For many kids, Halloween is their favorite holiday. The chilly wind blows about colorful leaves. Being dark outside, children are galore running up to houses with their lights on. There are a variety of costumes, from scary, to funny, to pretty, to things the kids make up on their own. As soon as October starts, all the stores carry costumes. These costumes are all very nice with great colors. This way, busy parents can buy the costumes for their children instead of having to make it themselves. Also, most of the time, store bought has higher quality than homemade costumes. If kids wants to be someone from a movie, then the costumes in the store are a great representative. There is also a wide variety in the stores. A lot of kids like Japanese anime or Manga (Japanese comics), these type of costumes can be bought at websites. This way, it is convenient to obtain a costume and run around to trick o treat for candy. Thus giving the children a happy Halloween.
However, store bought costumes have a negative side too. I asked many classmates, they all agree in that store bought costumes are boring. Some think that the store bought costumes have bad quality. Some also think that the extremely lazy or extremely busy buy their costumes. I think the same way. What if a certain category of costumes was extraordinarily popular? Then a lot of other people would be wearing the costume for Halloween. How can you be original that way?
Store bought costumes may be
convenient, but you can make costumes on your own. Older kids like the make their own costumes. This way there is a sense of satisfaction. Some kids like crafts so they make their own costumes. Some other kids can’t find costumes they like at the stores so they make it themselves. Self made costumes also instigate the imagination, and you can choose the quality of materials that go into the costume. Also, the measurements on self made costumes are more accurate. I also asked some classmates on their opinions of self made costumes. They all agreed that it is more fun and competitive to make their own costumes, to see whose is better. A lot of people are tired of the generic costumes so they like to create their own, scarier costumes. This way, the will have an original costume. However, there are some
difficulties for self made costumes. For an example, if there are some materials unavailable, you will have to find a substitute or make it on your own. Not everyone can make cloths or costumes so it is a challenge for them. To make your own costume well takes time. The older kids are probably busy with school and they need to manage their time wisely. I feel that self made costumes are inconvenient, but if you start early and find time to finish, it will be alright.
I would like to make my own costume. I feel this way because my sister makes our costumes every Halloween. Every year I am happy because I am original, no one else has my costume. There was a time when my sister was too busy and I had to buy my costumes. This made me sad because a lot of other people wore the same costume as I did. This is when I tried making costumes on my own. Even though I didn’t look like anyone else, my costume wasn’t that well made. Those two years my sister couldn’t make me a Halloween costume she was busy being a designer in college. However, the third year she changed her major and had time again. When I heard that she could make my costume again, I danced with joy. Now her costumes are even better! Even though I didn’t make the costumes, I still feel proud when I wear them, because I feel original.
Jane Tang
As we all know Halloween is celebrated on October 31 every year. And this time of year kids usually dress up and go track or treating. It is the second biggest holiday in the U.S. But unlike U.S. most of the countries celebrate Halloween on other dates and have different names. In some countries Halloween is a sensitive question. Because some countries believe an old Celtic (KELT-ik), that souls of those who have passed away revisit the earth.
In Ireland, believed to be the birthplace of Halloween, the tradition is still celebrated as much as it is in the United States. In rural areas, bonfires are lit as they were in the days of the Celts and children dress up in costumes to spend the evening "trick-or-treating" in their neighborhoods. After the visiting, most people attend parties with neighbors and friends.
Among the Spanish speaking countries like Mexico and Spain people celebrate Day of the Dead. The holiday begins the night of
October 31, continuing on November 1 with All Saints Day and November 2 with All Soul's Day. Many Mexicans as the most important celebrations of the year may consider these. Mexicans use these days as an opportunity to decorate the graves of family and friends who have passed away. November 1 focuses on children who have died, and November 2, on adults. People often set up altars with food to welcome the souls for a visit.
The French does not celebrate Halloween, in order to honor the dead and departed ancestors. It is regarded as an "American" holiday in France and was virtually unknown in the country until around 1996.
In Germany, the people put away their knives on Halloween night. The reason for this is because they do not want to risk harm befalling the returning spirits.
In Korea, the festival similar to Halloween is known as "Chusok." It is at this time that families thank their ancestors for the
fruits of their labor. The family pays respect to these ancestors by visiting their tombs and making offerings of rice and fruits. The "Chusok" festival takes place in the month of August.
In Italy on November 1 in Sicily, children anticipate that they will awaken on November 2 to sweets and toys left by their dead relatives!
Now you know if other countries celebrate Halloween or not. And if they do how they celebrate it.
Halloween by: Hailun Zheng
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One day when I went to Dim Sum I overheard my father speaking with someone. It turned out the be the owner of Good Harvest. I heard him tell explain to my father that his store was closed. He said the rotisserie was not being tended to properly and burned a portion of the store. Now they are doing modifications so they are closed for the time being. They plan to open before Thanksgiving. Because Good Harvest is closed, a lot of their customers are going to Tink Holl, Asia Foods, CAM groceries, etc. I feel that Good Harvest closing affects our daily weekend routine. Every Sunday, we are accustomed to accompanying my mother to Good Harvest. My father is used to buying a newspaper there an talking to familiar faces. My brother and I actually play with each other. At home, he plays videogames and I read, so we barely cross paths. When we arrive at Good Harvest we look at all the new products. So now every weekend we go to Tink Holl and Asia Foods. My mother is unfamiliar to these stores so it takes her longer. My father is unfamiliar too. My brother and I have more to look at since we hardly ever go there. At Tink Holl, when I wrestle with my brother there is an open area near the restrooms so we don’t have to worry about breaking anything. There is also a toy section and we pour over the toys to see what special features they have. Even though there are all these new places, we still miss Good Harvest and hope they will open promptly.
1. The holiday where you pretty much beg for candy
2. How you don’t want your candy to taste.
3. What you say when you ring someone’s doorbell with a costume on.
4. An old green woman with a point hat and rides a broom.
5. The season October is in.
6. “Candy_____.”
1. How you should feel once you stuff your mouth with candy.
2. ghosts do this and it rhymes with “air.”
“______crow.”
3. You should let one of these cross your path.
4. They are white and sometimes wear a sheet.
5. How candy tastes (not “yummy”).
6. You carve these, they are orange.
7. You get this when you trick or treat.
8. You wear these to trick or treat.
9. How you should be when you go out on Halloween.
Complete the crossword puzzle. Cut it out with the form at the bottom and put it in the box at the Chinese School entrance to enter a chance in the Christmas raffle.
Name: Age: Classroom number:
When I lived in Beijing, every year for News Years everyone would go to Temple Festivities. Beijing Temple Festivities are unique and there are none others like it. All over China there is only one temple for the Heavens and one for the Earth. Back in the day, even the Emperor only held funeral ceremonies at these two temples. Even though there no longer is an emperor, the Beijing people still feel special at these temples. This year Earth temple has started holding festivities again so it is busy. There are also tourists and family
visitors. There are seas of people at these Temple Festivities and never boring. There is a wide variety of visitors and they are all happy. At this kind of place it is easy for kids to separate from their parents, and so there are often a lot of crying children. The crying is mixed in with sellers yelling out their products. There are so many visitors that there are sellers spreading souvenirs on the ground. There are sweet treats on sticks, bamboo toys, knick knacks. There is extreme competition and sellers grab at customers. The martial arts and acrobatics seem to be most appreciated they often have scrolls with calligraphic characters on them. There are puppet shows that are appreciated. Some other events are not as amusing. They take a calf and place a snakeskin on its face. The frightened calf would run around and run into walls. Even though the puppet is about five centimeters, it is still being controlled by someone. After all these festivities you are bound to get hungry. No matter who you are, you
I haven’t written anything in Chinese properly for over six years. I suspect that if I really wanted to write anything worthwhile, I might not be able to. If I didn’t have pinyin on my computer, I probably wouldn’t be able to write half of what I wanted to say. After studying Chinese for ten years before this six year gap and losing so much is sad, oh so very sad. Someone asked me to write again, so please, bear with me.
have to try the roasted lamb, just be careful of sanitation because you might end up in the bathroom the next day. There is fried ice cream and even though it sounds interesting it tastes like something I do not feel like explaining. Roasted fat sausages and other foods are there as well, they are all great tasting but none beats the classic Beijing fried pancake. Not only is it good but the process in which they make it is a great show. The main event at the Temple is the Temple Ceremony. I cannot remember the details but I do remember that the entire temple was filled and people dressed in robes holding flags would walk in circles around the stage. I thought it was boring, I preferred all the other attractions.
-Johnny Xiao
