Holidays and celebrations
In the Czech Republic, we have three different kinds of celebrations. There are religious holidays, public holidays and family celebrations.
The most popular religious holidays are Christmas and Easter. We celebrate Christmas on 24th of December in honours of the birth of Jesus. We start to prepare for Christmas four weeks before Christmas Eve. This period of time is called „Advent“ In this time we cleaning house, cooking and baking Christmas cookies and cakes, we dexcorate our houses with advent wreaths, candles, springs and Christmas tree with chains, chocolates, stars, angels, bells and other. We start dinner around 6 o’clock in the evening. The traditional dinner is carp with potatoe salat. After the dinner Baby Jesus rings a bell to announce, that the presents are already there. The following two days people visit their relations.
There are many superstilions, but nowadays only a few people také them. We should fasting to see the golden pig on Christmas Eve. Girls use to toss the shoe and the direction of the tip showed whether the girl would get married or not. The future use to predicted from floating walnut shells with candles in a basin or cutting apples. Going to a midnight mass is another Christmas tradition.
In April or March we celebrate Easter. Good Friday commemorates Jesus’s crucifixion while Easter Sunday commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus. On Easter Monday boys and girls go from house to house and they must talk some song, after we give them some eggs, candies or cookies. Boys also visit girls and whip them on their legs and bottoms. Afternoon girls can pour out cold water on boys.
We celebrate many public holidays, such as 1st of January, it’s a New Year Day. The 1st of May is a Labour Day. On 8th of May we celebrate Freedom. The 5th of July is a day of St. Cyril and St. Method. The 6th of July is a day of Master Jan Hus. On the 28th of October we celebrate rise an independent Czechoslovakia in 1918.
The public holidays in Britain are bank holidays, originally called so as banks were closed on these days.
The typical English holidays are:
St Valentine’s Day is a lovers feast on 14th February. People give presents to the people they love, they sent funny greating cards also to friends.
Easter is celebrated on the 1st Sunday after 1st full moon in spring, but actually it starts on Ash Wednesday 40 days before Easter when Christian start their Lent. The Christians remember Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Children believe that while they sleeping, the Easter Bunny has hidden eggs in the house and go searching them. This is called egg hunt.
Trooping the Colour is Queen’s official birthday celebrated on 6th June. It takes place at Whitehall with Horse Guards Parade. On this day the Queen awards honours to important people.
Halloween is celebrated on 31st October. Children dress in funny costumes and knock at neighboor’s doors and they give them gifts or candy.
Guy Fawkes Day is a day of bonfires and fireworks to remember the unsuccessful attempt at blowing up the pariament on 5th November 1605
The Lord Mayor’s Show takes place on 8th November. The Mayor drives throught the City in a two hundred years old golden coach.
Remembrance Day is celebrated on 11th November or the nearest Sunday. At the Cenoph in London a ceremony is held and there is a two minute silence to remember those, who were killed in the two world wars.
Christmas starts on 24th December. Families decorate their houses with coloured paper, paper balls, springs of holly with red berries, mistletoe and the Christmastree. On the mantelpiece there are Christmas cards wishing Merry Christmas. Shops are open until late in the evening. Harrod’s is closed because the Queen does her shopping there. Children believe that at night Santa Claus or Father Christmas will come down the chimney and bring some presents for them. Children get up very early to open their presents. They also watch TV and sing Christmas carols. On Christmas day they have Christmas dinner usually at noon or in the evening. They have roast turkey, potatoes and vegetables followed by Christmas pudding. It is a special fruit cake made long time in advance and consisting of many incredible ingredients like beer, carrots, breadcrumbs etc. The person that bites into a piece with a coin inside shall have good luck.
On 26th of December is a Boxing Day, named after the tradition of giving dustman, newspaper boys, milkmen, postmen etc., smal sums of money in boxes.
On New Year’s Eve people go to parties, see the old year out and drink a roast to the New Year.People gather in squares and sing „Auld Lang Syne“.
In the USA, there are also many holidays. Of course they have Christmas and Easter. They conformable to Britan’s. Americans decorated their houses and buy gifts. Children believe, that Santa Claus visits their houses at night before Christmas and leaves them gifts. Santa Claus is pictured as a cheerful fat man with long white beard, dressed in red suit.
On Easter children look for hard boiled eggs hidden around their house.
Martin Luther King Day is celebrated on third Monday in January to commemorate a black man, who tried to fight for civil rights of his people and who was assassinated in 1968.
President’s day is celebrated on first Monday in february. It is the official birthday of all American presidents since thefirst one – George Washington.
Memorial Day is celebrated on fourth Monday in May. It commemorates the dead in all wars.
Independence Day is celebrated on 4th July. It commemorates victory over the British in the American Civil War and the signing of „Declaration of Independence in 1776. It’s day of parades, flying the flag, parties, concerts and fireworks.
Labour Day is clebrated on first Monday in September. It‘s to honour the nation’s working people.
Columbus day is celebrated on second Monday in October. It remind Columbu’s landing in the New World on 12th October in 1492.
Veterans Day is in memory of the soldier who died in World Wars. It’s celebrated on 11th November.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on last Thursday of november). When Pilgrim Fathers settled in America in 1620 they suffered a lot during the first winter. The next year the Native Americans tought them how to plant corn and other crops, so in the autumn they celebrated their Thanksgiving Day for the first time. They also invited local Indians to the celebration. Nowadays the Americans eat roast turkey and pumpkin pie. It’s the day of gifts, charity and food for poor people.
Valentines Day and Halloween are the same as in Britain.