Public Holidays of Great Britain

Christmasis one of the most important festivals of the year. It is the time when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and many people go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But it is also a holiday from school and work. The shops are always busy during the period before Christmas, when people buy presents and traditional Christmas food and drink. People often spend Christmas with their families. They decorate their houses and usually have a Christmas tree which they also decorate with colored lights, shiny glass balls etc. In 1846 the first Christmas cards appeared in Britain. That was after the first Christmas tree. Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, brought this German tradition (he was German) to Britain. He and the Queen had the Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841. A few years after, nearly every house in Britain had one.

The other public holidays (or "Bank Holidays") are Easter Monday, May Day (May 1st), the Spring Bank Holiday (the last Monday in May), the Summer Bank Holiday (the last Monday in August), December 26^th (Boxing Day), and New Year's Day. The term "Bank Holiday" goes back to the Bank Holidays Act in 1871, which owes its name to the fact that banks are closed on the day specified.

Boxing Day takes its name from the old custom of giving employees or tradesmen (such as the milkman) an annual present or "Christmas box" on that day. It is nothing to do with the sport of "boxing"!

Easteris a period of several days, when Christians celebrate their belief that Jesus Christ died and then returned to life. On Good Friday, they remember the Christ’s death on the cross, then two days later – on Easter Sunday – they celebrate his return to life. The following day, Easter Monday, is a holiday in Britain. At Easter time, the British celebrate the idea of new birth by giving each other chocolate Easter eggs which are opened and eaten on Easter Sunday.

The August Bank Holidayis probably the most popular one of the year, partly because it comes at a time when children are not at school. Very many people try to make this a long weekend, and go away to the seaside or the country.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day(March 17) is also a Bank Holiday. St. Patrick, who lived in the fourth century, is the patron saint of Ireland. He converted the Irish people to Christianity. A celebration is held in all large towns in Ireland. Bands from all over the world play in the streets of the cities. Many people wear green clothes (green is the Irish national color) and some bars even sell green beer! Another custom on this day is to send friends a gift of a shamrock, a small three-leafed plant that is the national emblem of Ireland.

In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is called "Hogmanay" and is the public holiday. On the evening of the 31^st of December, families and friends celebrate the end of the old year and the start of the new. They have parties in their homes, then meet outside the local "kirk" (church) and wait for the bell to ring in the New Year. When it rings, they kiss each other and sings "Auld Lang Syne" (an old friendship song). Then "first footing" begins. This is a custom, which is centuries old. The aim is to be the "first foot" (the first person) inside a friend's house with a gift to welcome the New Year. Although the custom is not so common now, people used to bring a piece of bread, a lump of coal and a pinch of salt as a token of food, warmth and wealth for their friends. It is also lucky if the first person to enter your house after midnight is a "well-built and dark young man"!

St. Valentine’s Day.St. Valentine is the saint of the people in love, and the St. Valentine's Day is on February 14. On that day people send a card to the one they love or someone whom they have fallen in love with. But traditionally you must never write your name on it. Some British newspapers have a page for St. Valentine’s Day massage on February 14.

Pancake Day.Ash Wednesday is the day in February when the Christian period of Lent begins. This refers to the time when Christ went into the desert and fasted for forty days. Although not many people actually give up eating during this period, on Pancake Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, they eat lots of pancakes. These are made from flour, milk and eggs, and fried in a hot pan. Some towns also hold pancake races on that day. People run through the streets holding a frying pan and throwing the pancake in the air. Of course if they drop the pancake they lose the race.

Halloween.It is celebrated on All Souls Day on the evening of 31st October. It is the day before "Hallowmas" or "All Saints Day". Immigrants from Scotland first brought the festival to the USA. Many of the customs associated with the festival date back to pre-Christian times. Because of its popularity in the USA, Halloween is becoming more popular in Britain, too. Children dress up in fancy dress as witches, ghosts and demons. They knock on neighbors' doors. When the door is opened, the children shout, "Trick or treat!". This means: "If you don't give us a treat (a sweet or a piece of cake), we'll play a trick on you!". If you say "Trick" the children will usually do something unpleased like throw flour or water at your front door.

AMERICAN FESTIVALS

The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities. In one city you can find people whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents came from China, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and every European country. These different people brought to their new land a wonderful mixture of customs and traditions. The Germans brought Christmas trees. The Irish brought St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The Scots brought Halloween.

Americans still celebrate the festivals of the Old World. Sometimes, in fact, the old celebrations are more important in the US than in the countries they came from. American children have more fun at Halloween than Scottish children in Scotland.

There are new American festivals and traditions as well as the old ones. Only Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. Rodeos and high school home-comings only happen in the US.

What do Americans do at these special times? Why do they do it? You will find answers below.

Americans do not take many vacations. There are only five national holidays that are celebrated in every state. These are New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. On these days, government offices, post offices, and banks are closed.

There are other important public holidays, but they are not celebrated everywhere. Some states (7) do not celebrate Columbus Day. And some special days are not holidays at all.

January 1 – New Year’s Day

On this day, families and friends meet for a meal. A common custom is to make promises for the New Year. People say, "I will work harder," or "I won’t smoke this year." But they often forget these promises on January 2^nd.

On New Year’s Day there are big football games and colorful parades. Not everyone can go to see them, so many people watch them on television. There is usually a parade in the morning, and the game is played in the afternoon. The best college teams play in "The Rose Bowl" in California, "The Cotton Bowl" in Texas, and "The Orange Bowl" in Florida. But how can Americans watch so many different parades and football games on the same day? In the US there are four different time zones, so it is possible to spend the whole day watching parades, football games, and New Year celebrations.

Third Monday of January – Martin Luther King's Birthday

Martin Luther King was an important black leader who wanted equal rights for black people. He was murdered in 1968. Because of his work, Congress made his birthday a public holiday in 1986.

February 14^th – St. Valentine’s Day

Nobody knows very much about St. Valentine. One story is that he was murdered by Roman soldiers in the third century A. D. because he was a Christian. He gave a poor girl some money before he died, and so other Christians called him the saint of love. On this day, children write their names on cards with hearts on them, and give them to their classmates. Teenagers and adults give cards, presents, and flowers to their boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands and wives. Some people don't sign their cards because they want their name to be secret.

Third Monday of February – Presidents’ Day

On this day students read about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and other American Presidents. The first President of the USA was George Washington.

February 29^th

Every four years February has an extra day. Tradition says that on this day girls can ask boys to go to the movies or out to dinner. A girl can even ask a boy to marry her! Life is changing nowadays, however. Girls often invite boys to parties or dinner any day of the year. So this tradition may be dying.

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick was an Irish saint, and St. Patrick's Day is very popular in cities where there are many Irish Americans. Green is the Irish color and some bars sell green beer. People often wear something green on this day. If you aren't wearing green, be careful – someone may pinch you!

April 1^st – April Fools’ Day

A friend says, "Oh no! How did you get that big red mark on your face!". You look into the mirror. There is no mark! Then your friend says, "April fool!". Nobody is sure when or why this tradition began. One story is that it began in France in the sixteenth century. In 1564, the King of France changed the first day of the new year from April 1^st to January 1^st. Nowadays people play tricks on each other, so you have to watch and listen very carefully on this day.

Easter

The Easter weekend is in late March or early April, but the exact date changes every year. Easter is a Christian holiday which celebrates the day when Jesus came back from the dead. On Easter Sunday people give colored and chocolate eggs to each other and send cards.

Last Monday of May – Memorial Day

This special day is for people to remember those who died in wars, dead friends and relatives.

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

One Sunday in May is Mother’s Day, and one Sunday in June is Father’s Day. Children usually spend the day with their parents. They give them cards, flowers, or presents. Many businesses give presents to parents on these days.

June 14^th – Flag Day

In 1777 the "Stars and Stripes" became the official flag of the USA. Flag Day was first celebrated in 1877 on the flag’s hundredth birthday. Many people display a flag on this day.

July 4^th – Independence Day

On this day 1776, the United States declared her independence from England. It was the beginning of a new nation. On the Fourth of July families and friends celebrate, and every town and city has parades, games, and sports with prizes. There are picnics and barbecues, and in the evening there are big firework displays.

First Monday of September – Labor Day

This is a day of rest for the workers. It is celebrated by labor union parades. It also marks the end of summer and the beginning of the school year.

Second Monday of October – Columbus Day

“ In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue ...”

This is the song that many children learn about Christopher Columbus and his voyage to America. On Columbus Day people display a flag to honor the man who discovered their country.

October 31^st – Halloween

In the evening you may hear a knock on your door. Outside there are children dressed up as ghosts, and witches, holding a bag. They shout, "Trick or treat!” Give them some sweets or they may put soap on your window. A popular tradition is to cut the shape of a face in a pumpkin, put a light inside it, then put it in the window.

November 11^th – Veteran's Day

This is a special day to remember all the people who fought in the wars – the living as well as the dead. There are memorial services, special dinners and speeches.

Fourth Thursday of November – Thanksgiving

In 1621 William Bradford, the Governor of Massachusetts, decided to have a thanksgiving dinner for all the people. He wanted to thank God for many things. It was a difficult year, but the people still had food to eat. He wanted a way to share this good fortune with the American Indians who helped them. That meal lasted three from April 1^st to January 1^st Some people did not accept this, and on April 1^st continued to celebrate the New Year and people made fun of them. Nowadays people play tricks on each other, so you have to watch and listen very carefully on this day.

December 25^th – Christmas Day

This is the biggest holiday of the year and the one many people – especially children – enjoy the most. Soon after Thanksgiving people start sending Christmas cards and decorate their houses. Almost every home has a Christmas tree. German soldiers started this tradition in the US during the Revolutionary War of 1776.

The evening before Christmas Day is called Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve many people go to church and sing Christmas carols, and the President gives his Christmas message on TV. Parents tell children that Santa Claus will come to their house in the night and leave presents for them.

On Christmas Day people open their presents and then they prepare a traditional dinner of turkey or ham with vegetables, salads, and desserts. There are also special cookies, candies, nuts, and fruits. Christmas dinner is eaten late in the afternoon. During the day many families watch special Christmas TV and children play with their new toys. Some people go ice-skating or drive around town to look at the decorations.

On New Year’s Eve people celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of the new one. Many people go to private parties but some go to large public celebrations. Thousands of people gather in Times Square in New York, for example. At midnight exactly everyone sings the old Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne”.

Famous Scientist

Yevgen Paton (1870-1953)

Yevgen Paton, a prominent Ukrainian scientist in the field of building bridges and welding was born in a French town in Nice in 1870. A Soviet scientific, an expert in the field of welding and motor-structure, academician (1929), vice-president AS Ukraine (1945-1952), a Hero of Socialist Work (1943) finished Polytechnical institute in Drezden (1894).

The father was the Russian consul. Since childhood he was interested in exact sciences. In a final class of a grammar school he already precisely knew, that he wanted to project bridges.

From 1904 till 1939, with several breaks, Paton was a professor at the Polytrchnical Institute in Kyiv. He made a valuable contribution to the science of designing bridges, the technology of their building and the methods of testing them.

Later Paton got interested in welding. He wrote a great deal of works in the field of welding. He was the founder of Ukrainian school of welding.

The basic works Paton in area electro welding are devoted to problems of automation welding processes, creation of a way of welding under fluss and questions of durability of welded connections, and introduction of new methods of welding in industry. One of the longest bridges across the Dnieper river is named after him.

Paton was the organizer and editor of the magazine "Automatic welding".

The welding became one of the basic technological processes supervising scientific and technical progress in modern mechanical engineering, making instruments, construction, transport.

Paton’s son, Borys continued his father’s work. He became an academician, like his father, and for a very long time headed the Research Institute of Welding, named after his father. He worked out new methods of welding and laid the foundations of welding under water and in outer space.

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 3035