| 1. What is a holiday? |
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The word holiday is a contraction of the word holy and day. Originally it meant a special religious day.
Now the meaning has changed. It means every special day of rest. There are different categories.
There are bank holidays: most banks, public services and most other people do not work on these days.
Examples are: May Day, Summer Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, ...
There are religious holidays: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, ... holidays.
Examples are: Easter, Hanukkah, Eid ul-Fitr, ...
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| 2. Some special days in Britain |
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Saint Valentine's Day
14th February, when traditionally people send a valentine (=special card)
to someone they love, often without saying who the card is from.
They may also send flowers or other presents as a sign of love.
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Cupid |
a daffodil |
a leek |
Saint David's Day
Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, is celebrated on 1st March each year.
This is the Welsh national holiday. Many Welsh people wear one or both of
the national emblems of Wales. Boys usually wear leeks whilst girls wear daffodils. |
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Saint Patrick's Day
The patron saint of Ireland, who helped to spread the Christian religion there
and who people think got rid of snakes in Ireland. St Patrick's Day, 17th March,
is celebrated in Ireland where people drink Irish beer and often wear green clothes.
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a shamrock |
an Easter Bunny |
Easter
A Christian holiday in March or April when Christians remember the death of Christ
and his return to life. People give each other chocolate eggs. Children believe the
Easter bunny brings the chocolate eggs.
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Saint George's Day
This is the patron saint of England. The national holiday is celebrated on 23rd April.
This day is not celebrated as much in England as other National Days are around the world.
People wear a rose or fly the St. George's Cross flag
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St. George's Cross |
a pumpkin |
Hallowe'en
The night of 31st October, which is now celebrated by children, who dress in costumes
and go from house to house asking for sweets. This is called trick-or-treating.
In the past, people believed the souls of dead people appeared on Hallowe'en.
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Guy Fawkes Night
People celebrate this night on the 5th November. Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses
of Parliament in 1605. He didn't succeed. Now people celebrate this with fireworks, burning
dolls and a song: remember, remeber the fifth of Novemer!
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fireworks |
a thistle |
Saint Anderw's Day
He is the patron saint of Scotland and St Andrew's Day, 30th November,
is celebrated as the Scottish national day. They wear a thistle on this
special day.
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Christmas
Christmas Eve is celebrated on the 24th December. Children leave socks and hope
Father Christmas will bring some presents. Christmas Day, 25th December is a family day.
People usually have dinner and sit around the Christmas tree.
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Father Christmas |
a box |
Boxing Day
This name goes back to the tradition that richer people gave the poor a box,
filled with all kinds of food. Even today some companies give their workers
a kind of Cristmas box. This bank holiday is celebrated on 26th December.
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New Year's Eve
On 31st December, the last day of the year, many people go to parties. They also make some
New Year's resolutions (a decision to do something better or to stop doing something bad in the
new year).
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a party |
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