Watch the documentary, then write a few sentences about the things you haven't known and just found out about this special holiday.
Extended --> December 8
This blog is aimed at helping the first year students of UAD Cluj to practise their English for Art Purposes by offering materials for Reading and Listening about art; Writing is also encouraged through the students' comments on the proposed tasks.
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Task 3. The Real Story of Halloween:
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the documentary ,,The Real Story of Halloween”, I discovered several facts about this special holiday that I had not known before. I learned that Halloween originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when people believed that the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred. The custom of carving jack-o’-lanterns actually began in Ireland, where people used turnips instead of pumpkins, inspired by the legend of a man called Stingy Jack.
I also found out that the modern practice of trick-or-treating evolved from medieval traditions known as “souling” and “guising,” during which people went door to door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food. Furthermore, many Halloween symbols, such as black cats and ghosts, have deep roots in old superstitions, for example: black cats were once thought to be witches’ companions, while ghosts represented wandering spirits. Lastly, I learned that Halloween’s transformation into a large, commercial celebration took place mainly in the United States during the twentieth century, before spreading to other parts of the world.
( BARRACO DESIREE- fashion design)
Devder Gabriela, Modă-Design Vestimentar
ReplyDeleteHaving seen the documentary “The Real Story of Halloween”, I was impressed by how deeply rooted this popular holiday is in ancient traditions. I had always associated Halloween with costumes and candy, but I discovered that its origins are far older and more meaningful. Firstly, I learned that the festival began with the Celtic tribes, who divided the year into a light half and a dark half. Their ancient celebration, called Samhain, marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of their new year, and it was celebrated with great bonfires on the night of October 31st. Moreover, I found out that as Christianity spread across Europe, it gradually adopted and transformed many pagan customs, turning Samhain into All Hallows’ Day, while the evening before became known as All Hallows’ Evening, later shortened to Halloween. In addition, I learned that the practice of trick-or-treating originated in the Middle Ages, when children went from house to house asking for soul cakes in exchange for prayers to help the dead move from purgatory to heaven. Furthermore, I was surprised to learn about the role of witches, who were often wise women or healers in Celtic communities but were later misunderstood and accused of practicing dark magic. Finally, I also discovered that even symbols like bats and the witch’s cauldron have ancient roots, as bats were drawn to the fires of Samhain, because they eat insects that are usually attracted to light, while the Cauldron symbolized the witches’ healing potions.
Farcaș Ana Grafică
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the documentary, I realized there’s a lot about Halloween I never really knew. I didn’t know it started with the Celts thousands of years ago and that it was connected to their harvest festival and the idea that the dead could walk among the living. I also didn’t know that trick-or-treating comes from a medieval Christian tradition where kids would ask for soul cakes in exchange for prayers for souls in purgatory—it’s kind of weird to think of it that way. I found it interesting that Jack-o’-lanterns used to be made from turnips, not pumpkins, and that a lot of the scary stuff like witches, cats, and skeletons came from old European traditions mixed with Christian holidays. I also didn’t realize how much Halloween has changed in the last century, becoming something for adults too, with big haunted houses and fancy masks. It’s crazy to think how old and complicated the holiday really is.
Sekely Arnold Roland/ Pictura
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the documentary "The Real Story of Halloween," I discovered several fascinating facts about this holiday that were completely new to me. I was surprised to find out that the original jack-o-lanterns were not made from pumpkins, but from hollowed out turnips. This tradition started in Ireland and was based on the legend of Stingy Jack, a man cursed to wander the earth with only a burning coal inside a turnip to light his way.I also learned that the origin of trick or treating dates back to a medieval Christian practice called "souling". During this time, children and the poor would go from door to door offering to say prayers for the dead in exchange for small spice cakes known as "soul cakes". Additionally, the rowdy nature of modern celebrations was influenced by Guy Fawkes day, where pranks became so extreme that they were eventually replaced by the organized "treats" we see today to keep the holiday safe. It is truly interesting how these ancient Celtic and medieval customs evolved into the commercial celebration we enjoy now.
Marc Lara - ITA
ReplyDelete---
1. The tradition of carving pumpkins is relatively recent and actually came about because Irish immigrants in America switched from turnips to pumpkins, which were larger and easier to carve
2. I thought that Halloween is strictly a Celtic pagan holiday but in fact, its name is rooted in Christian tradition "All Hallows Eve".
3. Stories about strangers poisoning Halloween candy in modern culture are actually urban legends serving as cautionary myths.