Holidays in UK, USA, CZ

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

• 3rd Monday in January

• man who fought for civil rights of his people

• assassinated in 1968

INDEPENDENCE DAY

• 4th July

• remembering when the USA proclaimed its freedom from Britain with the Declaration of Independence in 1776

• fireworks, music, barbecues, picnics

VETERANS’ DAY

• November

• the end of WWI

• nowadays this day honors soldiers who serves in any American War

MEMORIAL DAY

• 4th Monday in May

• honors all those who died in all American Wars

COLUMBUS DAY

• the 2nd Monday in October

• reminder of discovery America in 1492

THANKSGIVING

• 4th Thursday in November

• giving thanks to god – big feast in family circle

• the original event – pilgrims shared a harvest feast with Native Americans

PRESIDENT’S DAY

• 3rd Monday in February

• remember the first president and 16th president (and also all presidents)

CZECH HOLIDAYS

EASTER

• 13th April

• pagan tradition – ancient celebration of spring and new life

• eggs, lamb, rabbits, catkins

• whipping girls and woman with willow

APRIL FOOL’S DAY

• 1st of April

• playing jokes on the other

• change from Julian calendar to Georgian

LABOUR DAY

• 1st May

• try to improve working conditions

• 1886 – stike in Chicago

• now – day honour all workers

LIBERATION DAY

• 8th May

• end of WWII

• 1945 – country was liberated from Nazi occupation

• honours people who died for our freedom

CYRIL AND METHODIUS DAY

• 5th July

• they brought Christianity to Slavic people in 863

• Slavic language

JAN HUS DAY

• 6th July

• catholic priest, rector of Charles university

• burned at the stake as s heteric

ST. WENCESLAS DAY

• 28th September

• celebrated as Czech Statehood

• honours death of prince Wenceslas who was killed by his brother

• patron

CZECHOSLOVAK INDEPENDENCE DAY

• 28th October

• 1918 – the independent czsk republic was founded

ALL SOULS’ DAY

• 1th November

• Christian church honours the dead

STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY DAY

• 17th November

• 1939 – demonstrations against the Nazi

• Jan Opletal was shot and killed

• gestapo arrested more than 1200 students and close all universities

CHRISTMAS

• 24th December – Christmas Eve

• 25th – Christmas day

• 26th – Stephen Day

• 31th – new year’s eve

• 1st January – new year’s day

• birth of Jesus