BRITISH HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS Dima Assadov Form 5

BRITISH HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS Dima Assadov Form 5 A School № 16 Teacher – T. I. Nichik

The night of October 31 – Halloween (on the eve of All Saints Day), when it is formerly believed that the spirits of the dead appeared. This festival has deep roots. Nowadays children dress up as witches and ghosts, go trick-ortreating (knocking on neighbours’ doors to ask for sweets) or make lamps from pumpkins, while older students go to parties and Halloween events at pubs, clubs or Students’ Unions – the important thing is to dress up as gruesomely as you dare!

The sky is blue, the sky is green Have you got a penny for Halloween? Ghosts and witches can be seen. Trick-or-treat, trick-or-treat Give us something good to eat.

Bonfire Night also Guy Fawkes’ Night, Fireworks Night – November 5 th, when in Britain people light fireworks and burn a guy on a bonfire. This is in memory of the time when Guy Fawkes tried to destroy Parliament in London in 1605. The historical meaning of the occasion is no longer important. The failed Gunpowder Plot is remembered in the children’s rhyme

• The 25 th of December is Christmas Day. It is one of the people's favourite holidays. People put Christmas trees in their houses and decorate them. There are beautiful Christmas decorations in the streets. On Christmas Eve everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Father Christmas puts presents into the stockings which children usually hang above their beds. The traditional Christmas meal is roasted turkey and Christmas pudding.

• December 26 th – Boxing Day. The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day, and is a bank holiday in the UK. It’s believed to have been named after the ‘Christmas box’ of money or gifts which employes used to give to servants and tradesmen. Nowadays, there are no particular Boxing Day customs, but most peopl sepend the day with their families, going for a walk, watching sports or eating the Christmas leftovers.

M for the Music, merry and clear; E for the Eve, the crown of the year; R for the Romping of bright girls and boys; R for the Reindeer that bring them toys; Y for the Yule log softly aglow. C for the Cold of the sky and the snow; H for the Hearth where they hang up the hose; R for the Reel which the old folks propose; I for the Icicles seen through the pane; S for the Sleigh bells, with tinkling refrain; T for the Tree with gifts all abloom; M for the Mistletoe hung in the room; A for the Anthems we all love to hear; S for St. Nicholas – joy of the year!

SH! IT’S A SECRET Use the following code to learn the secret. Write the letters on the correct lines. A B C D E F G H I J K L M 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 4 15 14’ 20 6 15 18 7 5 20 15 12 5 1 22 6 _ _ _ _ _ _ 1 16 12 1 20 5 15 6 3 15 15 11 9 5 19 6 15 18 19 1 14 20 1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

• The first of January is New Year's Day. It is not so popular in England as in our country. Nowadays on New Year’s Eve (31 December), it is traditional to celebrate midnight with your friends or family and to sing ‘Auld lang syne’, a folk song with words by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. The party can last well into New Year’s Day! Many people make ‘New Year’s resolutions’, promising to achieve a goal or give up a bad habit in the coming year. • But New Year’s Day is rather popular in Scotland. On that day people usually visit their friends and there is a lot of dancing and eating. In Scotland people bring a piece of coal for good luck in the New Year.

• The next holiday of the year is St. Valentine's Day. It is on the 14 th of February. People buy or make Valentine cards and send them to the people they love. Valentines are usually not signed. People who receive these cards must guess who sent them. Valentines are usually in a shape of a heart and have funny verses. • Many people in the UK go out for dinner with their sweethearts, and give them a Valentine’s card, chocolate or flowers

I’ll be your Valentine, if you will be mine. All of my life I’ll be your Valentine. My love is like a cabbage Divided into two. The leaves I give to others, But the heart I give to you. Roses are red, Violets are blue. Honey is sweet And so are you.

• Shrove Tuesday or ‘Pancake Day. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent, when households use up rich foods such as eggs, milk and sugar. Nowadays, even if they are not religious, many people still make and eat pancakes on this day. • Some towns in the UK also hold ‘pancake races’, where contestants toss pancakes in a frying pan while running for the finish line. One of the most famous is in Olney, Buckinghamshire, where it’s believed the first Pancake Day race took place in 1445.

In March there is Mother's Day. All the children and adults, come to their mothers on that day to express their love and gratitude. Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate motherhood, and to thank mothers for everything they do throughout the year. Many people give their mothers a card or gift, treat them to a day out or cook a meal.

1 st – April Fools’ Day. For one day of the year, it is acceptable – even encouraged! – to play tricks, pranks and practical jokes. Even newspapers, TV and radio shows often feature fake stories on April 1. It’s customary to reveal the joke by saying ‘April fool!’ and to stop playing tricks at midday. If the joke is after 12 o’clock the child will answer “April. Fool-Day’s-past-and-gone-you’re-the-fool-and-I’m -none!” Why it should be so remains a history.

Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is always on a Sunday in March or April. People celebrate Easter in different ways, but many give each other chocolate Easter eggs and eat ‘hot cross buns’ (sweet buns with a cross design), while children decorate eggs or take part in Easter egg hunts. Sometimes parents hide them in the house or in the garden and children have to look for them.

Bunny is one of the symbols of Easter. BUNNIES Bunnies are brown, bunnies are white, Bunnies are always an Easter delight. Bunnies have ears all pinkish inside. Bunnies all like to hop and to hide. Bunnies are cuddly, the large and the small, But I like chocolate ones best of all!

In June there is Father's Day. On Father's Day children give or send their fathers and grandfathers cards and presents.