British nation is considered to be the most conservative in Europe. It is not a secret that every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. A lot of customs have very long histories. Some are funny and some are strange. But they are all interesting. But they are all part of the British way of life. The British celebrate such public holidays as Christmas, Easter, Easter Monday, May Day, the Spring Bank Holiday and the Summer Bank Holiday. There are other festivals, such as Pancake Day, April Fool’s day, Halloween, Guy Fawkes night, St Valentine’s Day and others. Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day. Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night. On November 5, 1605, a man called Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the king James 1st was to open Parliament on that day. But Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was caught and later, hanged. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks. In the end of the year, there is the most famous New Year celebration. In London, many people go to Trafalgar Square on New Year's Eve. There is singing and dancing at 12 o'clock on December 31st. In conclusion I must say that British people are very conservative. They are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. 3. What British traditions would you advise me to see with my own eyes?
How do you celebrate Easter? What's your favourite tradition? 4. If you're into drinking tea, I'd recommend you to buy the best quality English tea. 5. It’s very important to know traditions and customs of different countries. It will help you to understand different people and learn their language.
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St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.
Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals. Many people dress up in green outfits to celebrate the holiday. It is said that it brings good luck. Many long years ago, children began the tradition of pinching people who forgot to wear green on St. Patrick's Day and the tradition is still practiced today. One reason St. Patrick’s Day takes place in the beginning of spring. One might say it has become the first green of spring. The 25th of December is Christmas Day. It is one of the people's favourite holidays. People put Christmas trees in their houses and decorate them with tinsel and lights. There are beautiful Christmas decorations in the streets. On Christmas Eve everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Santa Claus puts presents into the stockings which children usually hang above their beds. In the morning the British go to the chirch to pray. People sing carols and collect money for charity. In the evening they have family Christmas dinner. The traditional Christmas meal is roasted turkey and Christmas pudding.The pudding might contain coins or lucky charms for children.
Easter is a very popular holiday in Great Britain. At Easter the British celebrate the idea of the new birth by giving each other chocolate Easter eggs, which are opened and eaten on Easter Sunday. On Good Friday bakers sell hot cross buns.Egg-rolling is a traditional Easter pastime which is still popular in Northern England, Scotland, Wales and Isle of Man. It takes place on Easter Sunday or Monday, and consists of rolling coloured, hard-boiled eggs down a slope until they are cracked and broken after which the players eat them. In some parts of Britain the competitions take place and the winner is a player whose egg remains longest undamaged, but usually the fun is just rolling and eating.
Pancake Day is celebrated on Shrove Tuesday in spring at the beginning of Lent. Lent is a period of 40 days before Easter. Pancake Day is traditionally a day of celebration, the last day that you can eat what you want until Easter.
On this day in England families usually have pancakes for dinner. At schools the children and teachers have pancakes for school dinner, and in restaurants customers ask for pancakes, too. Pancake Day is a funny custom. It is famous for an unusual race with frying pans and pancakes. |
Midsummer's DayThe 24 th of June is Midsummer's Day. Stonehenge is one of Europe's biggest stone circles. It is 5,000 years old.
The Druids used it for a calendar. There are Druids in Britain today, too. And every June 24th a lot of them go to Stonehenge.
Royal traditionsThe second Saturday of June is the Queen's official birthday and there is a traditional ceremony called the Trooping of the Colour.
The changing of the guard happens every day at Buckingham Palace, the Queen's home in London. April Fool’s DayApril 1st is April Fool’s Day in Britain. This is a very old tradition from the Middle Ages (between the fifth and fifteenth centuries). At that time the servants were masters for one day of the year. They gave orders to their masters, and their masters had to obey.
Now April Fool’s Day is different. It is a day for jokes and tricks. |