HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

There are six public holidays in Great Britain. They are: Christmas Day; Boxing Day; Good Friday, observed before Easter Sunday, after a full moon on or after March 21; Easter Monday, observed next day after Easter Sunday;Spring Bank Holiday on the last Monday of June or on the first Monday of July;Late Summer Bank Holiday on the last Monday of August or on the first Monday in September.

Besides public holidays other festivals and traditions are observed.

NEW YEAR IN ENGLAND

In England the New Year is not as widely observed as Christmas. Some people ignore it.The most common type of celebration is a New Year party. It begins at 8 pm and goes on until morning. There is a buffet supper of cold meat, pies, sandwiches, cakes and biscuit At midnight everyone can hear the chimes of Big Ben and drink a toast to the New Year. Then the par. goes on. Another way of celebrating is to go to a New Year’s dance. Dance halls are decorated there are several bands playing merry music. The most famous celebration is in London round the statue in Piccadilly Circus where crowds come the New Year. In Trafalgar Square someone usually falls into the fountain.

Some people watch others celebrating on television.Some people send New Year cards and give presents and make “New Year resolutions”.

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY

Saint Valentine’s Day is observed on February 14. The first Valentine of all was a bishop. February 14 is the date of an old pagan festival when Roman maidens put love letters into an urn to be drawn out their boy friends. It is the day when people exchange greetings of affection with a Valentine card.

MOTHER’S DAY

Mother’s Day is observed in March on the fourth Sunday in Lent. The day known as Mothering Sunday dates from the time when many girls worked as domestic servants away from home. On Mothering Sunday, they could go home to see their mother and give her a present from the houselady. This custom remained and is called “Mother’s Day”. People visit their mothers, give them flowers and presents or send therm Mother’s Day” cards.

EASTER

In England Easter is a time for the giving and receiving of presents [Easter eggs], for the Easter Bonnet Parade and hot cross buns. Nowadays Easter eggs are made of chocolate but painting egg-shells is still popular in some country districts. Emblems of Easter are also fluffy chicks, baby rabbits, daffodils,catkins and lily. They signify the Nature’s reawakening.

London greets the spring with Easter Parade on Easter Sunday. The parade begins at 3 p.m. It consist of many decorated floats bearing the Easter Princess and her attendants. The finest bands take part in

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