BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- What does a festival mean for children? Don't think it only means eating and playing.

    Actually, during traditional festivals, children can learn to use their eyes and souls to enjoy stories about their ancestors carried forward by customs and games, to experience the happiness of life and to inherit national cultures.

    HALLOWEEN IN CANADA: WE ARE NOT STRANGERS

    Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on Oct. 31 in Canada. It is one of the festivals that children love most.

    Every year on the eve of Halloween, at numerous parties celebrated by Canadian families, schools or communities, people dress up as animals, drama characters or ghosts. The usually formal, serious and cold atmosphere is replaced by humor and equality.

    When Amy was in her second year at school, one of her teachers was pretty serious and the students were afraid of her.

    But after a Halloween party, children became fond of her. "Because she dressed herself as a kangaroo, with a big tail sewed in her trousers. That's funny! She's such an interesting person," Amy said.

    Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a "cold politician" described by the media. But on Halloween, he decorated his residence like a "ghost paradise", dressed himself as a ghost, and gave, along with his wife and children, candies to those children who came for trick-or-treating. People could see the warmhearted and kind aspect of the premier.

    Halloween originated from the Celtic festival of Samhain, meaning Summer's end. Today, it has largely become a secular celebration, especially for children.

    On this day, children are the protagonists. Parents usually come back home early to decorate the house. They also carve pumpkins and go after children for trick-or-treating.

    On the night of Halloween, almost every street and every house is lightened and open to "ghosts". Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candies with the question "Trick or treat?"

    The word "trick" refers to a "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. At most time, homeowners would open their doors and give children bonbons they have prepared. The adults following their children also go to the door to chat with their neighbors.

    Halloween belongs to children. Yet what Halloween leaves on their mind are more than excitedness and "horror". They are love, friendship and happiness.

    SHICHI-GO-SAN IN JAPAN: PARENTS' LOVE

    On Nov. 15, 2007, seven-year-old Japanese girl Reina Ueshima got up at 6:00 in the morning to attend the "Shichi-Go-San" ceremony, a festival for children of three, five and seven years old.

    With mum's help, Reina made herself up, put on her pink Kimono and pink hairpins, and then went to a Shinto shrine with her parents.

    They carried a good-luck candy bag with a "Chitoseame" inside, a long stick of red and white candy made by her mum. On the surface of the bag was an auspicious painting with turtle, crane, pine, bamboo and plum blossom, indicating longevity and lifelong safety for the child.

    "Lifelong" might not be understood by a seven-year-old girl. But she knows "Chitoseame" contains the deep love from her parents.

    In front of the shrine, Reina put the palms together, praying for a "healthy and rapid growing-up".

    In pre-modern times, many children died of hunger, malnutrition and lack of medical care. The Shichi-Go-San festival was introduced to pray for the subsistence of children.

    Nowadays, it has become a nationwide festival and children's first experience of wearing the traditional Japanese clothes normally happens on this day.

    Talking about the festival, Reina said she was most delighted for wearing Kimono, making herself up and having the long stick of Chitoseame.

    Her parents were also happy on the day that was so special for children.

    "The Shichi-Go-San is an important festival that blesses children with a healthy growth," Reina's mum Yasuko Ueshima said. "In whatever form or wherever the ceremony is held, it represents parents' love for their children. It should thus be preserved as one of traditional Japanese cultural properties."