The History of Halloween • LingvoHack
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The History of Halloween

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.

Before Watching: Task 1

Match the words to their definitions

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Not religious or spiritual in nature; relating to worldly matters rather than religious ones

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The worship or excessive admiration of idols or objects as gods

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Traditional beliefs, customs, and stories passed down through generations within a particular culture or community

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A rapid increase or spread of something

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A show of respect or honor towards someone or something

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A large arrival or entry of people or things into a place

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Individuals who are willing to suffer or die for their beliefs or principles

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Causing horror or disgust; extremely unpleasant or shocking

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Relating to a religion that is not one of the main world religions, especially a pre-Christian religion

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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

Before Watching: Task 3

Fill in the missing expressions

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The celebration [...] as people danced and sang with joy.

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Let's [...] and look at it from a different perspective.

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The villagers made an [...], hoping for blessings and protection.

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This ancient tradition [...], remaining relevant and cherished by generations.

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Sadly, my beloved pet [...] yesterday, leaving a void in my heart.

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The mischievous children were caught [...] by playing pranks on their neighbors.

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After a near-death experience, she was grateful to [...] and embrace every moment.

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The worship of idols was believed to [...], which was strongly discouraged.

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The ancient harvest rituals were deemed important enough to [...] secular harvest-related events.

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The community [...] to their fallen heroes with a solemn ceremony and heartfelt speeches.

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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.

The Haunting History of Halloween: Vocabulary Quiz

Read the following sentences and fill in the blanks with the appropriate vocabulary word from the list provided.

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Trick-or-treating became a popular Halloween tradition as a way to discourage [...] and encourage receiving treats instead.

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The [...] of Halloween can be traced back to ancient Celtic traditions and rituals.

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Halloween merchandise, such as pre-made costumes, [...] in popularity in the 1920s and 30s.

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During the festival, the Celts would make [...] to their ancestors and loved ones who had passed away.

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Despite its [...] nature as a commercial holiday, Halloween still retains elements of its ancient Celtic pagan.

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The [...] of Halloween as a holiday has led to increased spending on costumes and decorations.

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The Roman invasion led to the [...]  of many Celtic traditions and the introduction of Christianity.

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The mid-19th century saw an [...] of Irish immigrants entering the United States.

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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?

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