THE UNITED STATES
St. Valentine’s Day – it is lovers’ day, which is celebrated on February 14th. People give gifts or send
greeting cards called Valentines to people they like or admire. Originally this day commemorated the Roman priest who gave aid and comfort to the persecuted Christians before he was put to death.
Easter – it is not national holiday. Most Americans spend Easter Sunday with the family. Many children give children dyed eggs and sweets. In some families they organize an egg hunt – children look for eggs which the adults hid somewhere in the house, yard and garden. There is a traditional Easter Egg Roll in front of the White House in Washington on Easter Monday.
Independence Day – it is celebrated on July 4th. This day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, thus establishing the USA. Each city has its own ceremony and parades, band concerts and firework displays in the evening.
Halloween – it is celebrated on 31st October. Among the old Celts it was the last day of the year and the beginning of winter. It’s a night of traditional fun and games. People decorate their houses with ghosts, witches, cats and they light jack-o’-lantern from a pumpkin. Children celebrate it by dressing up in Halloween costumes with masks over their faces. Carrying baskets and bags they go to their friends’ and neighbours’ houses and they knock at the door or ring the bell. When people come to the door, children say ‘’Trick or treat’’. The most common trick is soaping the windows of houses and cars. The people treat children with sweets, fruit or money.
Veterans’Day – it is celebrated on November 11th. The veterans of all wars are honored.
Thanksgiving Day – it is celebrated 4th Thursday in November. It’s national holiday, first celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrim settlers on their first harvest. Families are together and prepare roast turkey.
Christmas – is not a national holiday, but all shops are closed. Families invite friends to join them at Christmas dinner and often give parties. Besides the Christmas tree the Americans also decorate their houses with garlands, wreaths and electric coloured lights inside and outside the house. On January most shops sell off their old stock at low or ‘’bargain’’ prices.
GREAT BRITAIN
St. Valentine’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day – this day is celebrated on March 17th. It is a public holiday in Ireland. People often wear shamrocks on that day.
Easter – it is celebrated on April. It’s spring feast of the Christian Church. Good Friday commemorates Jesus’crucifxion while Easter Sunday commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus. Originally it was a festival celebrating the spring equinox. Easter eggs, dyed and decorated or made of confectionery, symbolizing new life, are given as present. It is celebrated on Easter Sunday in Britain.
Halloween
Christmas
December 24 – this day is called Christmas Eve. A lot of people spend the day shopping. Before children go to the bed, they hang up Christmas stocking at the end of their beds and believe that Santa Claus or Father Christmas rides through the air on a sledge drawn by reindeer and comes down the chimney and fills up the stocking with presents and toys. Larger things are found at the foot of their beds or under the Christmas tree. Sometimes people leave out mince pies for Father Christmas. Christmas tree in Britain is decorated with fairy lights and bright coloured ornaments.
December 25 – this day is called Christmas Day. In the morning children enjoy unwrapping presents. Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and roast potatoes. Christmas pudding consists of dried fruit, eggs, suet and very little flour. There is also an old custom of stirring into the pudding a coin, a thimble and a ring to bring wealth, work and a wedding to those who find it. There are plenty of carols on the radio and TV.
December 26 – this day is called Boxing Day. In earlier times people gave small sums of money to postmen, milkmen and newspaper boys, which they collected in their Christmas boxes. For children it marks the beginning of the pantomime season which ends at Easter (Peter Pan, Cinderella).
New Year’s Eve – it is celebrated on December 31st. People are together and celebrate the coming of the New Year with singing and dancing. The Scottish name for New Year’s Eve is Hogmanay.
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