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UK Holidays
and Traditions
There are eight public holidays a year in Great Britain when the
British have days off work. They are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day,
New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, the spring
bank holiday and late summer bank hol¬iday. The term bank
holiday applies also to Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Easter
Monday, New Year's Day and May Day and dates back to the 19th
century when by the Bank Holiday Act of 1871 these days were
constituted bank holidays - days on which banks were to be
closed.
Most of these holidays are of religious origin, though for the
greater part of the population they have long lost, their
religious significance and are simply days on which people
relax, eat, drink and have fun.
In Great Britain traditions play a more important role in the
life of the people than in any other countries. Englishmen are
proud of their traditions and keep them up. Holidays are
especially rich in old traditions and are different in Scotland,
Wales, Ireland and England.
At Easter, the British give each other chocolate eggs, which
they open and eat on Easter Sunday. Easter Monday is a holiday
and many people go to the country or seaside to rest.
Christmas (celebrated on December 25th) is a great national
holiday but it isn't widely celebrated in Scotland (the Scots
begin to enjoy themselves on New Year's Eve six days after
Christmas). All shops and factories are closed on this day. At
Christmas family members wrap their presents and leave them
under the Christmas tree or in colourful socks at the end of
children's beds.
Boxing Day (December 26th) is the second day of Christmas when
people visit their friends and go for long walks. The rich give
money and small presents to postmen, servants and the poor.
There are several theories about the origins of the name "Boxing
Day". Some say that it was the day when people gave a present or
Christmas box to those who had worked for them throughout the
year. Another theory says that in England many years ago, it was
common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their
employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day
after Christmas. The employers would then put coins in the boxes
as special end-of-year gifts.
New Year's Day is not that important in England as, for example,
in Scotland. People invite their friends over to sit the Old
Year out and the New Year in. When the clock begins to strike
midnight, the head of the family goes to the entrance door,
opens it and holds it open till the last stroke. Then he shuts
the door and goes back to table, and after that greetings and
small presents are offered. People usually make resolutions such
as to give up smoking, to change their lives, etc.
St. Valentine's Day, celebrated on the 14th of February, is the
traditional day for those who are in love. Young people give
flowers and greetings cards to their Valentines and spend the
day together. This day has been celebrated worldwide.
Halloween, a holiday loved by all children, takes place on
October 31. There are a lot of parties, people dress up in
costumes of witches, ghosts and other monsters and scare each
other. They also cut faces in pumpkins and put a candle inside.
Children usually go from one house to another with empty
baskets, knock on doors and say: Trick or treat. People should
give them something sweet, or they will play a trick on them.
Among historic holidays, Guy Fawkes Night can be mentioned. In
1605, a group of people with their leader, Guy Fawkes, decided
to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Fawkes promised to carry
out the plan on the fifth of November, but one of the
conspirators got frightened and wrote a warning letter to one of
the Lords. Guy Fawkes and his helpers were caught and hanged.
Since then British people have celebrated this day by burning a
doll made of straw and dressed in old clothes on a bonfire.
There are fireworks displays everywhere. Children sing Remember,
remember the fifth of November. Some dress in old clothes and
beg in the street saying Penny for the guy.
ПЛАН-ОТВЕТ. UK HOLIDAYS AND TRADITIONS
1. Предоставить общую информацию о праздниках Великобритании
(eight public holidays: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's
Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, the spring bank
holiday and late summer bank holiday; bank holidays and their
history).
2. Рассказать о самых популярных праздниках Великобритании и
традициях (important role; proud of; Easter, chocolate eggs,
Easter Sunday/Monday, seaside; Christmas: December 25th, shops
and factories are closed, wrap presents, Christmas tree,
colourful socks; Boxing Day: December 26th, visit friends/go for
long walks, the rich give money to the poor, theories; New
Year's Day: Scotland, the clock strikes midnight, head of the
family, holds the door open, make resolutions; St. Valentine's
Day: 14th of February, flowers and greetings cards, Valentines,
has been celebrated worldwide; Halloween: October 31, parties,
costumes, cut faces in pumpkins, Trick or treat; Guy Fawkes
Night: 1605, blow up the Houses of Parliament, the 5th of
November, a warning letter, were caught and hanged, burning a
doll made of straw, fireworks displays; Remember, remember the
fifth of November, Penny for the guy).
QUESTIONS
1. How many public holidays are there in Britain? What are they?
2. What does the term bank holidays mean and why?
3. What role do traditions play in the life of the British?
4. What are the traditions at Easter?
5. What do the British do at Christmas?
6. What is Boxing Day and what are the theories about its
origin?
7. Is New Year's Day important in England?
8. What are the Scottish traditions of seeing the New Year in?
9. What celebration takes place on February 14th?
10. What is Halloween? How is it celebrated?
11. Who was Guy Fawkes? What do people do on Guy Fawkes Night?
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