Holidays and traditions

Many of holidays and traditions are connected with religions. Some holidays and traditions we have identical as the Americans or the British and some are very different.

There are some identical holidays:
St. Valentine’s Day – it is a lovers’ day. On this day people send Valentine’s cards, usually
anonymously, and exchange gifts. Cards usually have a lots of red hearts and pink flowers on the cover and a romantic message inside.
Easter – it’s celebrated on the first Sunday after the first spring full moon. Christians
remember the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Easter eggs are given as presents.
They symbolize a new life. In the USA Easter is not a national holiday. Most
Americans spend Easter Sunday with the family. In the Czech Republic boys have
stock whips and they go from house to house and hit girls with stock whips. They
usually become painted eggs, sweet, chocolates or some money.
Mother’s Day – it’s celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
Christmas – consists of three days: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Christmas is the most important holiday for Christians because it’s a day when
Jesus Christ was Born. But it’t the most favourite holiday too. In the Great Britain
people have no traditional celebration on this day, it’s not a holiday. A lot of
people spend this day shopping. They decorate the Christmas tree, hang holy and
ivy in the room, and misteltoe is hanged over the door. If you catch a girl under it,
you are allowed to kiss her. Before children go to bed, they hung up Christmas
stockings at the end of their beds and believe that Father Christmas fills up the
stockings with presents. Children unwrap presents in the morning. In the USA
Christmas it’s not a national holiday. Almost all shops are closed and people have
a rest on this day. Americans and British origin follow the same traditions as their
ancestors. The person who brings children presents is called Santa Claus.
Children hang their stockings on a mantelpiece of the fireplace, and they leave
milk and cookies for Santa to eat. In the Czech Republic people decorate
Christmas tree too. They don’t eat the whole day meal because they want to see a
gold pig. To dinner people usually have some fish with potatoe’s salad. After the
dinner children can unwrap their presents.
New Year’s Eve – people stay up until midnight. It’s a big celebration, till the morning. Many
people watch fireworks and drink alcohol.

There are some diffrent and very important holidays:
St. Patrick’s Day – it’s a holiday in the GB and in the USA. Originally it was an Irish holiday.
In the GB people wear green and in restaurants are offerd Irish meals. In
the USA people wear green too, they eat Irish meals and dance Irish
dances.
The Queen’s Offical Birthday – in June. It’s a holiday in the GB. It is a great ceremony with
parade with Queen’s guards and soldiers.
Independence Day – 4th July. It’s a holiday in the USA. This day commemorates the signing
of the Declaration of Independece in 1776. It is one of the most
meaningful holidays in the USA. People are dressed in national colours,
houses are decorated by national flags.Some town and cities have
parades and fireworks.
Halloween – it’s a holiday in the GB and in the USA. In Britain it is celebrated only in the
North of England and in Scotland. It is the evening before All Saints’ day. There
is a lot of fun on this day. Children like dressing in funny or ghostly costumes.
They go from house to house and knock on their door or ring the bell. When
people answer the door they say „Trick or treat“ which means „give us a treat or
we will play a trick on you“. The people treat the children with sweets, fruit or
money. People often give parties on Halloween. They like decorating their
houses and carving the pumpkin bogeys.
Thanksgiving Day – it is celebrated 4 th Thursday in November in the USA. It was first
celebrated by the Pilgrim Fathers, who settled in Plymouth,
Massachusetts, on their fist harvest. Now it is an occasion for whole
family to be together. It is celebrated by a traditional dinner. The main
course is roast turkey.


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Christmas
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