【正文】 alloween back to the ancient religion of the Celtics. The Celts were the ancestors of the presentday Irish, Welsh and Scottish people. In the 5th century BC, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31st. On the 1st of November, Celtic peoples celebrated the festival of Samhain, which marked the beginning of winter and the Celtic New Year. Celts thought the division between the natural world and the supernatural world became very thin and all time and space was abruptly suspended on October 31st, and then the spirits of the dead would e back and move freely looking for living bodies to possess. Being afraid of evil spirits, the living dressed up in freaky, scary costumes and made a big ruckus around the neighborhood hoping that the ghosts would leave in peace before midnight of the New Year. Some would also go from house to house, begging for soul cakes, square pieces of bread with currants. In return they promised to pray for dead members of the donors39。 families. That39。s the origin of “trick or treat”. Customs of Halloween Most Halloween festivities are based on folk beliefs concerning supernatural forces and spirits of the dead. Halloween decorations are typically featured by imagery associated with supernatural beings, such as witches, werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Images thought to symbolize bad omenssuch as black cats, bats, and spidersare also monly feature in Halloween decorations. Making jacko’lanternThe most celebrated Halloween decoration is the Jacko39。lantern, traditionally a hollowedout pumpkin carved to resemble a grotesque face and illuminated by a candle placed inside. The Jacko39。lantern derives its name from a character in British folktales. According to these tales, the soul of a deceased person named Jack O39。 Lantern was barred from both heaven and hell and was condemned to wander the earth with his lantern. Colors, orange and black, which are associated with pumpkins and darkness respectively, figure prominently in most Halloween decorations. Tricking or treatingTo trick or treat is another Halloween tradition, in which costumed children go from house to house soliciting candy or other treats from their neighbors. According to this custom, children greet each homeowner with the cry Trick or Treat, suggesting that some sort of prank will be played unless treats are provided. Formerly, trickortreaters vandalized the house if no treats were produced or if the treats met with their disapproval. The more treats 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 soul39。s passage to heaven. Since the early 20th century, however, the threat of tricks has been largely ceremonial. Attending costume partiesIn some areas of the country, costume parties have replaced trickortreating as the favored form of Halloween entertainment. Dressing in costume is one of the most popular Halloween customs, especially among children. Traditional costumes usually represent witches, ghosts, and other supernatural beings. However, costumes inspired by contemporary popular culture, such as politicians or movie characters, have bee increasingly mon in recent years. Adults often favor costumes with satirical or humorous overtones. Hosts of these parties often hold contests to select the best costume among the guests. While children39。s Halloween parties are generally held in private homes, many bars and nightclubs sponsor modified versions of such festivities for adults. Christmas Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of the Christ child. It is a time of rejoicing and celebration. Love, family, and togetherness are important themes. It is celebrated in almost all the countries around the world. Christians normally celebrate this by going Church, offering prayer and attending family and friends’ party. Origin of ChristmasMost of the Christmas story is told in the Bible, in the gospels of Saint Luke and Saint Matthew. Mary and Joseph, seeking shelter from a storm, entered the town of Bethlehem. The innkeeper, having no rooms left, let them stay in the stable with the animals. After the birth of Christ, a star appeared over the stable and led people to the baby Jesus. Twelve days after the birth, the Magi or Three Kings, arrived carrying gifts for the infant. Then people follow suit to give presents to the children on Christmas. A brief history of ChristmasTradition dictates that the occasion has been memorated since 98 . In 137 ., the Bishop of Rome ordered that the birthday of Jesus Christ be observed as a solemn feast. In 350 ., Julius I (another Bishop of Rome) selected December 25th as the observance of Christmas. This date was made official in 375 ., when it was formally announced that the birth of Jesus would be honored on this day...the announcement also allowed some of the older festivities (such as feasting, dancing and the exchange of gifts) to be incorporated into the observance of Christmas. The use of greenery to decorate homes continued to be prohibited as pagan idolatry but, over the centuries, this became an accepted custom of the festivities, too.Christmas was the most important Christian celebration by the 12th century. It began as a solemn, religious celebration. Prayer and spirituality were emphasized over colorful theatrics. Soon, nonreligious ideas of decorations, gift giving, and feasting became popular. Customs Christmas means Christ39。s Mass and is the celebration of Jesus Christ39。s birth and baptism. However, many of today39。s Christmas traditions were celebrated centuries before the Christ Child was born. Celebrating Christmas EveChristmas Eve is the day for family reunions. Many Christians traditionally celebrate a Midnight mass at midnight on Christmas Eve, marking the beginning of Christmas Day.