Rare Hollidays in English-speaking Countries
творческая работа учащихся по английскому языку по теме

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British Festivals

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In Whittlesea, from when no one quite knows, it was the custom on the Tuesday following Plough Monday (the 1st Monday after Twelfth Night) to dress one of the confraternity of the plough in straw and call him a 'Straw Bear'. A newspaper of 1882 reports that "... he was then taken around the town to entertain by his frantic and clumsy gestures the good folk who had on the previous day subscribed to the rustics, a spread of beer, tobacco and beef".

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The bear was described as having great lengths of tightly twisted straw bands prepared and wound up the arms, legs and body of the man or boy who was unfortunate enough to have been chosen. Two sticks fastened to his shoulders met a point over his head and the straw wound round upon them to form a cone above the "Bear's" head. The face was quite covered and he could hardly see. A tail was provided and a strong chain fastened around the armpits. He was made to dance in front of houses and gifts of money or of beer and food for later consumption was expected. It seems that he was considered important, as straw was carefully selected each year, from the best available, the harvesters saying, "That'll do for the Bear".

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The tradition fell into decline at the end of the 19th century, the last sighting being in 1909 as it appears that an over-zealous police inspector had forbidden 'Straw Bears' as a form of cadging. But the custom was revived in 1980 by the Whittlesea Society, and for the first time in seventy years a 'Straw Bear' was seen on the streets accompanied by his attendant keeper, musicians and dancers, about 30 in all. Various public houses were visited around the town as convenient places for the 'Bear' and dancers to perform in front of an audience - with much needed refreshment available!

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The annual Sweeps Festival brings an extravaganza of colour, music and atmosphere, attracting thousands of visitors to Rochester. The festival owes its roots to age old traditions. Sweeping chimneys was a dirty but necessary trade nearly 300 years ago. It was hard work for the sweeps and even harder toil for the chimney boys. This celebration held on May Day weekend can only be described as “the only typical English Day” of the year.

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The Sweeps annual holiday on May 1st represented a much welcomed break and they celebrated it with a procession through the streets accompanied by the Jack-in-the-Green. This seven foot character is traditionally woken at dawn on May Day from his slumber on Bluebell Hill and then travels to Rochester to start the festivities. It was revived in the 1980’s by historian, Gordon Newton, who, as well as being the Festival Director, plays melodeon for several Morris dancing teams. His Morris team, the Motley Morris, are custodians of the Jack-in-the-Green. Gordon researched the sweeps’ tradition and in 1981 organised a small parade, featuring a group of Morris dancers.

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The Festival has now further grown in popularity and attracts many thousands of revellers, keen to either dress up and take part in the Sweeps Parade or to simply watch and take in the atmosphere. Dance teams from throughout the UK perform a variety of styles of dance while bands and musical groups perform at various venues, playing music from folk to guitar to traditional singing styles. At the end of the day, the music continues late through the evening in many of Rochester’s public houses.

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Held each August Bank Holiday since 1966, the Notting Hill Carnival is the largest festival celebration of its kind in Europe. Every year the streets of West London come alive, with the sounds and smells of Europe's biggest street festival. Twenty miles of vibrant colourful costumes surround over 40 static sound systems, hundreds of Caribbean food stalls, over 40,000 volunteers and over 1 million Notting Hill carnival revellers.

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Starting its life as a local festival set up by the West Indian community of the Notting Hill area, it has now become a full-blooded Caribbean carnival, attracting millions of visitors from all over the globe. With many astonishing floats and the sounds of the traditional steel drum bands, scores of massive sound systems plus not forgetting the hundreds of stalls that line the streets of Notting Hill. The Notting Hill Carnival is arguably London's most exciting annual event.

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The Notting Hill Carnival used to get under way on the Saturday with the steel band competition. Sunday is Kids' Day, when the costume prizes are awarded. On Bank Holiday Monday, the main parade takes place. It generally begins on Great Western Road, then winds its way along Chepstow Road, on to Westbourne Grove, and then Ladbroke Grove. In the evening, the floats leave the streets in procession, and people carry continue partying at the many Notting Hill Carnival after parties.

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Holidays of English-speaking countries Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Up-Helly- А a Groundhog Day

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - an American national and public holiday, dedicated fighter for the rights of African Americans, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martin Luther King. The holiday is celebrated annually on the third Monday in January and fix to the King's birthday on January 15 .

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Martin Luther King Jr. speaks at a demonstration in Washington

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On this day output in the schools, offices, postal offices and banks. All the channels are broadcast clips of speeches King 60-ies. From radios heard remarks leaders of the movement for equal civil rights. In the preceding Sunday in churches read short-lived sermon . On Monday, held memorial services and exquisite ceremony, reminiscent of King's life, devoted to the struggle for peace.

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Up-Helly-Aa

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In the 9th century in the Shetland Islands, located near the coast of Scotland, landed the Vikings, who opened a new chapter in the history of the islands. This event is devoted to the famous traditional Scottish festival Up-Helly-Aa, held in the main city of the Shetland Isles Lerwick

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The inhabitants of Lerwick make 30-foot model of the Viking ship (with a dragon on the nose), dress up the Vikings, lit torches, march through the streets, the pipes in the traditional military bugles, and through the city carry the ship to sea. More than 900 beautifully dressed participants follow a retinue of 40 Vikings and their giant ships to a place where the fire is lit.

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Evening torch procession to the burial rites of the dead soldiers burned a wooden boat of the Vikings. On the coast, the ship burned - 900 burning torches thrown on the "old" ship. An impressive sight! Such is the custom of the Vikings, adopted for the funeral of soldiers and leaders.

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Groundhog Day

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Считается, что в этот день нужно наблюдать за сурком, вылезающим из своей норы. По его поведению можно судить о близости наступления весны. Согласно поверью, если день пасмурный, сурок не видит своей тени и спокойно покидает нору — значит, зима скоро закончится и весна будет ранняя. Если же день солнечный, сурок видит свою тень и прячется обратно в нору — будет ещё шесть недель зимы. In the U.S., popular Scottish proverb: “ If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.”

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BEARDS

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Holidays in the English-speaking countries From Australia to America

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Floral Marathon Sports and assistance

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Annual sports activities London Marathon Floral - not only one of the brightest and most beautiful examples of mass sports. After all, he is held annually in April, and marks the real beginning this spring in London. By its scale Floral Marathon inferior except the Olympics. And if this is the most important event in the sporting world records do not take it, we can safely say - "cooler", Long, sport street hangouts this afternoon with fire you will not find on the planet. But Floral Marathon - more than just a sporting event. This is a sports charity - a tribute to social programs. After all, to take part in a grand race, you need to pay a special contribution - carrying a ticket to this annual sporting tale. A part of it is so prestigious that celebrated their achievements in the sports world of athletes recruited far more than a dozen. But participation in Floral Marathon - a prerogative not only strong, fast, agile and resilient world. Run through the London marathon route can be anyone. And there are annually recruited up to 15 thousand people. It is not surprising that the "revenue" to do good sometimes reaching astronomical amounts. For example, last year, thanks to Floral Marathon for charity managed to collect 15, 7 million pounds At the start

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Run in the UK Floral Marathon - an event of paramount not only for the UK. To participate in this great race in London from all over the world come every year thousands of amateur athletes and tourists, determined to test his stamina, and to contribute to the development and funding of social programs. In the loser is not nobody: neither the inbound (to run to the finish of this truly the champion race in 26, 2 miles (more than 42 kilometers) can not for everybody, but lack the experience for the whole year), neither the organizers nor the travel companies - tour on a bright Event fly like hot cakes. But the scenario of the holiday alone holding the race is not limited. On the streets of the capital Albion unfolding mass processions with drums, and every self-respecting organization, even the smallest, so that there is an organization - each of London School - considers it his duty to prepare for your holiday, original submission. So bored during Floral Marathon do not have anybody - Participants run, thundering drums, street performances of all fun, pubs crammed to the eyeballs, and parks and squares of London filled with merry shouts of the crowd. Yet despite all this "mess", we can safely say - so much fun and socially "useful" exercise can be only in Britain!

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International Day of left-handers August 13

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In the UK and other countries on Wednesday is World Day lefties. It was first recorded on Aug. 13, 1992 at the initiative was created two years before the British club left-handers. According to statistics, about 10% of the UK population (approximately 6 million people) - left-handed. At home, they often have to deal with such problems as the fitness of many items of household items such as pens, computer mouse, kitchen tools, hand grinders and mills, exclusively to the needs of right-handers. Those who use as a lead left hand, try this day to attract the attention of designers, manufacturers and sellers of goods to the need to take into account the convenience of left-handers when using different objects.

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Left-handed Aug. 13 left-handed governmental organizations arrange various activities and competitions "on the contrary, not allowing participants to use his right hand when eating, work, various subtle manipulations. However, the main concern of the Club lefties UK is that in many schools across the country children with left-handers are still seeking to retrain to the letter with his right hand, which causes psychological stress and lowers the progress of pupils. Meanwhile, statistics show that the prejudice of society to people who are more used his left hand down. If in 1930 in the United Kingdom, there were only about 3% of left-handers, the 50 th year this figure rose to 5%, and now in the country approximately every tenth - a lefty. Among the famous left-handers Britain - Prime Minister Winston Churchill and James Callaghan, the legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson, Queen Victoria, Queen Mother Elizabeth, Prince William. A lot of famous left-handers and in other countries, especially in the U.S

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Day of friends in the U.S. А November 24

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Day of friends or, in literal translation, the Day of winning friends and influencing people celebrated annually in the U.S. November 24 birthday of Dale Carnegie (Dale Breckenridge Carnegie (originally Carnagey), November 24, 1888 - 1955), author of "How to win friends and influence people » . First published in 1936, this book immediately became a bestseller, continuing to sell well even today. Dale Carnegie was born on a farm Merivill in Missouri. The family lived in great poverty, however, he was able to enroll in the State Teachers College in Warrensburg and get a good education.

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In an effort to overcome an inferiority complex caused by the property status, Dale Carnegie was searching for an opportunity to be distinguished. Practicing public speaking in student discussions, unexpectedly discovered that he had found some ways to effectively communicate, some of which he told in his books. On this day in bookstores of America in plain exhibited books Carnegie, who on Nov. 24 are bought very well. In universities, schools, lectures and seminars, various discussions to help young people "find themselves" in communion, giving advice on how to build relationships at entry into society.

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Thank you for viewing 

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Little-known holidays in English-speaking countries.

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St. Andrew’s Day In some areas, such as Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Northamptonshire , St Andrew was regarded as the patron saint of lace-makers and his day was thus kept as a holiday, or “tendering feast”, by many in that trade. Thomas Sternberg, describing customs in mid-19th-century Northampton shire, claims that St Andrew’s Day Old Style (11 December) was a major festival day “in many out of the way villages” of the country: “… the day is one of unbridled license- a kind of carnival; village scholars bar out the master, the lace schools are deserted, and drinking and feasting prevail to a riotous extent. Towards evening the villagers walk about and masquerade, the women wearing men’s dress and the men wearing female attire, visiting one another’s cottages and drinking hot Elderberry wine, the chief beverage of the season …”. In Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, a future of the day was the making and eating of Tandry Wigs. A strange belief reported Wright and Lones dedicate that wherever lilies of the valley grow wild the parish church is usually to St Andrew.

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St. Andrew’s Day.

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ST DAVID’S DAY On the 1st of March each year one can see people walking around London with leeks pinned to their coats. А leek is the national emblem of Wales. The many Welsh people who live in London — or in other cities outside Wales — like to show their solidarity on their national day. The day is actually called Saint David’s Day, after а sixth century abbot who became patron saint of Wales. David is the nearest English equivalent to the saint’s name, Dawi . The saint was known traditionally as “the Waterman”, which perhaps means that he and his monks were teetotallers . А teetotaller is someone who drinks nо kind of alcohol, but it does not mean that he drinks only tea, as many people seem to think. In spite of the leeks mentioned earlier, Saint David’s emblem is not that, but а dove. No one, not even the Welsh, can explain why they took leek to symbolize their country, but perhaps it was just as well. After all, they can't pin а dove to their coat!

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Children at the Garden of Peace during a St Davids Day celebration in 2002

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PANCAKE DAY Pancake Day is the popular name for Shrove Tuesday, the day preceding the first day of Lent. In medieval times the day was characterized by merrymaking and feasting, a relic of which is the eating of pancakes. Whatever religious significance Shrove Tuesday may have possessed in the olden days, it certainly has none now. A Morning Star correspondent who went to a cross-section of the people he knew to ask what they knew about Shrove Tuesday received these answers: “It’s the day when I say to my wife: ‘Why don’t we make pancakes?’ and she says, ‘No, not this Tuesday! Anyway, we can make them any time.’”“It is a religious festival the significance of which escapes me. What I do remember is that it is Pancake Day and we as children used to brag about how many pancakes we had eaten.”“It’s pancake day and also the day of the student rags. Pancakes – luscious, beautiful pancakes. I never know the date – bears some relationship to some holy day.”The origin of the festival is rather obscure, as is the origin of the custom of pancake eating.Elfrica Viport , in her book on Christian Festivals, suggests that since the ingredients of the pancakes were all forbidden by the Church during Lent then they just had to be used up the day before.Nancy Price in a book called Pagan’s Progress suggests that the pancake was a “thin flat cake eaten to stay the pangs of hunger before going to be shriven” (to confession). In his Seasonal Feasts and Festivals E. O. James links up Shrove Tuesday with the Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) festivals or warmer countries. These jollifications were an integral element of seasonal ritual for the purpose of promoting fertility and conquering the malign forces of evil, especially at the approach of spring.”The most consistent form of celebration in the old days was the all-over-town ball game or tug-of-war in which everyone let rip before the traditional feast, tearing here and tearing there, struggling to get the ball or rope into their part of the town. It seems that several dozen towns kept up these ball

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May 1 - Festival of Rochester sweeps Grimy, but never cheerful man with a ladder, ropes, brooms and fun looks around with a tiled roof of the city - thus remains in the memory image of a chimney sweep from the children's fairy tales.

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Craft In old time s the craft of a chimney sweep was enveloped by mystery. There were legends about the wealthy gentlemen who had lost their children, and after years of inconsolable grief found them among chimney sweeps. They were surrounded by secrets. No one could mistreat a chimney sweep: it was not known who he was – he could turn out to be a son of a peer or a noble lord. Many of those who believed in miracles, considered that the cleaning of chimneys was a sort of heavy art, after which, sooner or later, sweeps would regain their titles and ranks, so people treated with respect to them. With the technological progress the necessity of chimney sweeps fell down.

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In England, now there are about 600 sweeps. Although modern heating systems work without people of this profession, in old houses with fireplaces and stoves they are still needed. And besides, according to popular beliefs, a meeting with a chimney sweep brings good luck, and they are eagerly invited to weddings.

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Celebration On May 1 there is a march with dances leading by lord. It is followed by a procession with the "Jack-in-green" - a boy, decorated with green leaves and branches. He symbolizes the spirit of spring and forests. Then teenagers, dressed as clowns, come, behind them lords and ladies march. The procession is closed by the "lady", which collects the "treasury".

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“ Jack-in-green”

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Parsamyan Arman 9 Class “A”