Welcome back everyone to Podcast and Chill on the Learn English Podcast channel.
Unfortunately, Leo is busy with something today, so he won't be joining us.
Trick or treat, did you really think I'd miss this?
Of course not. I should have known you'd show up.
How could I miss it?
It's Halloween. Costumes, candy, and lots of spooky fun?
Is that supposed to be Dracula?
Of course, a Halloween podcast needs a vampire.
Today's episode is all about Halloween.
We'll help you practice English while having some spooky fun.
And don't forget to check out the free PDF in the description.
Make sure to make a copy so you can edit it yourself.
Alright, let's jump right into today's topic and explore the spooky traditions of Halloween.
Halloween is a really fun holiday, especially in the U .S.
It's a time when people dress up in costumes, decorate their homes, and give out candy to kids.
But where did Halloween come from?
Good question, Gwen.
Halloween started as an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain.
People believed that on this day, the line between the living and the dead was blurred, and spirits could come back to Earth.
To protect themselves, they wore costumes to scare away the spirits.
These days, though, it's less about spirits and more about fun.
Exactly, and people get creative with it.
So, let's talk about the fun activities people do on Halloween.
First, there's trick or treating, which is probably the most famous part of Halloween.
Trick or treating is when kids dress up in costumes and go door to door in their neighborhood.
They knock on doors and say, trick or treat, hoping to get candy from the people inside.
If they don't get candy, the trick part might mean they play a harmless prank, but it's all in good fun.
Kids love it because it's a chance to get lots of candy, and parents often join in, dressing up and walking around with them.
Another popular Halloween activity is carving pumpkins into jack -o'-lanterns.
A jack -o'-lantern is a pumpkin with a face carved into it, either funny or scary.
People then put a candle inside to light it up at night, usually putting it on their doorstep.
It's a tradition that's been around for a long time, and people love getting creative with their pumpkin designs.
Some even carve out famous faces or complicated patterns.
Then, there are the Halloween parties, where both kids and adults can have fun together.
At these parties, people usually wear costumes, play games, and eat themed snacks, like cookies shaped like ghosts or pumpkins.
There's always a lot of creativity when it comes to Halloween parties.
Like witches, ghosts, and vampires, right?
Yep, exactly. People even dress up as famous movie characters.
It's all about creativity and having a good time with friends and family.
That's why it's so popular all around the world.
Speaking of vampires, you're looking at the best Dracula this side of the internet.
Really? I thought you were just a bat that got lost on its way to the party.
Hey, this costume is top tier.
I've got the cape, the fangs, and even the Dracula accent.
Just make sure no one mistakes you for a giant bat and tries to shoo you out of the house.
Anyway, Halloween is such a fun holiday, right?
Finally, we have haunted houses.
People love to visit haunted houses for a good scare.
These places are decorated with creepy things like cobwebs, skeletons, and spooky lighting.
Actors often dress up as monsters or ghosts and jump out to scare visitors.
It's all about having fun while getting a little scared.
Alright, Gwen, now it's time for a spooky Halloween story.
I think we should tell a simple version of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Sounds perfect. So, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow is about a man named Ichabod Crane.
He moves to a small town called Sleepy Hollow, where people believe in a scary ghost called the Headless Horseman.
One night, Ichabod is chased by the Headless Horseman and no one sees him again.
It's a classic Halloween story, full of mystery and suspense.
Now that we've shared a spooky story, let's talk about how Halloween is celebrated around the world.
Halloween is really big in the U .S., but other countries have their own unique traditions.
For example, in Mexico, they celebrate the Day of the Dead.
It's a holiday where people remember and honor their loved ones who have passed away.
People build altars, decorate with colorful flowers, and share the favorite foods of their loved ones.
This tradition was beautifully shown in the Disney movie Coco from 2017.
In Coco, we see how important family and remembering ancestors are during the Day of the Dead.
It's a colorful and emotional celebration, just like in the movie.
In Japan, they have a similar celebration called Obon.
It's a time when people light lanterns to guide the spirits of their ancestors.
That's really interesting.
Halloween may be fun, but it's also important to stay safe.
Definitely. Let's give our listeners some Halloween safety tips.
First, make sure your costume is safe, especially if you're going out at night.
Wear bright colors or add reflective tape so cars can see you.
Also, be careful when crossing the street and make sure to look both ways.
And for the trick or treaters, check your candy before you eat it to make sure it's safe.
Good advice, Gwen. Finally, let's talk about some fun Halloween movies and music.
One of my favorite Halloween movies is it's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.
It's a family -friendly movie that's perfect for practicing English.
Another great choice is Hocus Pocus.
It's funny, a little spooky, and easy to follow for English learners.
For music, you can't go wrong with Thriller by Michael Jackson.
It's got a great beat and an iconic dance that's perfect for Halloween.
Alright, Gwen, now that we've talked about some fun Halloween traditions, let's teach our listeners a few more Halloween words.
Great idea. I've got five words that I think everyone should know.
First up is ghost. A ghost is the spirit of a dead person, often seen as a white, floating shape.
Like the ghosts in cartoons.
Exactly. Next, we have witch.
A witch is usually a woman with magical powers who wears a pointy hat and flies on a broomstick.
Witches are one of the most popular costumes for Halloween, right?
Absolutely. Now, let's talk about pumpkin.
A pumpkin is a large, round, orange fruit that people carve into jack -o'-lanterns for Halloween.
And they light it up with candles.
Exactly. Next up is candy.
Candy is sweet food that kids collect when they go trick -or -treating.
Finally, we have monster.
A monster is a scary creature, like a big, hairy beast or a creepy ghost from movies or stories.
I think we've covered some great words today.
Definitely. Now, let's ask our listeners a couple of questions to practice these words.
Here's the first one.
What is your favorite Halloween costume?
Mine? I think I'd go with a classic vampire.
Lots of fun. And I get to wear a cape.
That's a good choice.
For me, I'd choose to be a witch.
Simple, but with a pointy hat and a broomstick, I'm ready to go.
And here's the second one.
Have you ever carved a pumpkin before?
Yes, I tried carving a scary face once, but it ended up looking not so scary.
I can imagine. I carved a pumpkin once, too, and let's just say it looked like a smiley face.
Let us know in the comments below what your favorite Halloween costume is and if you've ever carved a pumpkin.
All right, Gwen, we've covered so much about Halloween today.
We've talked about the history, the activities, and even some spooky vocabulary.
It's been a lot of fun.
Definitely. But before we go, how about we share a fun Halloween fact with our listeners?
Great idea, Gwen. Did you know that Americans spend over $2 .6 billion on candy for Halloween each year?
Wow, that's a lot of candy.
So if you're going trick -or -treating, there's definitely enough candy for everyone.
Absolutely. And don't forget everyone.
We've prepared a free PDF for you to practice your Halloween vocabulary.
Just click the link in the description and make sure to make a copy so you can edit it yourself.
Thanks for joining us today on Podcast and Chill.
We hope you have a spooky and fun Halloween.
See you in the next episode.
