万圣节的英文简介

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万圣节的英文简介

　　万圣节主要流行于英语世界，如不列颠群岛和北美，其次是澳大利亚和新西兰。下面是小编跟大家分享有关于万圣节的简介，一起来看看吧!

万圣节的英文简介

　　【万圣节的英文简介】

　　Halloween is one of the oldest holidays with origins going back thousands of years. The holiday has had many influences from many cultures over the centuries. From the Roman's Pomona Day, to the Celtic festival of Samhain, to the Christian holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days.

　　Hundreds of years ago in what is now Great Britain and Northern France, lived the Celts (凯尔特人), who worshipped (崇拜) nature and had many gods, with the sun god as their favorite. They celebrated their New Year on November 1st which was made every year with a festival and marked the end of the "season of the sun" and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold."

　　On October 31st after the crops were all harvested and stored for the long winter the cooking fires in the homes would be extinguished (消失). The Druids, the Celtic priests, would meet in the hilltop in the dark oak forest (oak trees were considered sacred). They would light new fires and offer sacrifices of crops and animals. As they danced around the fires, the season of the sun passed and the season of darkness would begin.

　　When the morning arrived the Druids would give an ember from their fires to each family who would then take them home to start new cooking fires. These fires would keep the homes warm and free from evil spirits.

　　The November 1st festival was called Samhain (pronounced "sow-en"). The festival would last for 3 days. Many people would parade in costumes made from the skins and heads of their animals. This festival would become the first Halloween.

　　The Celtics would carry a lantern (灯笼) when they walked on the eve of October 31. These lanterns were carved out of big turnips (大头菜) and the lights were believed to keep the evil spirits away. Children would carve faces in the turnips. These carved turnips were called "jack-o-lanterns.

　　It is said that the "jack-o-lantern" got its name from a stingy (吝啬的) and mean old man, named Jack, who when he died was too mean to get into heaven. When Jack went to hell he was meet by the Devil who gave him a piece of burning coal and sent him away. Jack placed the burning coal in a turnip to use as a lantern to light his way. The legends claim that Jack is still walking with the lantern looking for a place to stay.

　　When the early settlers came to America they found the big round orange pumpkin. Being larger and much more colorful than turnips, the pumpkin made great "jack-o-lanterns". Eventually the pumpkin would replace the turnip. Eventually the Pumpkin would become the most widely recognized symbol(象征)of the Halloween holiday.

　　The history of "Trick'O'Treating" can be traced back (追溯) to the early celebrations of All Soul's Day in Britain. The poor would go begging and the housewives would give them special treats called "soulcakes". This was called "going a-souling", and the "soulers" would promise to say a prayer for the dead.

　　Over time the custom changed and the town's children became the beggars. As they went from house to house they would be given apples, buns (圆形的小甜面包), and money. During the Pioneer days of the American West, the housewives would give the children candy to keep from being tricked. The children would shout "Trick or Treat!".

　　【万圣节传说】

　　一种认为，这个节日起源于基督教诞生前的古西欧国家中的德鲁伊特人。德鲁伊特的新年在十一月一日，新年前夜，德鲁伊特人让年轻人集队，戴着各种怪异面具，拎着刻好的萝卜灯(南瓜灯是后期习俗，古西欧最早没有南瓜)，他们游走于村落间。

　　这在当时实则为一种秋收的庆典;也有说是“鬼节”，传说当年死去的人，灵魂会在万圣节的前夜造访人世，据说人们应该让造访的`鬼魂看到圆满的收成并对鬼魂呈现出丰盛的款待。所有篝火及灯火，一来为了吓走鬼魂，同时也为鬼魂照亮路线，引导其回归。

　　第二种认为这个节日来源于天主教会。两千多年前，欧洲的天主教会把11月1日定为“天下圣徒之日” (ALL HALLOWS DAY) 。“HALLOW” 即圣徒之意。传说自公元前五百年，居住在爱尔兰、苏格兰等地的凯尔特人把这节日往前移了一天，即10月31日。

　　他们认为该日是夏天正式结束的日子，也就是新年伊始，严酷的冬季开始的一天。那时人们相信，故人的亡魂会在这一天回到故居地在活人身上找寻生灵，借此再生，而且这是人在死后能获得再生的唯一希望。

　　而活着的人则惧怕死魂来夺生，于是人们就在这一天熄掉炉火、烛光，让死魂无法找寻活人，又把自己打扮成妖魔鬼怪把死人之魂灵吓走。之后，他们又会把火种烛光重新燃起，开始新的一年的生活。传说那时凯尔特人部落还有在10月31日把活人杀死用以祭奠死人的习俗。

　　第三种说法也和凯尔特人有关。凯尔特人(Celtic) 相信太阳神帮助他们种植农作物。但是，每年太阳神都会被一个名叫Samhain的邪恶力量攻击并被囚禁六个月。

　　凯尔特人非常害怕10月31日的夜晚，因为他们觉得这晚，有一堆邪恶灵魂潜伏在任何地方。他们相信是邪恶力量Samhain把死人叫出来的，还相信 Samhain会把死人变为其他东西，好像猫。

　　凯尔特人会在家生起火、装着可怕的伪装来把邪恶灵魂赶走。后罗马占领了凯尔特人的土地，把罗马的节日和凯尔特人10 月31日的Samhain祭典合在一起，成了现在的万圣节。

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