在万圣节，人们喜欢在房前屋后摆设包括女巫、骷髅、鬼怪、蜘蛛网和墓碑等在内的各种装饰。 （照片： Wikimedia Commons）

今天是万圣节（Halloween）。

如果万圣节是你最喜爱的节日之一，你应该感谢凯尔特人。很久很久以前，凯尔特人（他们的后代包括爱尔兰人、威尔士人、苏格兰人和布雷顿人）有过一个萨温节（Samhain），亡灵在这个夜晚获得自由，在地球上游荡。人们点起篝火给鬼魂照亮，让他们找到回归死亡世界的路。人们还穿上吓走鬼魂的服饰，不让他们接近人身。食物也被摆放出来，供这些可能会来害人的鬼魂享用。如今，人们在10月31日这一天仍会点燃篝火、穿上奇装异服，并分发食品（主要是糖果），以欢度万圣节。这个节日在美国及世界各地都深受喜爱。https://share.america.gov/zh-hans/history-of-halloween/

Today is Halloween!

If Halloween is one of your favorite holidays, you can thank the Celts.

Back in ancient times, the Celtic peoples (whose descendants include the Irish, Welsh, Scots and Bretons) celebrated the Samhain festival, when the souls of the dead were set free for one night to roam the Earth. People lit bonfires to help guide these souls back to the land of the dead. They wore scary costumes to frighten the souls away from the living. They also offered food to appease potentially threatening spirits.

Today, people still light bonfires, dress up and hand out food (mostly candy) on October 31, but for fun. Halloween is hugely popular in America and around the world.

Please click on the link to learn more about Halloween: https://share.america.gov/zh-hans/history-of-halloween/

来源：2017-10-31美国驻华大使馆美国驻华大使馆