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Holidays in Great Britain

National Days in Britain are not celebrated to the same extent as in France or America. Scotland’s National Day is St. Andrew’s Day (30 November). St. David’s Day (1 March) is the National Day of Wales. England National Day is St. George’s Day (23 April). St. Patrick’s Day is an official Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland.

For many British people (with the exception of Scotsmen), Christmas is the favorite holiday. It is celebrated much earlier than in our country, on December, 25. Preparation for the holiday begins several weeks before it with sending dozens of cards, buying presents and food, decorating the Christmas tree and the house.

The cities and towns are decorated with thousands of colored lights, and the biggest Christmas tree in Britain is put up in Trafalgar Square in London. This tree is a traditional gift of the Norwegian people to the British.

In the homes there is a great expectation. Holly is hanging on the wall waiting for the English traditional kissing when a girl standing under this evergreen plant can’t refuse being kissed. Mothers of the family are busy in the kitchen getting ready for the next day’s dinner of turkey, pudding and other tasty things. Before going to bed children may hang Christmas stockings on their beds in the hope of getting presents from Father Christmas or Santa Clause. The next day, on December 26 people get up late, have big meals, go to church and have a good rest after the Christmas rush.

New Year in Britain (with the exception of Scotland) is not celebrated as widely as in our country. Some people may even completely ignore and go to bed at the usual time without waiting for the clock to strike twelve. Those who do celebrate it may have parties or family get-togethers, go to the disco, or if they live in London, join in the festive mood of the huge crowds of people in Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.

In Scotland New Year is called Hogmanay and is the most favorite holiday of the year. On New Year Eve the families that observe old traditions sit themselves round the fire and when the hands of the clock approach twelve, the head of the house opens the front door of the house and holds it open wide till the last stroke of the bell, to let the Olds Year out and the New Year in. Then greetings and gifts are exchanged, glasses are filled and everybody is waiting for the First-Footers, young men who will be the first to come in the house to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year.

Though February is a winter month, many British people start feeling spring on February, 14 when they get Valentine cards and symbolic love gifts. For many centuries St. Valentine’s Day has been a good opportunity to openly show your feelings and exchange love-tokens.

Pancake Day is the popular name for Shrove Tuesday, the eve of the Lenten fast. In medieval times all Christians made their compulsory confessions or “shifts” from which the words “Shrove Tuesday ” derives. They also took last opportunity to eat up all the rich food prohibited during Lent. Thus all eggs, butter and fat remaining in the house were made into pancakes. Some regions in Britain celebrate the day with pancake races during which a pancake should be tossed in the frying pan at least three times.

Easter in Britain is the time of giving and receiving presents which traditionally take the form of Easter eggs and hot cross buns. Nowadays eggs are usually made of chocolate with surprises in them, but the old custom is dying and painting eggs is still kept in some country districts. Other emblems of Easter are fluffy little chicks, the Easter Bunny and spring flowers.

April’s Fool’s Day is not an official holiday but few people are indifferent to it. Everyone who has a sense of humor likes to play practical jokes on their friends and family neighbors.

Bank Holidays are public holidays called so because the banks as well as most offices and shops are closed. There are winter, spring and summer Bank Holidays.

Another popular holiday in Britain is Guy Fawkes Day, which commemorates the discovery of the so-called Gunpowder Plot, a conspiracy to destroy the English Houses of Parliament and King Kames I on November, 5 1605. It is usually marked with bonfires and dummies of Guy Fawkes.