Центр творческих инициатив Snail VI Всероссийский дистанционный конкурс

Центр творческих инициатив «Snail» VI Всероссийский дистанционный конкурс "Hallowe’en Collection" 350, Щенникова Нина, МОУ "СОШ № 1 р. п. Дергачи", 11 класс, e-mail: ninashchennikova@mail. ru, почтовый адрес: 413440, Саратовская обл. , р. п. Дергачи, пл. Рыночная, д. 39

Задание 1. Halloween's traditions predate Christianity, going back to Celtic customs connected with November the 1 which was Samhain (it started in the 5 th century B. C. ) The name ''Samhain'' is derived from Old Irish and means roughly ''summer's end''. The festival Samhain celebrated the end of the “lighter half” of the year and beginning of the “darker half” and can be named “the Celtic New Year”. After the Romans conquered Britain, they added to Halloween features of the Roman harvest festival in honor of Pomona, goddess of the fruits and gardens. After Christianity acceptance Pope Gregory III transferred All Saints’ Day on November the 1 st. Nowadays Halloween has some features of 3 different holydays.

2. The traditional colors of Halloween are orange which symbolize pumpkin and purple (or black ) associated with darkness, night and death. Besides green and red colors are used. Green means goblins and monsters. Red symbolize blood, fire and evil. 3. The 1 st of November is a Day of All Saints or All Hallows Day. The night before it is All Hallows Eve which was transformed in “Hallowe’en” and later in “Halloween”. Besides there is a version that “Halloween” means “holy evening”. 4. In Scotland Ireland turnips are traditionally carved into a jack-o-lantern. Pumpkins became carved after discovery of America.

5. Jack-o-lantern is a lantern made from empty pumpkin with carved eyes, nose and mouth. There is a legend about a Scottish smith Jack who cheated the Devil twice. He was taken neither into Paradise nor Hell. Jack put a piece of coal into an empty turnip and he is still walking with his lantern, looking for a place to stay. 6. Werewolves come out when the moon is full. 7. One of the most popular Halloween’s games is the Apple Bobbing. A large tub of water is brought in and many apples are added to the tub. The player must not touch the apple with his hands but must retrieve the apple by biting it and lifting it from the tub.

8. Halloween has a lot of symbols. The most popular one is a jack-o-lantern – a lantern made from pumpkin. Bats and owls are associated with All Hallow’s Eve because they’re nocturnal and both of these animals are known as omens of bad luck or evil. Black cat is a symbol of mystery and improbable things. During the Middle Ages it was believed that witches could turn themselves into black cats. So, a great number of innocent cats were thrown into fire. Much like the bat, cat, and the owl – spiders (as Halloween symbols and otherwise) are creatures considered to be endowed with supernatural qualities which make them harbingers of mystic energy. They are so mystical because of their ability to weave webs, which has long been symbolic of time, fate.

Witches are symbols of the Halloween too. They are mistress of the occult. Besides, a witch’s hat is often represented on Halloween’s cards. The skull and crossbones are warnings of danger, death and diseases. It is logically that they became symbols of such mysterious holyday. 9. Halloween is not only holiday which is full of fun but it is also time for omens and foretelling. In Scotland Wales, “hallow fire” was a tradition that must have depressed many people. A group of people built a fire, and each person marked a stone and threw it into the fire. The next day, everyone returned to the scene. If a person’s stone was still there, all would be well; a damaged meant that the thrower would not live to see the next hallow fire. In some places, the stones were put around the edge of the fire. If any of the stones had moved in the night or been damaged, the “owner” was thought to be doomed.

In Ireland a well-loved way of finding out the future was to bake a cake ( callcannon or colcannon). It considered of mashed potatoes, parsnips, and chopped onions. A ring, a a thimble, a china doll, and a coin were stirred into it and the one who found the ring when the callcannon was served was to be married within a year; the finder of the doll would have children; the one who got the thimble would never marry; and whoever was fortunate enough to get the coin would have wealth. This was varied, sometimes, by baking a ring and a nut in cake. The one whose slice of cake contained the ring would marry, and the finder of the nut would marry a widow or a widower – unless the kernel of the nut was shriveled, in which case the finder would never marry. In Wales people peeked through the keyholes of the church door, convinced they would see apparitions of those who would soon die.

Besides a great number of foretelling’s kinds there another interesting customs. In the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas, people don’t think of the dead as evil spirits. Instead of children going trick-ortreating on Halloween, whole families visit the cemetery on November the 1 st. They dress in holiday clothing and bring food and flowers to the graves of their loved ones. They spend the day having a pleasant family picnic.

One town in Guatemala has an unusual way of celebrating All Saints’ Day. The people construct huge round kites which they bring to the cemetery. By early afternoon, high winds begin to blow around this mountain village. Soon the richly colored kites, made of bamboo and tissue paper and adorned with flags, are soaring toward the scudding clouds and the sun. All afternoon, until the wind dies, the kiteflyers leap among the gravestones rolling and unrolling their balls of twine. But no one really knows what do this custom means!

10. The Halloween capital of the world is The United States of America. This is so because in America a lot of costumes are made to look like its real and America don't think that Halloween is the day of the Devil. Anoka, Minnesota is the self-proclaimed "Halloween Capital of the World". They have a big civic parade to celebrate the holiday each year. Salem, Massachusetts, has also put forth arguments that they are the "Halloween Capital of the World" even though the city has attempted to distance itself from its history regarding witchcraft. Tourists do however partake in much sightseeing surrounding the Salem witch trials, especially around the time of Halloween.

11. Halloween has several names connected with Christianity (All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, All Hallows’ Even), Celtic customs (Samhain), Roman celebrations (Pomona Day). In the north of England Halloween is also named “Snap Apple Night” or “Nut Crack Night” because people play the games using apples and nuts which were plentiful then. 12. Halloween’s party is always decorated spooky and funny. First of all, there must be a jack-o-lantern. Besides, you can put fake cobwebs, images of ghosts and witches all over your room, hang up stuffed bats on a ceiling and cardboard “Danger!” or “Go away!” on the front door and draw monster footprints on the walls. That’ all! Guests will be delightful!

13. Halloween is connected with customs which provides good harvests for farmers: -“Muck Olla” was the name of the old Druid god. The parade leader wore a white robe and a horse-head mask. The people stopped to beg at each farmhouse. “Muck Olla will be good to you if you help us”, they said. The farmer and his wife would give them food. -Farmers in Britain used to carry torches through their property at Halloween and recite spells to protect it through the grim winter months. 14. Children associate different sweets with the celebration of Halloween, for example, caramel apples, popcorn balls, candies… Besides, people like fried chestnuts and dried pumpkin seeds. In Ireland people bake a callcannon. Mexicans make special cakes and confections for the holiday. Pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead”, is round plain cake covered with icing or sugar crystals in the form of a skull and crossbones.

Задание 2. “Trick or treat” is an expression used by children at Halloween and means “Give us treat. Or we’ll play a joke on you”. On October the 31 st, many children dressed in costumes knock on their neighbors’ doors and yell “Trick or Treat!” Pirates, princesses, ghosts, vampires are the most popular heroes. Children hold their bags open to catch the candy or other goodies (sweet foods) that the neighbors drop in. As they give each child a treat, the neighbors exclaim over the costumes and try to guess who is under the masks. The custom of trick or treating probably has several origins. During Samhain, the Druids believed that the dead would play tricks on mankind and cause panic and destruction. They had to be appeased, so country folk would give the Druids food as they visited their homes. An old Irish peasant practice called for going door to collect money, breadcake, cheese, eggs, butter, apples, etc. , in preparation for the festival of St. Columb Kill. Also a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made out of square pieces of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they would promise to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, could expedite a soul's passage to heaven.

Задание 3. 1) a. “The Worst Witch” 2) b. “Twilight”, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” 3) c. “The Charmed” 4) d. “Casper” 2) 1. “The Vampire Diaries”, vampires: Stefan and Damon Salvatore 2. “Dracula”, vampire Dracula 3. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, Buffy Summers - "the Slayer” 4. “From Dusk Till Dawn”, vampires in a bar 5. “Van Helsing”, Frankenstein, vampire Dracula, witches 6. “Hellboy”, Hellboy 7. “Harry Potter…”, elves, Basilisk, trolls, dragons, giants, ghosts…

Задание 4. The new character appears on the eve of Halloween in the town. His name is Robin. He has a bear tatoo on his shoulder and can turn into this animal. Besides, he is able to change his voice. He is a handsome tall man with dark hair. There is a Halloween Party at Forks’ school. All students are in costumes. They are dancing, playing games and laughing. Bella is standing near the wall. Suddenly a guy came up to her. He is in a costume of a bear. Bella thinks he is Edward. They are dancing and spend much time together. All of a sudden “Edward” disappears. Then Bella saw a guy in a costume of vampire. She recognizes Edward in him. She is at a loss. She understands nothing. Edward comes up and kiss her. Bella sees her mistake. Near the bar counter a guy with a bear tatoo on his shoulder. He is smiling.