British festivals

Bonfire night

= Guy Fawke‘s night

• Guy Fawkes‘ is Britian’s most famous terrorist
• in 5^th November 1605 he wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the king of England (James I.).
• People celebrate this day by setting off fireworks and make models of Guy Fawkes and urn them on big bonfires

St Vaneltine’s Day

• 14^th February
• People send a Valentine’s card to someone they love (or secretely love)

Trooping the Colour

• June – second Saturday
• celebrates Queen’s official birthday (she watches a parade of soldiers)

American holidays

Memorial Day

• last Monday in May
• honors American soldiers who have died in wars

Labor Day

• first Monday in September
• holiday to honor working people all over the America

Independence Day

• 4^th July
• another time to celebrate with barbecues and picnics
• many towns and cities across the nation have exciting fireworks displays in the evening
• In 1776 Declaration of Independence was signed and American started to fight for independence drom the British

Halloween

• 31^st October
• children wear costumes and go trick-on-treating
• at house they visit they shout „trick or treat?“ and people usually give them candy

Thanksgiving Day

• 4^th Tuesday in November
• families and friends share a big meal of roast turkey and pumpkin pie
• people celebrate the first feast that the English settlers (Pilgrims) shared with the American Indians in 1620

Christmas Day

• 25^th December
• houses are decorated with Christmas trees and colored lights
• children find presents fron Santa Claus under the Christmas tree in the morning

English Holidays

Easter

• first Sunday after full moon following the spring equinox
• schools close for 2 weeks
• in Good Friday people eat hot cross toasted buns which are small sweet rolls with butter
• people give each other chocolate Easter eggs on Easter Sunday
• eggs are usually hollow and contain sweets
• it was originally a pagan festival
• in second century, Christian missionaries converted the Saxons to Christianity
• symbols: bunny (because the rabbit was the earthly symbol of the godness Easter for the ancient Saxons), eggs (exchanging eggs in the spring time was a custom for many years even before Christians first celebrates Easter)

New Year’s Eve

• 31^st December
• people meet on the New Year Eve with friends and relations

New Year’s Day

• 1^st January
• people make New Year’s resolutions (the decide to do something to improve their lives)

Christmas Eve

• 24^th December
• it’s time for cosialising with friends, people go to churches to Midnight Mass

Christmas Day

• 25^th December
• children open presents in the morning
• at 3-4 o‘clock PM people have christmas dinner (roast turkey with potatoes and christmas puding)

Boxing Day

• 24^th December
• it is usually spent in front of the TV recovering from Christmas Day

Pancake Day

= Shrove Tuesday

• day before Lent starts
• Lent = Christian fast, which lasts for 40days before Easter
• last day when you can eat what you want until Easter
• pancake are make of flour, eggs and milk (all things which should not be eaten during Lent)