The celebration of All Saints Day or just Halloween takes place on October 31st. The tradition of Halloween began in the fifth century B.C. This day the Irish Celts celebrated their New Year at that time, because they organized their year according to the agricultural calendar and marked the transition from one year to the next on October 31. In the year 835 A* D. the Roman Catholic Church made November 1st a church holiday to honour all the saints. This day is called All Saint's Day. Since that time many years have passed. Some traditions are gone, new traditions appeared. I am going to tell you about the most popular customs of Halloween. The most known custom is the tradition of dressing. The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, people placed bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter their home. Fire has always played an important part in Halloween. Fire was very important to the Celts as it was to all early people. In the old days people lit bonfires to ward away evil spirits and in some places they used to j ump over the fire to bring good luck. Today, we light candles in pumpkin and then put them outside our homes to ward of evil spirits. Another tradition is Apple Bobbing. It has the roman origins. The Roman festival for remembering the dead was also in October. During this time, the Romans remembered their goddess, Pomona. She was the goddess of the trees and fruits, and when the Romans came to Britain, they began to hold these two festivals on the same day as Samhain. Apples probably became associated with Halloween because of this festival. Some people believe that, if you slice an apple through the equator (to reveal the five-pointed star within) and then eat it by candlelight before a-mirror, your future spouse will appear over your shoulder. Trick or Treat was first known as Mischief Night. Halloween was a time for making mischief — many parts of England still recognize this date as Mischief Night — when children would knock on doors demanding a treat (Trick or Treat) and people would disguise themselves as witches or ghosts, in order to obtain food and money from nervous householders. Halloween was sometimes called Nut Crack Night or Snap Apple Night in England. Families would sit by the fire and tell stories while they ate apples and nuts.
The book is very good and warm.She transferred me to England for a few centuries ago,the feeling that I was there,along with these kids and saw everything with my own eyes. He and his mother had to move from a rich house in a small village house,after one day some men took their dad...The Railway Children believe (as the older sister of Robert),which: "Any person will be your friend if his case will prove that you are not the enemy" They help others and thereby gain a lot of friends,adults.In turn,new friends to help them realize their biggest dreams. This book is amazing,it was such works and is worth reading. Smushuk Andrey.
I’ve read an extract from novel “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott. This is a story about poor family lived in Boston. They lived in comfortable old house. There were six of them: father, mother and four daughters. Father was away at Civil War, so four girls got to work hard with their mother to have a happy and peaceful home. Meg was the eldest of four. She was sixteen, very pretty and plenty of soft. Fifteen - year – old Jo was very tall, thin and brown and reminded one of the colts. Elisabeth was rosy, smooth – haired girl of thirteen. Her father often called her “Little Miss Tranquillity”. Amy though the youngest, was a most important person – in her own opinion at least. They all lived with their adorable mother and loved her very much. And I also read an extract from novel “The Railway Children” by Edith Nesbit. This is the story of middle classed Edwardian family. They were just ordinary suburban children and they lived in their ordinary father and mother villa. There were three of them. Roberta was the eldest. Next come Peter and the youngest Phyllis. Their mother didn’t spend all her time in vain. She used to write stories and poems. They had never cross, never unjust father, who always had an excellent reason for children to don’t play with them. Their life wasn’t so happy. The dreadful change came quite suddenly. I won’t spoil it for you. It’s better to read it for yourself.
Very touching. I simply relished the setting of the times, a time when life was simpler--no cell phones, video games, etc.--and the sisters and brother actually relating to each other, loving one another. Faith, trust, and charity are the messages in this film with the mother overcoming influenza, the Russian finding his family, the young man healing a broken leg, and final, joyous ending. The hardest scene to bear was when the children enthusiastically gather presents for the station attendant's birthday, only to have him become angry at the children for meddling in his private affairs. He comes to his senses, but that moment before his change of heart, I was drawn to tears for I remembered only too easily as a child trying to do my best to please an adult and being rejected. Love is a delicate thing that needs to be cherished and nourished. So, the message of the film is wonderful, even if the video wasn't technically smooth.
I have read an extract from the novel 'The Railway Children' by Edith Nesbit.It is the most famous and well-loved novel.The novel is about the adventures of a middle class Edwardian family living near a railway station in the suburbs of London at the turn of the 19th centery. They were not railway children to begin with.They were just ordinary suburban children,and they lived with their father and mother in an ordinary red-brick-fronted villa, with coloured glass in the frond door, a tiled passage that was called a hall, a bathroom with hot and cold water, electric bells,French windows,a good deal of white paint,and 'every modern convenience'.I think that living conditions were good,because not everyone could afford such a house.There were three of them:Roberta,Peter and Phyllis.Roberta was the eldest.Of course,mothers never have favourites,but if their mother had a favourite,it might have been Roberta.Next came Peter,who wished to be an engineer when he grew up;and the youngest was Phyllis,who meant extremely well.These three lucky children always had everything they needed:pretty clothes, a lovely nursery with heaps of toys and a Mother Goose wallpaper.They had a kind and merry nursemaid,and a dog who was called James,and who was their very own.The children were very good,live well,they do not deprive the attention and they had everything you needed.With parents they too lucky,especially with his mother.Mother did not spend all her time paying dull calls to dull ladies,and sitting dully at home waiting for dull ladies to pay calls to her.She was almost always there,help them to do their home lessons,and ready to play with children,and read to them,and write stories for them while they were at school.Father who was just perfect-never cross,never unjust,and always ready for a game.But at one point they had undergone.The dreadful change came quite suddenly. I really liked the novel.I advise everyone to read it.A very inretesting and exciting.
I read an excerpt Edith Nesbit "The Railway Children". I really liked. The passage tells of a family which consisted of parents and their three children: Roberta, Peter, Phyllis. They lived in a luxurious mansion. Mother always helps children with homework, and when the children were in school she was writing stories. They also had a father who was just perfect - never angry, never was unfair, was always ready to play - at least, if at any time he was not ready, he always had a good reason for it, and I explain the reasons for the children so interesting and funny that they felt that he must do it. I advise you to read this book.
