Where does Halloween come from?
We celebrate Halloween every year on _October_ 31st. But where does this holiday come from?
The holiday originally comes from a people called the Celts. The Celts lived in Europe more than 2000 _years_ ago. On November 1st they celebrated the end of summer. They thought ghosts visited the living on October 31st. They dressed up like ghosts so the spirits would not harm them.
Today, many _countries_ still remember the dead on November 1st. It is called All Saints day. Another name for it is All Hallow’s Day. The day before, October 31st, is called All Hallow’s Eve, or __Halloween_ for short.
Halloween is an old tradition in Ireland and Scotland. In those countries, ___people___ dressed up and carried lanterns made of turnips. When people moved from Ireland and Scotland to the United States, they started using __pumpkins__. This is where the jack-o’-lantern comes from.
They also had a tradition of giving __food___ to the spirits. Later, they gave the food to poor people. This is where trick-or-treating comes from.
Halloween has changed a lot since its origins. New people have brought new ___traditions__, and changed the old ones. What do you think Halloween would be like in another two thousand years?
1. What is this story about?
c. The origins of Halloween
2. When did the Celts live in Europe?
b. More than two thousand years ago
3. What did they celebrate on November 1st?
c. The end of summer
4.What did ghosts do on October 31st?
a. They visited the living
5. The word Halloween comes from …
c. All Hallow’s Eve
6. Nowadays, jack-o’-lanterns are made of…
b. Pumpkins
7. Trick-or-treating comes from…
b. Giving food to the spirits
