Introduction
A holiday is a day off. In Britain, these days are called bank holidays. In the USA, these days are called public holidays.
Children don´t go to school, adults don´t go to work on this day. Banks are closed, shops are usually closed too.
There is a different system of bank holidays in each state and even in each state of
a federation. They reflect the state´s history and religious traditions.
New Year´s Day, Easter and Christmas are celebrated in all English-speaking countries.
Christmas
The United Kingdom
The British decorate their houses with Christmas symbols and have Christmas trees.
On 24th December (Christmas Eve), children hang up their stockings for Father Christmas, who comes down the chimney in the night and puts presents into them. On 25th December (Christmas Day), children wake up early to open their presents and enjoy them. On this day, the British families gather for Christmas dinner. Christmas dinner in Britain consists of roast turkey, roast potatoes and vegetables, followed by the traditional Christmas pudding. Christmas crackers are pulled during the meal.
26th December is called Boxing Day. Earlier, presents (= boxes) were given to the employees or the poor on this day. Nowadays, it has a sporting tradition.
The USA
In the USA, Santa Claus brings presents to good children. They celebrate Christmas like the British.
Australia
In Australia, Christmas is celebrated in the hot summer and Santa comes on a surfboard. They celebrate Christmas on the beach and the snow in the shop windows is artificial.
New Year´s Eve
On New Year´s Eve, people enjoy themselves.They like waiting for midnight together: in Trafalgar Square in London, or in Times Square in New York.
When the bells start chiming midnight, people cheer, kiss one another and drink to their health. In Britain, they sing Auld Land Syne.There are many parties, people drink, sing and dance.
The Scottish New Year´s Eve is called Hogmanay.
Easter
Easter is a movable holiday. It is always between March 22 and April 25. It is the most important Christian festival: Jesus Christ rose from the dead. But it is a popular holiday regardless of the religion. People celebrate the arrival of spring and new life. Flowers, chickens, eggs and rabbits are all signs of Easter.
In Britain, children enjoy a two-week holiday.
On Good Friday, many British people eat hot cross buns, toasted with butter. Children are given chocolate Easter eggs on Easter Sunday. Some people paint or decorate real eggs. Little children believe that Easter eggs are brought by the Easter Bunny. Children like to play games like egg rolling or egg hunting.
On Easter Monday many people travel to the seaside for the day or go and watch football or horse-racing.
Other bank holidays
In Britain, there are three bank holidays which are always celebrated on a Monday. In each part of the United Kingdom the list of bank holidays is slightly different. People enjoy themselves on bank holidays, relax, go to the seaside, do or watch sports etc.
The most famous Irish holiday is St. Patrick´s Day which is celebrated on 17th March. The Irish celebrate their patron saint wearing green clothes, eating Irish food, drinking Irish drinks and attending parades. This holiday is also celebrated by the Irish who live outside Ireland (even in our country).
In the USA, the most important holidays are Indepedence Day and Thanksgiving Day.
Independence Day is celebrated on 4th July. It remembers the day on which, in 1776, the independence of 13 English colonies was declared.
It is celebrated with parades, picnics, speeches, baseball games, fireworks and bonfires.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. It is the oldest American holiday. It was first celebrated in 1621, when the Pilgrims (who had arrived a year earlier) thanked God for the good harvest. It became a federal holiday in 1863. It is celebrated as a four-day long weekend. Families traditionally gather to celebrate together. They eat stuffed turkey with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
The most patriotic holiday in Canada is Canada Day which is celebrated on 1 June. It remembers the creation of the Dominion of Canada in 1867. It is celebrated with many outdoor activities like parades, festivals, barbecues, shows, fireworks and concerts.
In Australia they celebrate Australia Day on 26th January. It commemorates the establishment of the first British settlement and colony in Sydney / New South Wales in 1788.
New Zealand´s national holiday is Waitangi Day. In 1840, the first treaty was signed by the British and the Maori in Waitangi.
The end of the First World War and all the people who died in it are commemorated in the USA, in Canada, in Australia and in New Zealand on 11th November. This day is called Veterans Day in the USA, Remembrance Day in Canada, ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand.
SEASONAL HOLIDAYS
There are also festivals which are celebrated on working days, like Hallowe´en, Bonfire Night, St. Valentine´s Day, Pancake Day, April Fools´ Day etc.
Halloween (USA)
October 31 is Halloween. In America and Britain, people buy pumpkins. They cut a face in the pumpkin – it is called a Jack-o´-lantern. They put it outside or by the window to scare evil spirits. Houses are decorated with Halloween symbols: pumpkins, spiders, scary masks etc.
On Halloween night, children wear costumes of ghosts, witches and vampires and go trick-or-treating. They go from house to house, knock on the door and people give them candy or chocolate. If the children don´t get anything, they play a trick.
Many teenagers in the USA have parties on Halloween night. They play games like apple bobbing. They have to pick up apples from a bowl of water – but they mustn´t use their hands. They can only use their teeth.
There are traditional meals at Halloween e.g. pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup or toffee apples.
http://www.admc.hct.ac.ae/hd1/english/process/index.htm
How to make a Jack-o´-lantern
Things you will need: a pumpkin and a sharp knife
1) Buy a nice orange pumpkin.
2) Wash dirt off the pumpkin.
3) Choose the best side for the face.
4) Draw a scary face onto the pumpkin with a pen or pencil.
5) Cut off the top of the pumpkin.
6) Take out the seeds and the sticky interior.
7) Carve the face of your Jack-o´- lantern.
8) Place the pumpkin somewhere near the door.
9) Put a lit candle into the pumpkin.
10) Put the top on.
St. Valentine´s Day is celebrated on February 14. St. Valentine is the patron saint of lovers. It is the traditional day on which people - and even little kids - exchange love messages. They send each other valentine cards, or give each other (sometimes funny) gifts. It is very common to present flowers on St. Valentine's Day.
April Fools Day is on April 1. People play tricks and practical jokes on each other. It is very popular in Britain. There are also joke articles in the newspapers. People often believe them but then they remember the date.
Pancake Day is the last Tuesday before Lent. People make pancakes to use up all the flour, eggs and milk. Pancake races are organized on this day. The British eat pancakes with fresh lemon juice and sugar.
Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Day (Great Britain) is celebrated on November 5th in Britain. It remembers the failed attempt to blow up the King and the Parliament in London in 1605. Children make figures of Guy Fawkes and collect money for “the guy” in the streets. In the evening there are bonfires all around the United Kingdom. Parties and firework displays are organized. People like eating jacket potatoes, marshmallows or roasted chestnuts.
Public holidays in the Czech Republic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Date English Name Local Name Remarks
1 January
Restoration of the Czech Independence Day; New Year's Day
Den obnovy samostatného českého státu; Nový rok The independent Czech Republic was created in 1993, after dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
March, April Easter Monday
Velikonoční pondělí Easter is celebrated for two days (Sunday and Monday) in the Czech Republic
1 May
Labour Day
Svátek práce
8 May
Liberation Day
Den osvobození 1945, the end of European part of the World War II
5 July
Saints Cyril and Methodius Day
Den slovanských věrozvěstů Cyrila a Metoděje In 863, Church teachers SS. Cyril (Constantine) and Metoděj (Methodius) came to Great Moravia to propagate Christian faith.
6 July
Jan Hus Day Den upálení mistra Jana Husa The religious reformer Jan Hus was burned at the stake in 1415.
28 September
St. Wenceslas Day (Czech Statehood Day) Den české státnosti In 935, St. Wenceslas, the then patron of the Czech State, was murdered by his brother.
28 October
Independent Czechoslovak State Day Den vzniku samostatného československého státu Creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918.
17 November
Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day Den boje za svobodu a demokracii Commemorating the student demonstration against Nazi occupation in 1939, and the demonstration in 1989 that started the Velvet Revolution.
24 December
Christmas Eve
Štědrý den Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve.
25 December
Christmas Day
1. svátek vánoční
26 December
St. Stephen's Day (Czech: "The Second Christmas Day") 2. svátek vánoční
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_the_Czech_Republic
Christmas
Christmas is the most popular family holiday in our country.
Before Christmas, people buy presents for their family and friends, clean and decorate their houses and flats. Mothers make Christmas cookies. Streets and squares are beautifully decorated with evergreen, lights and colourful decorations.
In our country, Christmas starts on 24th December. This day is called Christmas Eve. In the morning, children decorate the Christmas tree and mothers prepare the traditional Christmas dinner. It usually consists of fish soup, fried carp and potato salad, cookies, fruit and nuts. People listen to Christmas music or sing Christmas carols, watch fairy tales on TV and look forward to the evening, when Baby Jesus brings presents and puts them under the Christmas tree.
Then, after Christmas dinner, the bell rings and children open their presents.
Many people go to midnight mass.
On Christmas Day and Stephen´s Day, people visit their relatives and relax.
New Year´s Eve is celebrated like in many other countries with music, dancing, drinking and eating. People like gathering in the squares before midnight to welcome the new year together.
New Year´s Day is a public holiday.
Easter
There are many habits and traditions connected with Easter. People send Easter cards to their friends. Children get chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies. Real eggs are beautifully coloured or decorated. Special Easter meals are eaten, like Easter stuffing, Easter lamb cake, or Easter cake called “mazanec“ etc. The most typical Czech Easter habit is whipping the girls. This tradition is held especially in the country.
On Easter Monday, boys go from house to house and whip girls with a special handmade whip called “pomlázka“. The whipping is said to make the girls healthy and beautiful. Sometimes boys throw water at girls for the same reason. And the girls give them coloured eggs, chocolate and sweets for this “service“.
Žádné komentáře:
Okomentovat