More than 250,000 partygoers paraded in their fancy getups for this year’s Halloween in the heart of Tokyo. This may not be a convention in Japan, but most Japanese people like to hold it big annually. The nation completely embraced this occasion with merriment all over the place. It also seems to be more about dolling up and less about experiencing spooks and thrills.
Dressing up, eating themed food, and attending parties are on the long list of things people get to enjoy on this supposedly spooky occasion. In fact, Halloween is even bigger and more festive than Christmas in Tokyo. A greater part of the city is enriched with Halloween designs with a number eateries offering some freebies. Halloween-lovers were everywhere causing congested traffic conditions on the entire weekend.
Vocabulary:
partygoer – [noun] a person who attends parties frequently
convention – [noun] an assembly of persons met for a common purpose
annually – [adjective] happening once a year
merriment – [noun] laughter and enjoyment
dolling up – [verb] to dress elegantly or extravagantly
True or False:
- A few partygoers paraded in their fancy getups for this year’s Halloween.
- Christmas is more festive than Halloween.
- Dolling up means to dress casually.
- This year’s halloween celebration did not affect the traffic in Tokyo.
- This event is a convention in Japan.
Defend your argument:
- Is Halloween a celebration for children? Why or why not?
- Should Halloween become a local holiday? How about Christmas?
- According to the article, people are using the event as an excuse to wear costumes. Do you agree with this notion?
Express your opinion:
- What are your insights regarding foreign customs being observed in your country?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of westernization to Asian countries?
- Share your thoughts about this quote: “Halloween is an opportunity to be creative.” – Judy Gold