Hello, everyone. Welcome to 5 Minute English with Joe. Today’s topic is Halloween in America. And we’ll talk about witches and other spooky symbols.

When you think of Halloween, what do you see? Maybe pumpkins, costumes, ghosts, and yes, witches.

Over 70% of Americans participate in Halloween festivities, making it one of the nation’s most celebrated holidays, surpassed only by Christmas in terms of spending.

But the story of witches in America started a long time ago. In 1692 in a town called Salem, people were very afraid of magic. They believed some people could do bad things with witchcraft. Many innocent people were accused and punished. This was a sad time in American history called the Salem Witch Trials.

But today, things are very different now. Witches in American culture are not scary. You can see witches in TV shows like Bewitched or Sabrina the Teenage Witch. So the witch has changed. Before, people were afraid.

Halloween also has many other mysterious creatures. Black cats, bats, skeletons and ghosts. All are part of the fun. Each one has a story

Long ago, people thought black cats brought bad luck. Now they are cute Halloween friends.

Bats were scary before, but today we know they are helpful for the environment.
Skeletons used to mean death. Now they make people laugh.

When families carve pumpkins or tell ghost stories, they are not just playing. They are continuing old traditions. These activities connect Americans to their history and culture.

In the United States, many families carve pumpkins for Halloween. They cut the top, take out the seeds and make a face with eyes, a nose and a big smile. Then they put a candle inside. At night, the pumpkin shines like a little orange light. People call it a Jack o lantern. It looks funny or spooky and it’s a symbol of Halloween fun. Children and parents enjoy doing it together every year.

This was Five Minute English with Joe. Learn more about American culture and practice your English at englishconjoe.com

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Hello everyone! This is Joe from 5-Minute English.

Today, let’s talk about the story of trick-or-treating!

Trick-or-treating is one of the most fun parts of Halloween.

Children put on costumes and go from house to house. They knock on doors and say, “Trick or treat!”

People give them candy and chocolate.

But this idea is actually very old.

A long time ago, in Britain and Ireland, people had similar traditions.

They did “souling” — asking for food or treats while saying prayers.

They also did “guising” — wearing costumes and performing songs for coins or sweets.

When European immigrants came to America, they brought these traditions with them.

Later, during the Great Depression, people started giving candy to children to keep Halloween fun and safe.

That’s how trick-or-treating became the big tradition we know today!

This was 5-Minute English with Joe.

Thanks for listening!

Learn more fun English lessons at inglesconjoe.com

If you enjoyed this free lesson, don’t stop here!

Take our free English placement test and get a free trial week of our dynamic online classes.

Discover your level, meet great teachers, and start improving your English today!

Click the button below to start your free trial week of dynamic online English classes!.