Holidays in the UK

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Урок английского языка по теме: «Holidays in the

UK»
для 6 класса.

holidays”.
The term “bank holidays” dates back to the 19th century.

At that time all the banks were closed on these holidays. Now this term is no longer refered only to banks. Many other firms and offices are closed too.
Among these are eight holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day Holidays, Spring Bank Holidays, Late Summer (August) Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Scottish people, who celebrate it with their families. They sit

the Old Year out and the New Year in. At midnight Scottish people hold their hands in a large circle and sing the song “Auld land syne” by Robert Burns. That is how they celebrate the coming of a new year. Now people decorate their houses with bouquets of mistletoe.

People usually make

special buns which
Are marked with a cross on top. On this day the Church marks Jesus Christ’s death.
Easter Monday is the 1st Monday after Easter Day.

after May Day (May 1st ). People celebrate the coming

of spring. They also select the most beautiful girl on this day, who becomes May Queen. Sometimes May poles are constructed with long coloured ribbons and children dance around these poles holding the ends of these ribbons.

May.
August Bank Holiday is the last Monday in August.

British people usually go on picnics on spring and summer holidays.

celebrated on December 25th. Christmas symbolize the birth of Jesus

Christ. On this day many people go to Churches, get Christmas presents and make a traditional Christmas dinner (roast turkey and pudding).

will come down the chimney during the night and bring

them presents. It is Father Christmas. However, Santa Claus is used synonymously with Father Christmas.

Children usually hang long
socks or stocks (stockings)
on their bed and hope that
Father Christmas will put his
presents in them. Christmas
trees are set in the
living-rooms and are decorated with toys by children.

comes straight away after Christmas Day. This is an old

tradition, when in old times rich people used to give their servants money or “ Christmas Boxes”. Now it is the day when people simply have rest or visit their friends.

Besides bank holidays, there are also different festivals reflecting interesting traditions and customs. Among them are: St.Valentine’s Day, Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), April Fool’s Day, Mother’s Day (Mothering Sunday),Father’s Day, Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night.

day people send Valentine cards and get presents and “valentines”

from their sweethearts. A valentine is a colourful card with tender love words composed by the sender. It is a kind of a love-token. Valentine cards are usually not signed. Those who get them must guess who the sender is.

and do everything before the fasting of Lent. It also

has a popular name “Pancake day” because many people traditionally eat pancakes on this day. Christians usually go to the church and confess sins to a priest on Shrove Tuesday.

Sunday in Lent in March. On this day mothers get

presents from their sons and daughters. And all children despite their age return to their homes.

each other.

get gift cards and a lot of attention from their

children.

The most memorable symbol connected to this holiday is a

lantern made of a pumpkin. A pumpkin is cut like a face and a candle is put inside of it. So it looks like a face with burning eyes.
Usually people dress in colourful costumes of witches and ghosts and go to fancy parties.

or treat”. If people do not refuse to give them

something they sing. If they do refuse children play tricks. Halloween is on the eve of All Saint’s Day. The word “halloween” means “holy evening”. The tradition of Halloween goes back with its roots to a time when people believed in evil spirits.

5th . This tradition comes from old times when King

James I was on the throne. He was a Protestant that is why Roman Catholics did not like him because of the religious differences. In 1605 Roman Catholics made a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The man called by Guy Fawkes was one of those people.

Parliament because the King discovered their plan, his soldiers found

Guy Fawkes and executed him. This happened on November 5th . Since then British people mark this day by burning a dummy made of straw and old clothes on a bonfire. They call this dummy simply “a guy” .

in the UK. They are the patron saint days: St.

David’s Day on March 1st (in Wales), St. George Day on April 23rd (in England), St. Andrew’s Day on November 30th (in Scotland) and St/Patrick’s Day on March 17th (in Northern Ireland). The only national holiday from this list is St. Patrick’s Day for Irish.