Holidays and festivals in the UK.

· Halloween

Celts began to celebrate Halloween on the 31^st of October over 2000 years ago. Their festival of dead marked the beginning of winter. People believed that ghosts and witches come out on that night. They lit lanterns to keep the ghosts and witches away and wore masks and costumes to frighten them. People travelled from village to village and asked for food. They believed that any village that didn’t gave food would have bad luck. These customs were brought to the USA by immigrants in the nineteenth century. Today in the USA and UK children wear costumes and go from door to door saying “Trick or treat!” and people give them sweets to take home (13).

· Guy Fawkes Night

Goes back to the days of King James 1who was very unpopular as a Protestant. So some of the Catholics made an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The man who was to explode the building was Guy Fawkes. He was discovered, arrested and hanged. Since that time, on the 5^th of November, people in most parts of Britain burn the dummy of Guy Fawkes, made of straw, on a bonfire.

· Pancake Day

Ash Wednesday is the day in February when the Christian period of Lent begins. It dates back to the time when Christ went into the desert and fasted for forty days. On Pancake Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, they eat lots of pancakes. Some towns also hold pancake races on that day. People run through the streets holding a frying pan and throwing pancakes in the air. If they drop the pancake they lose the race!

· St. Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Born in Britain, he was carried off by pirates and spent six years in slavery before escaping and training as a missionary. The most famous story about Saint Patrick is him driving the snakes from Ireland. The day is marked by the wearing of shamrocks (a clover-like plant), the national emblem of Ireland. This day is celebrated on the 17^th of March.

· St. David’s Day

St. David’s Day is celebrated in Wales on 1 March, in honour of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. He was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the 6^th century. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales. The most famous story about Saint David tells how he was preaching to a huge crowd and the ground is said to have risen up, so that he was standing on a hill and everyone had a better chance of hearing him. St. David’s Day is commemorated by the wearing of daffodils or leeks. Both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems.

· St. Andrew’s Day

St. Andrew’s Day is celebrated in Scotland on the 30^th of November, in honour of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. On St. Andrew’s Day Scottish people wear a thistle.

· St. George’s Day

St. George’s Day is celebrated in England on the 23^rd of April, in honour of St. George,

the patron saint of England. On St. George’s Day English people wear a red rose, it is a traditional custom. Another custom is to fly or adorn the St. George’ Cross flag in some way: pubs in particular can be seen on April 23 festooned with garlands of St. George’s crosses. This Day is also traditionally the occasion when the Queen announces new appointments to the Order of the Garter.

· Burns Night

There are hundreds of Burns Clubs in the world, and on 25^th January they all hold Burns Night celebrations to mark the birth of Scotland’s greatest poet. The first club was founded in Greenock, Renfrewshire in 1802. After the traditional supper “The Immortal Memory” is toasted, and everyone stands in silent remembrance. Then follows dancing, pipe music, and selections of Burn’s lyrics, the celebration finishes with the poet’s famous “Auld Lang Syne”.

· Notting Hill Carnival

The last weekend in August there is a big carnival at Notting Hill in west London. People who take part dress up in fabulous costumes. Steel bands play African and Caribbean dance music and people dance and blow whistles. It’s the biggest carnival outside Brazil.

· Harvest Festivals

In September harvest festivals are held. This is a Christian festival and churches are decorated with fruit, vegetables and flowers that people bring. Traditionally, the festival was held to say thank you to God for a good harvest.

· St. Valentine’s Day

It is celebrated on the 14^th of February. This was originally thought to be the day on which birds chose their mates. Nowadays this day is associated with people in love.

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