Holidays in Great Britain

New Year`s Day.

There are many special days in Britain. They are called holidays. On these days people do not go to work. Schools, businesses and government offices are closed.

New Year Day is a popular holiday. The celebration begins on December 31, the night before, New Year`s day. Horns, whistles and other noisemakers are very popular on this night. This is an old tradition from old times.

People made loud noises to scare away eveil spirits. When the New Year starts some people shake hands, others kiss and embrace. In addition to making noises, people throw paper confetti-small pieces of colored paper and call out Happy New Year” praise. They hope it will bring health, peace and prosperity.

In Britain many people gather and celebrate. New Year`s Day is celebrated in different ways. Many people serve refreshments like chocolate, ice-cream, chips, sandwiches and drinks to visitors.

Christmas.

Christmas Day December 25,is probably the most popular holiday in Great Britan. It is a family holiday. Traditionally all relatives and friends give each other presents. So before Christmas all the department stores and shops are crowded, everybody is choosing a present. In general, people get prepared for this holiday very carefully. They decorate their houses in the traditional way, that is the Christmas trees are set up in houses, in the streets and churches. The Christmas trees are always decorated with fairy lights, angels and small toys. In addition litlle packets with nuts, candies and special biscuits are hung on the tree. Presents are put around the tree and artificial ''frost'' is scattered over the branches. The Germans are believed to be the first to use the Christmas tree in their celebrations, and Martin Luther was the first to place a star on the top of the tree. This star represent the star that appeared over the stable in which Christ was born. In Great Britain the Christmas tree became popular when Queen Victoria used it.Besides the Christmas tree, holly and mistletoe are used to decorate the house. Branches of holly are put up behind pictures and mistletoe is hung over doors, so the young people have a chance to kiss the girls under it, plucking each time a red berry from the mistletoe. It is said that the girl who was not kissed under it at Christmas would not get married that year.On the eve of the Christmas children hang their stockings so that Santa Claus could put presents into them : oranges, sweets, nuts and if the child didn't behave properly Santa Clause can put there a piece of coal as punishment. Santa Claus got his name from a man known as St.Nickolas who lived in Asia in the fourth century. He gave his wealth to the poor and often to children. After he died the Dutch brought this legend to colonial America. Soon the Dutch name Sinter Kluas became Santa Claus.Carol singing is an essential part of Christmas. No church or school is without its carol service. Carols may be traditional or by known composers they can express different feelings. Carols appeared in Christmas history about the fifteenth century. Usually children come around in the evening to the front doors and start singing carols and the people living in these houses give children candies, nuts, pies and so on, to thank them for carol singing.A typical Christmas lunch includes turkey with cranberry sauce and pudding. Every young woman in each household helps to stir the Christmas pudding if she wishes to be married that year.

Hallowen.

Children in different countries sometimes have fun in different ways. Hallowen is a children`s festival in many countries. Hallowen is in Britain too.

It is celebrated on October 31st. According to an ancient belief on this day the spirits of the dead arise from their graves.

In the Halloween children go door to door. So in the evening you may hear a knock on the door. Outside children in scary costumes shout: Ttrick or treat!” if you don`t give them candy cookies, fruit or money they will do sometimes bad to you, they will play some trick. For example: They may put some soap on your window.

Children dress themselves up as witches and ghosts holding a bag. They wear make-up and masks. But sometimes children dress up as skeletons, popular TV, movie and story book characters. Most children make their costumes themselves. Others buy them. Homes, shops and chassrooms are decorated in the traditional Halloween colors-orange and brick.

The decorations are, of course, scary-witches, black cats, ghosts, skeletons and jack-o-lantern.

Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is a bank and public holiday in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Jamaica and countries in the Commonwealth of Nations with a many Christian population. In south Africa this public holiday is now as the day of coodwil. Though it is not an official holiday in the United States.

Boxing day is celebrated on December 26th. It is a statytory holiday in the federal jurisdiction and in Ontario. If it falls on a Saturday or a Sunday the working day immediately proceeding or following. Boxing day also known as the feast of St. Stephen originated in Rngland in the middle of the nineteenth century under Queen Victoria. It originated as a holiday for members of the merchant class to give boxes containing food and fruit, and/or money to trades people and servants.The gifts were an expression of gratitude similar to the bonuses many employers offer their employees today. These gifts usually given in boxes, give the holiday its name “Boxing day” . Also related to the origin of Boxing dayis the tradition of opening the alms (charity boxes) placed in churches over the Christmas season. The contents of thes boxes were distributed amongst the poor by the clergy, the day after Christmas.

Easter.

The celebration of Easter in England began well before the arrival of Christianity. In the Pre-Christian Era, the festival was observed in honor of the Anglo Saxon Goddess - Eostre. Today, in England, the festivities of Easter begin with Lent, which falls on Ash Wednesday, and lasts for 40 days. Easter celebration in England is a low-key affair, as people prefer religious observations as compared to joyous merriment. Easter is an occasion for sober worship and quiet family gatherings sans the extravagance that accompanies festivals like Christmas. Nevertheless, springtime celebrations are gleefully observed in rural hinterland of the country. Easter eggs, games, feasting and fun activities all are part of the festivities, even though the main celebrations are seen in churches of the country. If you are keen on learning about the traditions and celebrations of Easter in England, then go through the following lines. Easter in England is celebrated by exchange of Easter Eggs and other gifts like clothes, chocolates or holidays packages. Easter bonnets or baskets are also made which have things like daffodils in them. Easter bonnet competitions are held and children go to these competitions to

see whose bonnet is the best. As a part of the tradition the winner gets an Easter egg. Easter bunnies are made and sold in large numbers and are an integral part of Easter celebrations in England. All the gift shops are filled with thousands of these bunnies, which people buy to give to each other. Then, there is another interesting part associated with Easter bunnies. These bunnies hide Easter eggs in the houses and children search to find these sweet treats.

Mother`s Day.

The tradition of celebrating Mothers Day began much earlier in England than it started in USA. In fact England was the first country in the world to dedicate a day for mothers as early as 1600s. They called this day for mothers as 'Mothering Sunday”. The festival has its roots in the practice wherein poor people in England send their little children to work as domestic servants or apprentice with the rich. At that time it was considered important by the people that these children, staying away from their families be allowed to visit their homes once in a year. The time decided for the annual visit to home was middle Sunday of the fasting period of Lent (which lasts from Ash Wednesday to Easter). For this reason, the day was called 'Refreshment Sunday' or 'Mid-Lent Sunday'. In England the day dedicated for mothers was more commonly called Mothering Sunday as people, mainly children visited their 'Mother Church' or the church of their home and not the 'Daughter Church', the closest church in the vicinity. After paying a visit to church, children met their mothers and presented them flowers, which they gathered from bushes along the way. Girls baked special cakes called 'Simnel Cakes' for their mothers. The tradition of Mothering Sunday stopped with the advent of Industrial Revolution in England when the working conditions and life pattern changed. Over the period of time one Sunday - 4th Sunday in Lent (3 weeks before Easter) was reserved in the honor of mothers. In the present time, original meaning of Mothering Sunday has been lost and has taken the form and name of Mothers Day in US. Mother's Day Celebration in EnglandMothers Day is celebrated in a big way in England. Children pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. An atmosphere of excitement prevail on the day and marketers make all efforts to make big profits out of the euphoria. Flowers record their maximum sale as people in England love to express their gratitude for their mothers by gifting them flowers more than anything else. Most popular flowers on Mothers Day in Great Britain are roses followed by carnations and chrysanthemums. In UK, there is also a tradition of making a rich almond cake for mothers called 'Mothering Cake' or 'Simnel Cake' on Mothers Day

St. Patrick`s Day.

St. Patrick`s Day is a yearly holiday celebrated on 17 march. It is named after Saint Patrick, the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. It began as a purely Catholic holiday and became an official feast day in the early 1600s. However, it has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Ireland`s culture.

St. Patrck`s Day is celebrated by the Irish and Irish at heart in big cities and small towns alike with parades, “wearing of the green, “ music and songs. Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. It’s a time for fun. Some communities even go so far as to dry rivers or streams green!

It`s a public holiday on the island of Ireland and widely celebrated by Irish diaspora in places such as Great Britain, Canada, Australia.