Halloween is one of those holidays ESL learners find confusing, or even disturbing. Understanding it will help you understand North American culture. Here are some questions you may have about Halloween, and the answers to them.

When is it? Halloween is always on October 31st, no matter what day of the week that it.

What does the name mean? "Hallowed" means "holy" and "een" (or "e'en") is short for evening. The night of October 31st is the evening before All Saints' Day, when the Catholic Church remembers its holy people of the past.

Is it a Christian holiday? It used to be. Before that, it was a pagan holiday - the Celtic new year. But now, Halloween is seen as a non-religious holiday.

What happens on Halloween? After dark, children put on costumes and go from house to house. They say, "Trick or treat!" and most people give them candy or other junk food.

What does "Trick or treat" mean? The treat is the candy or food. (If you give these out, they should be still in the package.) Long ago, children used to play tricks on people who didn't give them treats. But this is usually not done anymore.

Why do the children wear costumes? Partly just for fun, partly to confuse or even scare adults. Some children dress as frightening creatures. Others dress as people they admire, like TV characters.

Why is there so much stress on fear and death? Many people enjoy this - just once a year. No one really understands why. Maybe these things seem less harmful if we make fun of them.

What's a jack-o-lantern? A hollow pumpkin with a face cut into it. Most people put flashlights inside theirs.

What can I do on Halloween? If you're a child, dress up, go out, and have fun. Take your parents with you, and don't eat any treats until your parents look at them. If you're an adult, go out with your children and make sure they're safe. Don't let them eat any treat that's not in the wrapper, or that doesn't look right. Give treats to other children who come to your house. Tell them their costumes are good.

I don't like Halloween. Can I just skip it? Yes, just turn off the light over your door and don't answer the bell. If you don't want your children trick-or-treating, plan something else for them to do.

Jane Wangersky is an ESL teacher and author. To get a reading for your ESL class right now, visit her site http://eslfreepress.typepad.com/the_esl_dollar_store/ The ESL Dollar Store.