10 Czech, British and American traditions and festivals
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TRADITIONS, HOLIDAYS AND FEASTDAYS
Holidays are the days when we commemorate something, people have time off from their work and kids don’t go to school.
We usually commemorate something important from history of our country or we might have some traditions.
Children and adolescents have holidays and they don't have to go to school. A lot of stores are closed completely on those days or have different opening hours.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Our first public holiday is on 1st January and it’s called Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State, because on that day the independent Czech Republic was created in 1993, after dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
On that day we also celebrate New Year's Day, this public holiday is worldwide and it’s practically like a big celebration of New Year. Usually people spend time with their friends, have fun together and they stay up till midnight on New Year’s Eve and then they toast to the New Year and many people go out to see fireworks.
They we celebrate Easter. Easter is celebrated Christian holiday usually in March or April and it’s celebrated for two days (Sunday and Monday) in the Czech Republic. Traditionally girls give hand-painted eggs to the boys, who come to their house to whip them with a willow whip which is called pomlázka. The reason behind this tradition is that the girls and women should stay healthy and beautiful.
After Easter we have Labour day on 1st May and Liberation Day on 8th May. On this day we commemorate the end of the European part of World War II in 1945.
On 5th July we commemorate Saints Cyril and Methodius Day. In 863 two church teachers came to the Czech Republic to propagate Christian faith.
After Saints Cyril and Methodius Day we commemorate Jan Hus Day on 6th July. On that day the religious reformer Jan Hus was burned at the stake in 1415.
On 28th September we commemorate Saint Wenceslas Day, on 28th October Independent Czechoslovak State Day. It was the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918.
We also commemorate Struggle for freedom and democracy Day on 17th of November.
After all these public holidays we have Christmas, which I think it’s the most known and celebrated holiday in the Czech Republic. We celebrate Christmas Eve on 24th December and have traditional dish - potato salad and carp. People usually have dinner with their family members and then they sit around the Christmas tree and open their presents. There are some superstitions for example cutting an apple in half or superstition that says that if we don’t eat until the dinner we might see golden piglet.
We also celebrate holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, All Souls’ Day.
GREAT BRITAIN
The British are said to be conservative. They still use their traditional system of weights and measures, they drive on the left and they still wear tradition school uniforms at some schools.
The British are renowned for their politeness and good table manners they like to converse at table. They do not shake hands and kiss hello so often as we do and they are famous for their dry humour. Their mania for tea at any time of the day is world famous. Their country is notorious for rainy weather. People in Britain are allowed to walk on the grass and we can often see them picnicking on it.