F2F Class Notes (Nemo) [R]

Halloween is an annual holiday, celebrated each year on October 31, that has roots in age-old European traditions. It originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints; soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating and carving jack-o-lanterns. Around the world, as days grow shorter and nights get colder, people continue to usher in the season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, 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, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter

Vocabulary

originate (v): 1-to come from a particular place, time, situation, etc.:
E.g.: Although the technology originated in the UK, it has been developed in the US

costume (n): 1-a set of clothes worn in order to look like someone or something else, especially for a party or as part of an entertainment:
E.g.: The children were dressed in Halloween costumes.

ward off someone/something : 1-to keep someone or something away or prevent something from happening or harming you:
E.g: He used his umbrella to ward off the sun.

lantern (n): 1－灯笼
jack o’lantern-南瓜灯

trick-or-treating（n）: an activity in which children dress up as magical or frightening creatures or as characters from a story on Halloween (= 31 October ), and visit people’s homes to demand sweets

harvest (n): 1-the time of year when crops are cut and collected from the fields, or the activity of cutting and collecting them, or the crops that are cut and collected:
E.g.:  the grain/potato/grape harvest
E.g.:  We had a good harvest this year.

priest (n): 1-a person, usually a man, who has been trained to perform religious duties in the Christian Church, especially the Roman Catholic Church, or a person with particular duties in some other religions:

ban (v): 1- to forbid (= refuse to allow) something, especially officially:
E.g.: He’s been banned from driving for six months.
ban (n): an official order that prevents something from happening:
E.g.: There should be a ban on talking loudly in cinemas.