Holidays and traditions UK-USA

Holidays and tradition UK/USA

14th of February is Valentine’s Day

- granting marriages in ancient Rome when it was prohibited

1) cards

- cards usually not signed or your Valentine

- they send cards

- very important in Britain

- buy cards in a card shop

- flowers, roses, presents, dinners

- people going on dates to the restaurant, you don’t go to the restaurant it’s dangerous

17th of March

- Saint Patrick‘s Day

- he brought Christianity in to the Ireland

- everywhere is green color
- People drink green beer, dye their hair

- parades

1st of April

April Fool’s day

- masters and servants changed positions

- play tricks

Easter

- first Christian Holiday

- celebrated on the first Monday after the first spring full moon

- resurrection, Jesus returned from the dead

- spring, new life

- eggs (hard, boiled, dyed, chocolate)

- easter bunnies

- in the USA it called Easter Egg hunt, easter eggs hidden in the garden

May

- mother’s and father’s Day

- it changed

- mother’s day is strong tradition, father’s day not

- mother’s day – picnic, dinner, family do the breakfast

- trips with family, don’t go away

24th of June

Mid summer’s Day

- only in GB

- longest day

- fairies, boufires

- some people is strange

4th of July

Independence day

- celebrated in USA

- 1776 was the Declaration of Independents

- spend time with friend and family, drink beer, go to the parks

- bank holiday (=státní svátek, všechno zavřeno)

- barbecue, sports in TV

- fireworks

31st of October

- Halloween

- USA/UK

- slowly becoming popular

- evening before All Saint’s Day

- this night people believed that all ghosts and witches were free

- they locked themselves up in their houses

- now they dress as witches, ghosts or scary creature

- children go “trick or treat”

- they get some sweets, cookies if not –> trick (toilet paper, eggs throw on the window)

- Jack – o – lantern = carved pumpkin with candle in it

5th of November

- Guy Fawkes day

- in GB

- Guy Fawk 1605 – planned to blow up the parliament with king James I.

- children make a figure of Guy Fawk

- go to streets and ask people for money

- in the evening they burn the figures

- fireworks

- sometimes Bonfire night

11th of November

Veteran’s day USA

Remembrance Day UK

- or Poppy Day

- it’s connected with charity

Thanksgiving Day

- USA only

- forth Thursday in November

- Pilgrim Fathers celebrate their first crop in the new world …. their friends – Indians

- families together

- food – turkey

Black Friday – officially Christmas shopping

Christmas

24th of December – Christmas Eve

- they are getting together, they can have some party, family coming

UK

- Father Christmas

- Xmas stockings (at mantel piece or at the fireplace or at the bed) - (film Mr.Bean)

USA

- Santa Claus

- cookies and milk

25th of December – Christmas Day

- they open the presents

- dinner

- church

- TV

26th of December - Boxing Day

- because the “boys from shops” (=dílna) saint carols and were given sweets or presents