HalloweenOnOctober31st,dozensofchildrendressedincostumes(节日服装)knockontheirneighbors'doorsandyell"TrickorTreat"whenthedooropens.Piratesandprincesses,ghostsandpopularheroesofthedayallholdbagsopentocatchthecandyorothergoodiesthattheneighborsdropin.Astheygiveeachchildatreattheneighborsexclaimoverthecostumesandtrytoguesswhoisunderthemasks.Sincethe800'sNovember1stisareligiousholidayknownasAllSaints'Day(万圣节).TheMassthatwassaidonthisdaywascalledAllhallowmas.TheeveningbeforebecameknownasAllHakkiwe'en,orHalloween.LikesomeotherAmericancelebrations,itsoriginslieinbothpre-ChristianandChristiancustoms.October31stwastheeveoftheCeltic(凯尔特人的)newyear.TheCeltsweretheancestorsofthepresent-dayIrish,WelshandScottishpeople.Onthisdayghostswalkedandmingledwiththeliving,orsotheCeltsthought.Thetownspeoplebakedfoodallthatdayandwhennightfelltheydressedupandtriedtoresemblethesoulsofthedead.Hopingthattheghostswouldleavepeacefullybeforemidnightofthenewyear.Muchlater,whenChristianityspreadthroughoutIrelandandOctober31wasnolongerthelastdayoftheyear,Halloweenbecameacelebrationmostlyforchildren."Ghosts"wentfromdoortodooraskingfortreats,orelseatrickwouldbeplayedontheownersofthehouse.WhenmillionsofIrishpeopleimmigratedtotheUnitedStatesinthe1840sthetraditioncamewiththem.Today'schooldancesandneighborhoodpartiescalled"blockparties"arepopularamongyoungandoldalike.MoreandmoreadultscelebrateHalloween.Theydressuplikehistoricalorpoliticalfiguresandgotomasqueradeparties(化妆舞会).Inlargercities,costumedchildrenandtheirparentsgatheratshoppingmallsearlyintheevening.Storesandbusinessesgivepartieswithgamesandtreatsforthechildren.Teenagersenjoycostumedancesattheirschoolsandthemoreoutrageousthecostumethebetter!Certainpranks(恶作剧)suchassoapingcarwindowsandtippingovergarbagecansareexpected.ButpartyingandpranksarenottheonlythingsthatHalloweenersenjoydoing.Somecollectmoneytobuyfoodandmedicineforneedychildrenaroundtheworld.SymbolsofHalloweenHalloweenoriginatedasacelebrationconnectedwithevilspirits.Witchesflyingonbroomstickswithblackcats,ghosts,goblins(小精灵)andskeletonshaveallevolvedassymbolsofHalloween.Theyarepopulartrick-or-treatcostumesanddecorationsforgreetingcardsandwindows.BlackisoneofthetraditionalHalloweencolors,probablybecauseHalloweenfestivalsandtraditionstookplaceatnight.IntheweeksbeforeOctober31,Americansdecoratewindowsofhousesandschoolswithsilhouettes(轮廓)ofwitchesandblackcats.PumpkinsarealsoasymbolofHalloween.Thepumpkinisanorange-coloredsquash,andorangehasbecometheothertraditionalHalloweencolor.Carvingpumpkinsintojack-o'lanternsisaHalloweencustomalsodatingbacktoIreland.AlegendgrewupaboutamannamedJackwhowassostingy(吝啬的)thathewasnotallowedintoheavenwhenhedied,becausehewasamiser(吝啬鬼).Hecouldn'tenterhelleitherbecausehehadplayedjokesonthedevil.Asaresult,JackhadtowalktheearthwithhislanternuntilJudgementDay(审判日).TheIrishpeoplecarvedscaryfacesoutofturnips(芜菁根),beets(甜菜根)orpotatoesrepresenting"JackoftheLantern,"orJack-o'lantern.WhentheIrishbroughttheircustomstotheUnitedStates,theycarvedfacesonpumpkinsbecauseintheautumntheyweremoreplentifulthanturnips.Todayjack-o'-lanternsinthewindowsofahouseonHalloweennightletcostumedchildrenknowthattherearegoodies(糖果)waitingiftheyknockandsay"TrickorTreat!"HalloweenTreatsDriedPumpkinSeedsAftercarvingyourpumpkin,separatethepulpfromtheseeds.Rinse(冲洗)theseedsandspreadthemouttodry.Thenextday,addenoughmeltedbutterormargarine(人造黄油)tocoateachseed.Spreadtheseedsontoacookiesheet(甜酥饼干)andbakefor20minutesina300degreeovenfor20minutesoruntiltheyareslightlybrown.CaramelApplesTakethepaperwrappingoffabout100caramels(饴糖)andputtheminasaucepan(炖锅).Putthesaucepanoverapanofboilingwater.Boilthewateruntilthecaramelsmelt.Putawoodenstickintothetopofeachapple,diptheappleintothecaramel.Letthemcoolonwaxpaperandenjoy!ScaryStoriesNoHalloweenpartyiscompletewithoutatleastonescarystory.Usuallyonepersontalksinalowvoicewhileeveryoneelsecrowdstogetheronthefloororaroundafire.ThefollowingisaretellingofataletoldinBritainandinNorthCarolinaandVirginia."WhatDoYouComeFor?"Therewasanoldwomanwholivedallbyherself,andshewasverylonely.Sittinginthekitchenonenight,shesaid,"Oh,IwishIhadsomecompany."Nosoonerhadshespokenthandownthechimneytumbledtwofeetfromwhichthefleshhadrotted.Theoldwoman'seyesbulgedwithterror.Thentwolegsdroppedtothehearthandattachedthemselvestothefeet.Thenabodytumbleddown,thentwoarms,andaman'shead.Astheoldwomanwatched,thepartscametogetherintoagreat,tallman.Themandancedaroundandaroundtheroom.Fasterandfasterhewent.Thenhestopped,andhelookedintohereyes."Whatdoyoucomefor?sheaskedinasmallvoicethatshiveredandshook."WhatdoIcomefor?"hesaid."IcomeforYOU!"Thenarratorshoutsandjumpsatthepersonnearhim!