New Year
In London
on 1st January’s Eve, a lot of people go to Trafalgar Square and
celebrate. People all over Britain have parties in their houses, too. The TV
and radio stations have special allnight party music and broadcast Big Ben when
it strikes twelve. When people hear it they drink a toast to the New Year.
There is also a tradition called first-footing – a tall dark man must be the
first person to come into the house after midnight. He must carry a piece of
coal.
Valentine’s Day
The British
can be romantic! On 14th February they
send romantic cards to people they like or love, Boys and girls also send cards
to their parents. The cards are not signed and you must guess who sent them.
Bonfire Night
Who was Guy
Fawkes? He and his friends put a bomb under the Houses of Parliament on 5th
November 1605 and tried to kill the king. They failed, but people still
celebrate this date with barbecues, fireworks and big bonfires. On top of the
bonfires they put a man made of old clothes and newspapers — this is the ‘Guy’.
Easter
In March or
April people have a public holiday to celebrate Easter. On the Sunday some
people go to church, and most people spend the day with the family. People
usually give presents of chocolate eggs, especially to children, and they can
send greetings cards with pictures of eggs, rabbits and lambs, flowers etc.
Christmas
25th
December is Christmas Day, a traditional family day. British children believe
that Father Christmas brings them presents. He comes down the chimney on the
night of 24th December and puts his presents in a stocking. Children
leave him cakes and a drink. All the family open their presents in the morning,
then they eat Christmas dinner (roast turkey, roast potatoes and Christmas
pudding) and Christmas crackers. At three o’clock in the afternoon the Queen
reads her message on TV. Other traditions are Christmas cards, a Christmas
tree, carol-singing (door-to-door singing of Christmas songs), and decorations.
Word definition
Christmas Cracker:
a cardboard tube wrapped in coloured paper containing a small present, a paper
hat and a joke. Two people pull them apart, each holding one end and the tubes
make an explosion as they break.
Fireworks: small
colourful containers filled with an explosive chemical powder that burn or
explode with bangs and coloured lights.
Bonfire: a large
fire made in the open air to burn things.
Drink a toast:
to hold up a glass before drinking in order to wish good luck or success.
Father Christmas:
an old man with a red coat and a long white beard, also named Santa Claus. He
is supposed to live Lapland or the North Pole where he spends most of the year
in his workshop making toys for children. He files in the sky in a sleigh
pulled by reindeer.
Source:
Excursion, an old Italian book.
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