The pagans who lived two thousand years ago celebrated their New Year on 1 November. Then the Christians
came and they started to celebrate 31 October – All Hallow's Eve
– and the name changed to Halloween.
In November, winter is near, and hundreds of years ago
people believed that bad spirits like ghosts came in winter. They
wanted the bad spirits to go away, so they made fires outside and
used pumpkins to make jack-o'lanterns. To make one you cut a hole in a large pumpkin and then put a candle
inside and cut a face in the side. People dressed like witches and ghosts to make the bad spirits go away.
Children still do this if they go to a Halloween party. People often play games on such parties. One game is
called bobbing for apples. The Halloween colours are black and orange. Black cats bring bad luck.
In Canada and the USA, and sometimes in Britain, children go »trick or treating«. They dress like
witches and ghosts, and go to the houses around where they live. When someone opens the door, the children
say: »Trick or treat«. The person must decide. Either they give the children a treat (sweets, fruit, chocolate) or
the children will play trick on them (throw an egg at the house).
BOBBING FOR APPLES
One Halloween's party game is called bobbing for apples.
Someone puts water and apples in a big bowl. The apples stay on top of the water.
Often someone puts something round the first player's head so they cannot see.
The player must keep their hands behind their back and take an apple out of the
water with their teeth. Then the next player tries.
The game is sometimes very difficult and players usually get very wet.
Label the pictures. Use words from the text.
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