Multicultural society - British and American holidays

BRITISH HOLIDAYS

Bonfire night or Guy Fawkes Night

is celebrated in the evenign of 5 November. It is an honour to the 5 November 1605 when Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy the United Kingdom’s Houses of Parliament, in London by putting gun-powder in the cellar of Houses of Parliament. This attempt failed due to a betray.

Remembrance Day

is celebrated in November. It honours dead of both the world war.

St. Valentine’s Day

is celebrated on !4th February. On this day boys and girls, lovers, husbands and wives, friends and even the office staff exchange the Valentines cards, greetings of affection. St. Valentine was a bishop on Terni in Italy. After he had cured several people who became Christians, he was declared a sorcerer (čarodejník) by the court and sentenced to death in 306.

Mother’s Day

is celebrated in March. On this day children give small gifts to their mothers.

May Day

is celebrated on the first Monday in May. The main custom is erecting the May Pole, dancing around it and crowning the May Queen. Nowadays May Day has also been associated with worker’s demonstrations.

Halloween

shortened from All Hallows‘ Even (evening), is evening of 31of October, preceding All Hallows‘ Day. Its origin dates to the Druid festival of Samphin, Lord of the Dead and Prince of darkness, who according to Celtic belief gathered the souls of all those who had died during the year to present them to Druid Heaven on 31 October, which was the last day of Celtic year. When Christianity replaced the pagan religions, the church established 1 November of honour all saints and called it All Hallows‘ Day or All Saint’s Day.

Easter

on Easter Sunday every child usually receives Easter eggs.

Christmas

starts on 25 December, but the preparations begin sooner – Christmas pudding and Christmas cake are prepared. On Christmas Eve (24 December) the final preparations for Christmas Day (25 December) are made. Christmas trees are decorated with electric bulbs, glass ornaments and tinsel. Room are decorated with paper chains, decorations and mistletoe. Children put their stockings on their beds because they believe that Father Christmas, who comes down the chimney on Christmas Eve, puts the presents into the stockings. Christmas Day is the main Christmas holiday. In the morning children open their presents, families go to the church services. Then at noon Christmas dinner is served: roast turkey, boiled or roast potatoes, sprouts, peas, carrots. Then Christmas pudding with custard or brandy sauce is served. At 3pm people listen to the Queen’s Message to the Nation. In the evening all family members meet together and entertain.

Boxing day

(26 December)
is so called because Christmas boxes or gifts of money were usually given to the postmen, delivery boys or milkmen. In the afternoon parents take their New Year’s Eve – many parties are held lasting often until the early hours of the New Year’s Day. At midnight, when Big Ben strikes twelve, they wish a happy new year to one another.

AMERICAN HOLIDAYS

Labour Day

is celebrated on the first Monday in September.

Independence Day

on 4th July, the most important American national holiday, honours the day in 1776, when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence In Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell announced that the free and independent USA was established. Each town organizes a parade, guided tour through historic monuments, outdoor stage shows, competitions and evening firework displays.

Thanksgiving Day

is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. First time it was celebrated in 1621 by English settlers of the Plymouth colony who were known as Pilgrim Fathers. Pilgrim fathers escape from England and hoped to find freedom and peace in America. The first winter spent in America was too difficult for them because the harvest was really weak (they didn’t know how to grow plant in that conditions) and only half of them survived. The following harvest was rich and they were prepared for the winter, tha’s why they decided to thank God for the harvest by celebration known as Thanksgiving Day. It is a day for the gathering of the whole family to enjoy the fruits of the harvest.

Valentine’s Day

the same as in Britain

Mother’s Day

is celebrated in May.

Halloween

on 31 October is now a children’s holiday. In the evening little witches in long black dresses or ghosts carrying bags go from house to house shouting „Trick or treat“ and people give them sweets, fruit or money.

Easter

The Easter period starts with the beginning of Lent (pôst). The last day before the beginning of Lent is Shrove day. Until the beginning of Lent there are nightly parades, carnival celebrations and ball. The last parade takes place on Shrove Tuesday.

Typical symbols of Easter are the eggs and the bunny (represent fertility and new life). On Easter Monday egg-rolling is held on the White House lawn: children roll coloured eggs down the lawn. A similar Easter egg hunt is held practically in every public park, apart from rolling eggs , children also look for coloured eggs hidden in the trees, bushes.

Christmas

at the beginning of December streets, shop and houses are decorated for Christmas. About two weeks before Christmas a giant tree is set up between the White House and the Washington Monument decorated with thousand of coloured lights.

On Christmas day all family members meet for Christmas dinner. The meals are different in each region but generally it is eaten: roast turkey, corn pudding, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

New Year’s Eve

there are a lot of parties throughout the country. A favourite place to see old year out is New York City’s Time Square.

There are many benefits to a society which is truly multiracial:

it enriches people – they can get to know different cultures, different customs, different ideas, attitudes to life and it supports tolerance and mutual understanding.

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