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西方節日慶典的由來萬聖節HalloweenEverwonderhowwebegancelebratingHalloween?HereisaninterestingstorythattellshowHalloweenbegan.Theoriginsoftoday'scelebrationsonOctober31standNovember1stmarkedthebeginningoftheNewYear.Duringthistime,thecropswereharvestedtopreparefoodforthelong,darkwinter.October31stalsomarkedtheeveoftheancientCelticfestivalofSamhain(pronouncedsow-en).Samhainwasajoyfulharvestfestivalthatmarkedthedeathoftheoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.ThedayitselfwasatimeforpayinghomagetothesungodBaalwhohadprovidedthepeoplewiththeripenedgrainforuseintheupcomingwinter.TheSamhainfestivalmarkedthetransitionfromlifetodeath,andbecausethelivesoftheCeltsweredeeplyintertwinedwithnature,thedeathoftheworldaroundthembecameassociatedwithhumandeath.Duringthistime,itwasbelievedthattheveilbetweentheworldsofthelivingandthedeadwerethinnest,andthelivingswereabletocommunicatewiththeirdeceasedlovedones.Ofcourse,ifthespiritswereabletotravelbetweentheworldsonSamhain,sotoocouldhostilespirits.Toscarethesebadspiritsaway,theCeltscarvedfacesintopotatoesandturnipsandlitthemwithcandles.Theyalsodressedupinghoulishcostumesandparadedaroundtheirneighborhoods.ThewordHalloweenactuallyhasitsoriginsintheCatholicChurch.Inthe7thcenturythechurchcelebratedAllSaints'DayinMay,butbythe9thcenturythedatehadbeenchangedtoNovember1st.AnothernameforAllSaints'DaywasAllHallows'Eve,whichwaslatershortenedtoHalloween.Inthe10thcenturythechurchnamedNovember2ndasAllSouls'Dayinmemoryofalldeadsouls.Halloween,AllSaints'Day,andAllSouls'Daycomesoclosetogetherandaresosimilarthatinsomecountriestheytendtomergetogether.Halloweendidn'tbecomewidelycelebratedintheUnitedStatesuntilthe1800s.Irishimmigrantsfleeingtheircountry'spotatofaminebegansettlingintheU.S.,andbroughtmanyoftheircustomswiththem.Atthetime,thefavoritepranksinNewEnglandincludedsuchbenigntricksastippingoverouthousesandunhingingfencegates.BecausetheNewWorldhadanabundanceofpumpkins,whichweremoresuitableaslanterns,theyreplacedturnipsandhavebecomeamajorsymbolofmodernHalloween.TrickorTreat:Thecustomoftrick-or-treatingisthoughttohaveoriginatedwitha9thcenturyEuropeancustomcalledsouling.OnNovember2nd,AllSouls'Day,earlyChristianswouldwalkfromvillagetovillagebeggingforsoulcakes,madeofsquarepiecesofbreadwithcurrants.Themoresoulcakesthebeggarswouldreceive,themoreprayerstheywouldpromisetosayonbehalfofthedonors'relativeswhohadpassedaway.BobbingforApples:WhentheCeltswereabsorbedbytheRomanEmpire,manyritualsofRomanoriginbegan.AmongthemwastheworshipofPomona,thegoddessoftheharvest.Pomonawasoftenportrayedsittingonabasketoffruitsandflowers.Appleswerethesacredfruitofthegoddess,andmanygamesofdivinationinvolvingthementeredSamhaincustoms.Jack-O-Lanterns:IrishchildrenusedtocarveoutpotatoesandturnipsandlightthemfortheirHalloweengatherings.Aslegendhasit,theselanternscommemoratedJack,ashiftyIrishvillainsowickedthatneitherheavennortheDevilwantedhim.Rejectedbyboththesacredandprofane,hewanderedtheworldendlesslylookingforaplacetorest,hisonlywarmthaglitteringcandleinarottenpotato.