19._FESTIVALS_AND_CELEBRATIONS

Christmas tree on Trafalgar Square is send from Norway; people from this country want to show how grateful they are to the English people for their help during the Second World War.

At midnight they stand in a circle, join hands and sing an old song called “Auld Lang Syne”. Many people drink a glass of champagne, light fireworks or dance until the sun comes up.

In Scotland, New Year´s Eve has a special name: Hogmanay. At Hogmanay, there is a tradition called first-footing. The first person to come into the house in the New Year is the ´first footer´: if he is a tall dark man, and someone you do not know, he will bring good luck to the house. He must carry some food, some money, or a piece of black coal for the fire.

In Edinburg, there are house and street parties with Scottish music, dancing, parades and lots of fireworks.

People often eat special food called haggis, which is like a large round sausage, usually made from sheep meat.

New Year´s Day, January 1, is a holiday for most people, and the banks and many shops do not open. A lot of people make a New Year´s resolution – that means they decide to do something different because they want to be a better person (e.g., ´I am going to stop smoking.´ or ´I am going to eat better.´ or ´I am going to learn something new.´)

* CHRISTMAS AND EASTER (IN CR/UK/USA) – DESCRIBE AND COMPARE

CHRISTMAS

At Christmas, people remember Jesus Christ was born and the Christian religion started. Christmas is a time for buying and giving presents, having parties and being with family. People start to get ready for Christmas in late October or early November. Shop-keepers decorate their shops with lights, trees and other decoration. People start buying presents. In the middle of December, most families buy Christmas trees and decorate them.

People also send cards or message to friends and family. The cards say things like “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years” or “Season’s greeting”. Children play the story about baby Jesus and sing Christmas songs called carols, for their parents.

Many children have Advent calendars with little doors for each day until Christmas. Every day the child opens a new door and inside there is a picture or a chocolate.

The Christmas holiday begins on 24 December: Christmas Eve. People often stop work early and have a drink together, or finish their Christmas shopping. Children have a stocking for Santa Claus (in Britain he is usually called Father Christmas) when they go to bed. If the house has a fireplace, the children sometimes leave their stocking by the fire because Santa Clause comes down the chimney. Some children leave a drink and a mince pie for Santa and some vegetables for his animals.

Many people go to the church at midnight on Christmas Eve. They hear the Christmas story and sing carols. Christmas Day (25 December) is a holiday. Children usually wake up very early and look in their stockings to see what Santa put there for them. Christmas dinner is in afternoon and is the biggest meal of day. Dinner is usually turkey with lots of winter vegetables and then hot mince pies or a Christmas pudding. At three o’clock many people in Britain turn their television on because the Queen says “Happy Christmas to everyone”. In the evening people eat cold meat and Christmas cake.