Traditions, Holidays and Traditions, Holidays and FeastFeast daysdays

Great BritainGreat Britain

New New Year´s Year´s EveEve – – is on 31st December (in SVK it is called Silvester). It´s is on 31st December (in SVK it is called Silvester). It´s the last day before New Year. People go to parties, the last day before New Year. People go to parties, bars or restaurants or squares. In London they go to bars or restaurants or squares. In London they go to Trafalgar Square at midnight they sing a song „ Auld Trafalgar Square at midnight they sing a song „ Auld Lang Syne“ a Scottish song.Lang Syne“ a Scottish song.New New Year´s Year´s Day - Day - 1st January, is the first day of New Year, people stay 1st January, is the first day of New Year, people stay at homes and relax. Many of them make New Year´s at homes and relax. Many of them make New Year´s resolutionsresolutionsSt.Valentine’s DaySt.Valentine’s Day – – on on February 14February 14thth. . It is It is the day of all the day of all loverslovers..This day This day we we commemorate the Roman priest commemorate the Roman priest Valentine Valentine who who helped soldier helped soldier to get married because the Emperor didn´t agree. People in to get married because the Emperor didn´t agree. People in love send cards to their loved ones or buy them some sweets love send cards to their loved ones or buy them some sweets or flowers. They do not write their names inside, just write: Be or flowers. They do not write their names inside, just write: Be my Valentine, or From your Valentine my Valentine, or From your Valentine

St.David’s Day

All fools’ DayAll fools’ Day -April 1 -April 1stst. People . People play jokes and play jokes and tricks on people and then shout “April fool!”tricks on people and then shout “April fool!”EasterEaster- March/April – spring - March/April – spring holiday, we holiday, we celebrate the beginning of spring and celebrate the beginning of spring and commemorate the Resurrection commemorate the Resurrection of of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. It begins with It begins with Good Friday Good Friday when the Romans when the Romans killed Jesus. Then there are killed Jesus. Then there are Easter Sunday Easter Sunday and and Easter MondayEaster Monday. Eggs are important part of . Eggs are important part of Easter because they mean spring – a new Easter because they mean spring – a new life.On Easter Sunday people give chocolate life.On Easter Sunday people give chocolate eggs as presents. Parents hide eggs in the eggs as presents. Parents hide eggs in the garden and children have to look for them.garden and children have to look for them.

HalloweenHalloween - - celebrated on celebrated on October 31October 31stst . Winter is near . Winter is near

and manyand many years ago people believed that bad spirits years ago people believed that bad spirits came in winter. Now people make lanterns of came in winter. Now people make lanterns of pumpinks and have parties. Children go from pumpinks and have parties. Children go from house to house and say: „ trick or treat.“ If they house to house and say: „ trick or treat.“ If they are not given some sweets, they throw eggs at are not given some sweets, they throw eggs at houses.houses.

Guy Fawkes Guy Fawkes DDayay -- November 5 November 5thth. . Bonfire Night Bonfire Night is is celebrated to remember the day celebrated to remember the day whenwhen Guy Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the King JamesFawkes tried to blow up the King James I I and his and his Parliament on 5th November 1605.Parliament on 5th November 1605. People make eople make bonfires every 5 November, to remember this bonfires every 5 November, to remember this terrible terrible plotplot. (sprisahanie). (sprisahanie)

ChristmasChristmas

December 24December 24thth – Christmas Eve . T – Christmas Eve . The English have no he English have no traditional celebration on Christmas Eve; it is traditional celebration on Christmas Eve; it is the day the day of of “office part“office partiesies”. A lot of people spend ”. A lot of people spend this day shoppingthis day shopping.. Before English children go to Before English children go to bed, they hang up Christmas stockings at the bed, they hang up Christmas stockings at the end of the bed and believe that Santa Claus or end of the bed and believe that Santa Claus or Father Christmas Father Christmas ccomes down the chimney and omes down the chimney and fills the stockings with presents and toys. fills the stockings with presents and toys. Larger things are found under the Christmas Larger things are found under the Christmas tree.tree.

Christmas Day Christmas Day – – December 25th December 25th - children get up - children get up very early to look into their stockings or under the very early to look into their stockings or under the Christmas tree what Father Christmas put there for Christmas tree what Father Christmas put there for them. At midday they have a Christmas dinner – a them. At midday they have a Christmas dinner – a roast turkey, mince pies or Christmas pudding.roast turkey, mince pies or Christmas pudding.Boxing Boxing DDayay -December 26 -December 26thth. It is called . It is called from the from the custom in earlier times of giving postmen, milkmen, custom in earlier times of giving postmen, milkmen, dustmen, newspaper boys small sums of money, dustmen, newspaper boys small sums of money, which they collected in their Christmas boxes.which they collected in their Christmas boxes.