
Discussion
How has Halloween evolved over time? Do you think Halloween has become too commercialized? Why or why not?
Pre-watching Vocabulary Practice
Practice essential vocabulary before watching the video about History of Halloween.
1 Match the words to their definitions.
2 Match antonyms
3 Define commercialism and commercialization with your own words
Answers
Commercialism – the emphasis on making a profit or generating revenue, often associated with the selling of goods or services.
Commercialization – the process of making something more focused on profit or commercial purposes.
3 Fill in the missing expressions
Video
Watch the video and jot down any interesting points while watching the video.
Summarize the main points you learned from the video.
Share your thoughts, questions, and observations.
Watch the video again and answer the questions below:
1. What is the origin of the word “Halloween”?
2. What was the holiday of Samhain and how was it celebrated?
3. What were some of the original rituals of Samhain?
4. How did the Roman invasion impact Celtic traditions?
5. How did Samhain evolve into All Saints Day?
6. Why were Halloween celebrations mostly forbidden in early American colonies?
7. How did Irish immigrants impact the formation of Halloween in America?
8. What was the incentive for adults to dissuade children from playing pranks on Halloween?
9. How did movies and TV contribute to the commercialization of Halloween?
Answers:
1 The word “Halloween” comes from the words “hollow” meaning holy person and “een” deriving as a contraction of eve.
2 Samhain was a three-day fire festival that celebrated death and rebirth. It was celebrated by the Celts who lived in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the UK, and parts of Northern Europe.
3 Some of the original rituals of Samhain included costumes, feasting, making lanterns from hollowed-out gourds, and sacrifices of crops or animals.
4 The Roman invasion and the spread of Christianity and Catholicism forced pagan Celtic traditions to evolve or be completely repressed.
5 Samhain evolved into All Saints Day, which was intended to be a day to celebrate the Christian saints and martyrs.
6 Halloween celebrations were mostly forbidden in early American colonies because they were deemed too pagan or too Catholic by the Protestant colonizers.
7 Irish immigrants brought Halloween customs to America, out of which one of America’s favorite holidays was formed.
8 Adults found incentive to dissuade children from playing pranks on Halloween by introducing the tradition of trick-or-treating.
9 Movies and TV contributed to the commercialization of Halloween by offering scary movie festivals and running Halloween specials during the Halloween season.
Vocabulary
Read the following sentences and fill in the blanks with the appropriate vocabulary word from the list provided.
Follow-up questions
1. Do you personally enjoy Halloween? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever had a scary experience on Halloween? Can you describe it?
3. What do you think makes Halloween such a popular holiday?