whenthedooropens.Piratesandprincesses,ghostsandpopularheroesofthedayallholdbagsopentocatchthecandyorothergoodiesthattheneighborsdropin.Astheygiveeachchildatreattheneighborsexclaimoverthecostumesandtrytoguesswhoisunderthemasks.

Sincethe800’sNovember1stisareligiousholidayknownasAllSaints’Day(万圣节).TheMassthatwassaidonthisdaywascalledAllhallowmas.TheeveningbeforebecameknownasAllHakkiwe’en,orHalloween.LikesomeotherAmericancelebrations,itsoriginslieinbothpre-ChristianandChristiancustoms.

October31stwastheeveoftheCeltic(凯尔特人的)newyear.TheCeltsweretheancestorsofthepresent-dayIrish,WelshandScottishpeople.Onthisdayghostswalkedandmingledwiththeliving,orsotheCeltsthought.Thetownspeoplebakedfoodallthatdayandwhennightfelltheydressedupandtriedtoresemblethesoulsofthedead.Hopingthattheghostswouldleavepeacefullybeforemidnightofthenewyear.

Muchlater,whenChristianityspreadthroughoutIrelandandOctober31wasnolongerthelastdayoftheyear,Halloweenbecameacelebrationmostlyforchildren."Ghosts"wentfromdoortodooraskingfortreats,orelseatrickwouldbeplayedontheownersofthehouse.WhenmillionsofIrishpeopleimmigratedtotheUnitedStatesinthe1840sthetraditioncamewiththem.

Today’schooldancesandneighborhoodpartiescalled"blockparties"arepopularamongyoungandoldalike.MoreandmoreadultscelebrateHalloween.Theydressuplikehistoricalorpoliticalfiguresandgotommasqueradeparties(化妆舞会).Inlargercities,costumedchildrenandtheirparentsgatheratshoppingmallsearlyintheevening.Storesandbusinessesgivepartieswithgamesandtreatsforthechildren.

Teenagersenjoycostumedancesattheirschoolsandthemoreoutrageousthecostumethebetter!

Certainpranks(恶作剧)suchassoapingcarwindowsandtippingovergarbagecansareexpected.ButpartyingandpranksarenottheonlythingsthatHalloweenersenjoydoing.Somecollectmoneytobuyfoodandmedicineforneedychildrenaroundtheworld.

SymbolsofHalloween

Halloweenoriginatedasacelebrationconnectedwithevilspirits.Witchesflyingonbroomstickswithblackcats,ghosts,goblins(小精灵)andskeletonshaveallevolvedassymbolsofHalloween.Theyarepopulartrick-or-treatcostumesanddecorationsforgreetingcardsandwindows.BlackisoneofthetraditionalHalloweencolors,probablybecauseHalloweenfestivalsandtraditionstookplaceatnight.IntheweeksbeforeOctober31,Americansdecoratewindowsofhousesandschoolswithsilhouettes(轮廓)ofwitchesandblackcats.

PumpkinsarealsoasymbolofHalloween.Thepumpkinisanorange-coloredsquash,andorangehasbecometheothertraditionalHalloweencolor.Carvingpumpkinsintojack-o’lanternsisaHalloweencustomalsodatingbacktoIreland.AlegendgrewupaboutamannamedJackwhowassostingy(吝啬的)thathewasnotallowedintoheavenwhenhedied,becausehewasamiser(吝啬鬼).Hecouldn’tenterhelleitherbecausehehadplayedjokesonthedevil.Asaresult,JackhadtowalktheearthwithhislanternuntilJudgementDay(审判日).TheIrishpeoplecarvedscaryfacesoutofturnips(芜菁根),beets(甜菜根)orpotatoesrepresenting"JackoftheLantern,"orJack-o’lantern.WhentheIrishbroughttheircustomstotheUnitedStates,theycarvedfacesonpumpkinsbecauseintheautumntheyweremoreplentifulthanturnips.Todayjack-o’-lanternsinthewindowsofahouseonHalloweennightletcostumedchildrenknowthattherearegoodies(糖果)waitingiftheyknockandsay"TrickorTreat!"