Nyelvtanulás | Angol » Public Holidays

Public Holidays Public holidays in Great Britain are called “Bank Holidays”. All the banks, offices, schools, shops and factories are closed on these days. They are the following days> Good Friday and Easter Monday, Whit Monday, August Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing day. Good Friday is the Friday before Easter. Whit Monday, seven weeks after Easter when the coming of the Holy Ghost is celebrated. August Bank Holiday is the most popular summer holiday, because in that time the school children are not at school and the families can go to the seaside or to the country and spend a long weekend there. Christmas is the most beautiful of all the “Bank Holidays”. Preparations for Christmas start many weeks before. Special Christmas decorations, coloured lights and Christmas trees can be seen in the streets and shops. On Christmas Eve British homes are already decorated with holly Christmas tree and coloured lights. Children hang their stockings at the foot of the bed for

Santa Claus to fill them. In the morning of Christmas Day the children get up early to find and enjoy Christmas presents. Mothers prepare the traditional Christmas dinner> filled turkey or duck. The evening is spend in games and entertainment The following day is Boxing Day when Christmas boxes with presents are given to postmen, and other people who do services to the household. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are not public holidays in England. The people go to work as usual. But on New Year’s Eve most of them stay up till midnight to see the New Year coming. Many go to parties and dances There are other days of the year which are not public holidays in England but the English people celebrate them is some way. It is the 14th February, St.Valentine`s Day, when friends and lovers send one another letters or greeting cards expressing their love. There is a wide choice of Valentine cards available at stationer’s shops long before the 14th February. Some of them are serious,

romantic, others humorous, sentimental. The most important public holidays in the USA, in the terms of American history, is The Fourth of July or Independence Day. It celebrates independence of American colonies from the British. The oldest American holiday is Thanksgiving Day, which is the fourth Thursday in November. It was celebrated for the first time in 1621 Memorial Day, celebrated on 30th May in most states, and also Veteran’s Day are patriotic holidays which commemorate Americans who fought in wars for their country. Labour Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September to honour our working people of America. This holiday is generally used for rest and recreation During the long weekend the people usually visit national parks or seashore resorts. Birthdays of two great American presidents, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are celebrated too, which is President’s Day. One of the most important events in American history was the discovery of the continent by

Christopher Columbus on October 12, 1492. Halloween is a typical American holiday celebrated on October 31. According to an old tradition it is a witches holiday. It is popular both among young and old people, who dress themselves in fancy costumes and go to parties to have fun. Christmas is a typical winter holiday and the best-loved one, too. It is the occasion for meeting with relatives Family members often travel great distances to be together during Christmas. The celebrations of X*mas are much the same all over the U.S In towns are giant Christmas trees with decorations and coloured lights. On Christmas Eve the trees are also decorated in families Santa Claus comes on Christmas day and children open the boxes with their presents. On Christmas day the traditional X-mas dinner is served. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are days of celebration in the USA. People generally go to parties to welcome the coming of the year