筑家快樂天地

Many people used to like to firecrackers go off at New Year, but do you know how this tradition first started?
很多人喜歡在農曆新年期間放鞭炮,但你知道這項傳統的由來嗎?
Nian, the Chinese New Year monster, is afraid of the noise and light made by firecrackers.
那是因為傳說中的年獸害怕鞭炮施放時產生的聲音和閃光.

聖誕老公公的由來 聖誕節是令人雀躍期待的日子，尤其是小孩子。相信大家對聖誕老公公的事都耳熟能詳吧？從前有一個老人，名叫尼古拉斯，他一生最愛幫助貧窮的人家。其中有一次他幫助三個貧窮的少送她們三袋金子以逃過被賣的不幸。當尼古拉斯偷偷把其中一袋金子送給其中一名女子時，他把金子從其中一個窗戶扔進去，恰好掉進景在壁上的一長襪中。於是，將禮放在聖誕襪子的送禮方法家挨戶地去要糖果喲！
據說平安夜的晚上，聖誕節老公公會駕著馴鹿雪橇滿載著禮物準備送點這一年來表現很好的小朋友，他會悄悄地從煙囪爬進屋內，禮物塞在掛在床頭的襪子裡。所以孩子總會把一條條色彩繽紛的襪子掛在床頭，並在襪子旁邊放杯熱牛奶給勞苦功高的聖誕老人解渴，並送份大禮給自己。
隔天一每個小朋友都迫不及待地打開禮，想知道自己得到什麼獎勵。
到了1822年，一位荷蘭傳教士把這位偉大慈善家的故事傳到美國之後，美國商人更以特殊的行銷手法，每年利用這個節日大張旗鼓地宣傳廣告，大賺一筆，在亞洲的日本及其他各國也群起效尤。因此裝扮聖誕老人來慶祝聖誕節的風俗習慣也就漸漸地流行到世界各國了。

Halloween is one of the favorite holidays for both children and adults in North America. On the night of October 31, families decorate their homes with carved pumpkins called jack-o-lanterns. Children dress up like ghosts, monsters, witches and even storybook princesses and famous heroes. They go from house to house in their neighborhood knocking on doors and shouting, “Trick or treat!” to receive candy and sweets.
Halloween is actually a very old holiday that has changed a lot since it was first celebrated. A long time ago people in Europe celebrated the end of summer and the beginning of the new year on October 31. They believed that on this day the spirits of the people who died that year could walk the Earth again. People would dress up in costumes and parade around their village making lots of noise. They wanted to scare away the evil ghosts and spirits.
Later, Christians in England and Ireland took the holiday as their own. They changed it to honor their saints. November 1 became “All Saints Day,” or “All Hallows Day.” The night before, October 31, was All Hallows Eve. The name was shortened to Halloween.
Even though it was a Christian holiday, people kept many of the old traditions. People in different parts of Europe celebrated it in different ways. In some places they wore frightening costumes. In other countries they went door-to-door collecting special cakes called “soul cakes.” In Ireland, people played tricks on each other. Later these traditions were mixed together when people from all parts of Europe moved to America.
One of the most popular traditions is making jack-o-lanterns from pumpkins. The first jack-o-lanterns were actually cut from turnips. The tradition began with the story of Jack, an evil man who once tricked the devil. After he died, Jack could not get into heaven because of his evil ways, but he could not get into hell either because of the trick he played on the devil. Because he would have to walk in the darkness forever, the devil gave him a lantern made from a carved turnip to light his way.

10月31號 Halloween
在台灣沒有過萬聖節的習慣 不過對於國外的小朋友 萬聖節是一個他們所期待的日子 當然在台灣學英文的小朋友也不應該錯過這樣的節日囉....所以用了兩堂課的時間讓這些孩子們認識一下萬聖節 也讓他們動手做做萬聖節糖果袋,黑貓and南瓜....也讓他們提著自己的糖果袋去跟每個老師要糖果....當然不用多說...他們真的是開心極了呢!!
**以上就是他們的成品^_^