15. Holidays and celebrations

15. HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

US HOLIDAYS

• HALLOWEEN

  • Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the 31st of October

  • it originally started in the UK but it became more popular in America

  • children dress up in scary costumes like ghosts, devils and witches and go „trick or treating“

    • which means they are knocking on the neighbours doors and asking for sweets

    • if children don’t get a treat they play trick (they do something upleasant on the neighbour)

  • they also carve pumpkins to create jack-o‘-lanterns and decorate their houses

  • the origins of Halloween go back to the 5th century BC in Ireland on the 31st of October

    • on that day spirits of the dead were believed to come back to earth looking for living bodies

    • people were afraid of these spirits so they dressed up in scary costumes to frighten them away

• THANKSGIVING

  • Thanksgiving is an American holiday celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November

  • it has it’s origins in the 17th century

    • when the Pilgrims ,who came to America from England, held a feast to celebrate the harvest and to give thanks to God and Indians who helped them suvive harsh winter

  • it’s traditional for families to gather together for a big meal

    • which includes roast turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, vegetables and apple pie for a dessert

  • American football is also an important part of Thanksgiving celebrations

  • Thanksgiving is considered to be the beginning of the Christmas period

    • the next day is called the Black Friday when many people go shopping for Christmas presents for a cheap price

• CHRISTMAS

  • CHRISMAS EVE – on the 24th of December

    • before children go to bed they hang up Christmas stockings and believe that Santa Claus rides on a sledge pulled by reindeers, comes down the chimney and fills up the stockings whith presents

  • CHRISTMAS DAY – on the 25th of December

    • in the morning children enjoy unwrapping presents

    • and at midday families gather together and have meal

      • which includes roast turkey, potatoes, vegetables and Chrismas pudding

  • BOXING DAY – on the 26th of December

    • people usually go to a pantomime which is a show based on a traditional fairy tale

    • it’s also time for visiting friends and relatives

CZECH HOLIDAYS

• EASTER

  • Easter is celebrated in March or April

  • it’s the most important Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ

  • on Easter Monday boys and men whip girls and women on their bottoms with a willow stick to make sure they stay healthy for the rest of the year

  • then girls treat them with hand-painted eggs, chocolate and a shot of alcohol

• CHRISTMAS

  • CHRISTMAS EVE – on the 24th of December

    • in Christian tradition it’s a celebration of the birth of baby Jesus

    • in the morning a Christmas tree is decorated

    • throughout the day families spend time together at home watching fairy tales

    • in the evening families gather together to have a traditional dinner

      • which consists of fish soup and fried carp with potato salad

    • after dinner children await the ringing of the bell which is a sign that Jesus visited them and left presents under the Christmas tree