HALLOWEEN (31ST OCTOBER)
The famous night of the year of trick-or-treaters, Jack O'lanterns, ghosts, witches and scary costumes might be invented by the Americans to sell, but that's not true. In fact, this holiday isn't American at all. To understand the origins of it, we're going to travel from Ireland to the United States through the years, but first...what do you know about Halloween?
ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN
1. What is Halloween
- Halloween is a holiday celebrated annually on 31 October.
- It is the evening just before the two Christian holy days called the All Hallows’ Day:
- All Saints’ or Hallowmas on 1 November
- All Souls’ Day on 2 November
- Halloween is like a community based festival and is mostly celebrated in Western countries.
- Kids and adults wear different costumes of their choice and attend costume parties.
- Big pumpkins are carved into lanterns and put off for display by people in their houses.
- Some people like to visit haunted locations on Halloween where they share scary stories with each other.
- People also play pranks tricks to scare each other.
- Those who like to stay home watch horror movies.
- Superstitious people light bonfires in their court yards to keep their house safe from ghosts and evil spirits.
2. Who first Celebrated Halloween – Who were the first People to Celebrate Halloween
3. How did Halloween Start
- Ancient Celts who lived in Northern Europe were the first people to celebrate halloween.
- Celts were superstitious people who believed that on 31 October, the spirits of the dead roam freely in towns and villages.
- They feared that these spirits could harm them by damaging their crops, possessing people and spreading incurable sickness.
- To keep these spirits away, the Celts dressed up in scary costumes made from animal hides and fire up huge bonfires.
3. How did Halloween Start
- This Celts festival Samhain was turned into Halloween over time just like other culutral changes.
- This festival was a non religious (pagan) celebration. As Christianity became a dominant religion in the world, the Church didn’t like people celebrating non-religious holidays such as Samhain.
- In the year 800 AD, in order to make this non-religious (pagan) celebration as religious one, the Church moved the Christian holiday “All Saints’ Day” from Spring to November 1st. The night before 1st November (i.e. on 31 October) when Samhain was celebrated became to known as All Hallows’ Eve. This later on with time changed into Halloween.
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED LEVEL
Watch these videos about the origins of halloween and answer the questions
Watch these videos about the origins of halloween and answer the questions
- Why do people dress up for Halloween?
- What is the meaning of All Hallows' Day?
- What are the origins of trick or treating?
- What do people do on Halloween's night?
*Souling: children and poor people would sing and say prayers for the dead in return for cakes.
The origins of Halloween
Halloween vocabulary
HALLOWEEN ROLE PLAY
Halloween is this Saturday 31st Oct and you are planning to organize a party with some friends. Today, you are meeting to talk about the arrangements. Together decide the following:
- Where it will be
- The guests
- The decorations
- The food and drink
- Any activity you plan to do
- A surprise.
- Where it will be
- The guests
- The decorations
- The food and drink
- Any activity you plan to do
- A surprise.
SPEAKING COURSE
On this night, would it be anything more scary than the song 'Thriller'? Listen to it and do the activities below.
Where are they?
Why do they stop?
What does he ask her?
What does he give her?
What does he tell her?
What does he turn into?
Actually, where's Michael?
Why do they leave the cinema?
Why do they stop?
What does he ask her?
What does he give her?
What does he tell her?
What does he turn into?
Actually, where's Michael?
Why do they leave the cinema?
What do you think happens at the end of the video? Invent a possible ending in pairs.
halloween-song-thriller-michael-jackson-doc.doc | |
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The facts
Thriller" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It is the seventh and final single from his sixth studio album Thriller. It was released on January 23, 1984 by Epic Records. The song has appeared on multiple greatest hits compilation albums from Jackson, including History (1995) and This Is It (2009). It was written by Rod Temperton and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. The song, which has a voice-over rap from actor Vincent Price, had originally been titled "Starlight".
From wikipedia
From wikipedia
The video
Michael Jackson's Thriller video was the most expensive ever made when it was released on December 2nd,1983. Directed by John Landis, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jackson, and featuring the voice of legendary horror actor Vincent Price, it is almost 14 minutes long, and is not suitable for a younger audience. Guinness World Records listed it in 2006 as the "most successful music video", selling over 9 million units.
Michael Jackson's Thriller video was the most expensive ever made when it was released on December 2nd,1983. Directed by John Landis, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Jackson, and featuring the voice of legendary horror actor Vincent Price, it is almost 14 minutes long, and is not suitable for a younger audience. Guinness World Records listed it in 2006 as the "most successful music video", selling over 9 million units.
If you want to learn some Halloween tongue twisters download the following presentation
halloween_tongue_twisters.ppt | |
File Size: | 5842 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
actividad_halloween_interm2.doc | |
File Size: | 296 kb |
File Type: | doc |
CLOZE TEXTS (INTERMEDIATE AND PRE-INTERMEDIATE LEVEL)
halloween_tongue_twisters.ppt | |
File Size: | 5842 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
where-does-halloween-com-from_email_activity.doc | |
File Size: | 54 kb |
File Type: | doc |
The Tale of Stingy Jack and the Jack O' Lantern
Jack O'Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish History. Many of the stories, center round Stingy Jack. Here's the most popular story:
Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who took pleasure in playing tricks on just about everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. After the Devil climbed up the tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. Unable to touch a cross, the Devil was stuck in the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses, and the Devil climbed down out of the apple tree.
Many years later, Jack died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was mean and cruel, and had led a miserable, worthless life on earth. Stingy Jack was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared . He had nowhere to go, but to wander about forever in the dark Netherworld between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave, as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell, to help Stingy Jack light his way. Jack had a Turnip with him. It was one of his favorite foods, and he always carried one with him. Jack hollowed out the Turnip, and placed the ember the Devil had given him, inside the turnip. From that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack O'Lantern".
On all Hallow's eve, the Irish hollowed out Turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack O'Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O'Lanterns.
Jack O'Lantern legend goes back hundreds of years in Irish History. Many of the stories, center round Stingy Jack. Here's the most popular story:
Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who took pleasure in playing tricks on just about everyone: family, friends, his mother and even the Devil himself. One day, he tricked the Devil into climbing up an apple tree. After the Devil climbed up the tree, Stingy Jack hurriedly placed crosses around the trunk of the tree. Unable to touch a cross, the Devil was stuck in the tree. Stingy Jack made the Devil promise him not to take his soul when he died. Once the devil promised not to take his soul, Stingy Jack removed the crosses, and the Devil climbed down out of the apple tree.
Many years later, Jack died, he went to the pearly gates of Heaven and was told by Saint Peter that he was mean and cruel, and had led a miserable, worthless life on earth. Stingy Jack was not allowed to enter heaven. He then went down to Hell and the Devil. The Devil kept his promise and would not allow him to enter Hell. Now Jack was scared . He had nowhere to go, but to wander about forever in the dark Netherworld between heaven and hell. He asked the Devil how he could leave, as there was no light. The Devil tossed him an ember from the flames of Hell, to help Stingy Jack light his way. Jack had a Turnip with him. It was one of his favorite foods, and he always carried one with him. Jack hollowed out the Turnip, and placed the ember the Devil had given him, inside the turnip. From that day onward, Stingy Jack roamed the earth without a resting place, lighting his way as he went with his "Jack O'Lantern".
On all Hallow's eve, the Irish hollowed out Turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. They placed a light in them to ward off evil spirits and keep Stingy Jack away. These were the original Jack O'Lanterns. In the 1800's a couple of waves of Irish immigrants came to America. The Irish immigrants quickly discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O'Lanterns.
Mischief Night (The night before Halloween, 30th October)
The night before Halloween where young people cause acts of mischief such as throwing eggs at houses, and covering landmarks with toilet paper.
halloween_millionaire.ppt | |
File Size: | 529 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
Halloween origins
ELEMENTARY LEVEL
FLASHCARDS
32519_halloween__flashcards.doc | |
File Size: | 715 kb |
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STORY OF HALLOWEEN
November 1st is a All Saints' Day a famous and historic Christian feast day. Another name for All Saints' Day is All Hallows' Day, 'hallow' is an old word for saints. The evening before, the evening of 31st is all Hallows' Eve or Hallowe'en. The custom of dressing up like ghosts or witches dates back from older times before Christianity.
What is Halloween?
People used to dressed up on Halloween because in the old days because winter was a scary time. They didn't have always enough food and many people were afraid of the dark. They all believed ghosts came back to earth on October 31st. So they were really afraid of meeting a ghost if they went out.
To solve this problem people wore masks when they went out so that the ghosts didn't think they weren't one of them. They also placed a bowl of food outside their home to please the ghosts so they wouldn't come into their houses.
What do people do on Halloween?
People carve pumpkins and decorate them and put a candle inside, these are called Jack-o-Laterns, an Irish legend say that they are named like this after a man called Jack, he couldn't enter heaven because he was a miser and he couldn't enter hell because he played with the devil so he had to walk with a latern until 'Judgement Day'.
The children go around houses dressed up like ghosts or witches asking for 'trick or treat' and they get sweets (candies) (treats) if not they will play a trick (una broma).
What is Halloween?
People used to dressed up on Halloween because in the old days because winter was a scary time. They didn't have always enough food and many people were afraid of the dark. They all believed ghosts came back to earth on October 31st. So they were really afraid of meeting a ghost if they went out.
To solve this problem people wore masks when they went out so that the ghosts didn't think they weren't one of them. They also placed a bowl of food outside their home to please the ghosts so they wouldn't come into their houses.
What do people do on Halloween?
People carve pumpkins and decorate them and put a candle inside, these are called Jack-o-Laterns, an Irish legend say that they are named like this after a man called Jack, he couldn't enter heaven because he was a miser and he couldn't enter hell because he played with the devil so he had to walk with a latern until 'Judgement Day'.
The children go around houses dressed up like ghosts or witches asking for 'trick or treat' and they get sweets (candies) (treats) if not they will play a trick (una broma).
HALLOWEEN SONG
Listen to the song and the activities
Listen to the song and the activities
halloween_song_-_basico_1_2.doc | |
File Size: | 59 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Halloween Song
Halloween, Halloween Creepy, crawly Halloween Trick or treat all in fun, __________ 31st has come Halloween, Halloween Spooky, kooky Halloween Kids in costumes, what a sight On Halloween ___________ Big black ________ Vampire bats Ghosts and goblins out tonight Causing quite a fright Halloween, Halloween Painted faces, what a scene Door to __________ They trick or treat For something sweet to eat Halloween, Halloween Celebrating _____________ Jack-o’-lanterns all aglow So the ancient stories go Halloween, Halloween Celtics started Halloween They celebrated harvest time With gifts of _________ and wine |
Candles glow
Spirits go Bringing luck and fortune _________ This is what they knew Halloween, Halloween Now they call it Halloween Skulls and bones Create the scene Very scary _____________ Halloween, Halloween Let’s have fun on Halloween Witches fly And ____________ scream Tonight on Halloween Witches fly And children scream Tonight on Halloween! Written by Wendy Wiseman |
Vocabulary bank:
creepy- escalofriante crawly- de hormigueo trick- engañar treat- tratar, obsequiar spooky- espeluznante kooky- excéntrico, raro sight- vista, espectáculo goblin- duende fright- miedo scene- escena sweet- dulce aglow- brillante, resplandeciente Celtics- /’keltiks/ celtas harvest- cosecha gifts- regalos glow- brillar skull- calavera bone- hueso scary- escalofriante, siniestro witch- bruja scream- gritar |
VIDEO ABOUT HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS