Holidays, festivals in Czech Republic, UK, USA, Australia

New Year‘s Eve It is celebrated at evening social gatherings, where many people dance, eat, drink alcoholic drinks, and watch or light fireworks to mark the new year. The celebrations generally go on past midnight into January 1 (New Year‘s Day)

England The celebration in London focuses on Big Ben, the bell and by association, the clock housed in the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster. The celebrations have been televised from London by the BBC since 1984 in the English regions, Wales, and Northern Ireland, it had previously televised the Scottish celebrations since Parties are held across the country, in pubs, clubs, and private houses. At the stroke of midnight, people join hands in a ring and sing ‘Auld Lang Syne‘.

In Scotland, they – call this day „Hogmanay“ – Eat Dish haggis (minced heart, lungs, liver,…)

United States In the United States, New Year's Eve is celebrated with formal parties, family- oriented activities, and other large public events. One of the most famous celebrations in the country is the ‚ball drop‘ held in New York City's Times Square as a time signal at 11:59 p.m. The Ball Drop has been held since 1907, and in recent years has averaged around a million spectators annually.

Australia The largest celebration in Australia is held in its largest city - Sydney. Each year, the celebrations in Sydney are accompanied by a theme with two pyrotechnic shows: the 9:00 pm Family Fireworks and the Midnight Fireworks. Centering on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the fireworks are synchronized to a mix of popular music and a lighting display called the ‚Bridge Effect‘.

Czech Republic = Silvester in large cities, the fireworks start before noon and steadily increase until midnight. In the first minutes after midnight, people toast with champagne, wish each other a happy new year and fortune and health. (New Year‘s Eve in Prague)

St. Valentine‘s Day 14th February lover’s feast People give gifts or send greeting cards called Valentines to people they like or admire. The day is named for an early Christian martyr. In Czech Republic, we prefer May Day (May 1).

Easter Symfol of spring and new life First Sunday after the 1st full moon For Christians – symbol of Christ‘s death and his resurrection (Good Friday) and on Maundy Thursday they remember it as the Last Supper Children believe in the Easter Bunny Before Easter: – boys prepare plaited willow canes with ribbons – Girls decorate eggs Folklore

Easter Monday Boys go from house to house, chase and whip girls saying traditional rhymes Girls try to hide or run away Rewards (only for boys) In USA children on Sunday morning start hunting for painted eggs around the house.

Thanksgiving Day

2nd Monday in October (Canada) 4th Thursday in November (USA) Day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and in a secular manner as well.

History Traditional North American holiday Originally oriented towards God It is a holiday celebrating the plentiful harvest.

Thanksgiving dinner Large meal centered of a large roasted turkey The majority of the dishes in the traditional American version of Thanksgiving dinner are made from foods native to the New World, as according to tradition the Pilgrims received these foods from the Native Americans.

Thanksgiving dinner Squash soupTurkey with Stuffing

Mashed potatoes Green bean casserole

Glazed carrotsSweet potato casserole Cranberry sauce

Cornbread (made at a cast-iron skillet) Pumpkin pie

Halloween 31st October Most popular in USA and UK In Britain: celebrated only in the North of England and in Scotland

It is evening before All Saints‘ Day People cut horrible faces in pumpkins Children dress a funny or ghostly costumes Going from house to house „Trick or treat?“

Christmas Fairy lights and brightly illuminated streets

Christmas in UK It is the most typical family holiday Christmas Tree (maybe even two!) Tradition in decorating the tree with all family Christmas Trees were first propagated the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas into England.

Christmas in UK There are Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe used to decorate homes.

Children in UK Children believe that Father Christmas with his reindeer leaves presents in stocking or pillow-cases. Children leave out mince pies and brandy for him to eat and drink when he visits them. (some people say that a non-alcoholic drink should be left for Santa because of driving!) Children write letters to Father Christmas and put them in the post or tose into the fireplace.

Customs in UK Boxing day (the day after Christmas) – very old custom that started in the UK but now is in many countries around the world It was the day when the alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were traditionally opened so that the contents could be distributed to poor people. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day.

Meal in UK The main Christmas Meal is eaten at lunchtime on Christmas Day. Roast beef or goose (often turkey now) Roast vegetables (in Scotland: sometimes Haggis instead) Dessert: Christmas Pudding, Mince pies, lots of chocolates Dinner: table is decorated with a Christmas Cracker for each person

Roast beefRoast vegetables Christmas PuddingMince Pies Christmas Cracker

Christmas in USA The United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people celebrate Christmas, because of its multi- cultural nature. Many customs are similar to ones in the UK, France, Italy, Holland, Poland and Mexiko. (Coca Cola Christmas commercial)

Christmas in USA Traditional meal: – turkey or ham with cranberry sauce (Western European) – Turkey with trimmings, keilbasi (sausage), cabbage dishes, soups (Eastern European) – Lasagne (Italian families)

Christmas in USA People use pop-corn threaded on string to help decorate their Christmas Tree There are special shops called ‚Christmas Shops‘ that only sell Christmas decorations and toys all the year round Decorating the outsides of houses with lights, even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen, Reindeer

Christmas in CR 5th December – Children await St. Nicholas with angels and devils, if children have been good all year, he gives them a basket of presents

Christmas in CR Main celebrations are on Christmas Eve Fasting during Christmas Eve for vision of ‚the golden pig‘ – a sign of good luck

Dinner Dinner is eaten during the evening of Christmas Eve Fish soup made of carp Fried carp with potato salad

Jezisek Children believe in ‚Little Jesus‘ Jezisek brings presents during the Christmas Eve dinner and leaves them under the Christmas Tree, he rings before leaving Opening the presents right after dinner Singing Christmas carols by the tree Religious families go to church at midnight

Superstitions If you throw a shoe over your shoulder on Christmas day and the toe points towards the door, you will be married soon Cutting an apple Walnut shells with a candle embarks on the water, whose is near the bowl, that stays at home next year

Public holidays in CR 1 January – Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State, which was created in 1993, after dissolution of Czechoslovakia 1 May – Labour Day 8 May - Liberation Day – the end of the European part of WW II in July – Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, they came to Great Moravia to propagate Christian faith and literacy (Saint Cyril and Methodius)

Public holidays in CR 6 July – Jan Hus Day, who was burned at the stake in September – St. Wenceslas Day, Czech Statehood Day – in 935 St. Wenceslas, duke of Bohemia, was murdered by his brother. Now he is a patron of the Czech State. 28 October – Independent Czechoslovak State Day, created in November – The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy – commemorating the student demonstration against Nazi occupation in 1939 and the demonstration in 1989 that started the Velvet Revolution.

Christmas 24 December – Christmas Eve 25 December – Christmas Day 26 December – St. Stephen‘s Day, The Second Christmas Day

Bank holiday in United Kingdom 1 January 17 March – St. Patrick‘s Day – Northern Ireland only 1 May – May Day – dancing around May pole, crowning a May Queen and welcoming summer Spring Bank Holiday (Last Monday in May) Late Summer Bank Holiday (Last M. in August) 25 December – Christmas Day 26 December – Boxing Day 27, 28 December

Public holidays in United States 1 January – New Year‘s Day Birthday of M. Luther King Jr. – civil rights leader, who received the Nobel Prize 14 February – St. Valentine‘s Day Washington‘s Birthday (3rd M. in February) Memorial Day (Last M. in May) – Honors the nation‘s war dead from the Civil War (1968) 4 July – Independence Day – celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence from British rule.

Labour Day (1st M. in September) Columbus Day (2nd M. in October) – honors Christopher Columbus, discoverer of the Americas. 11 November – Veterans Day – to recall the end of WW I (formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918) Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November) – celebrates the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest, including the turkey dinner 25 December - Christmas

Public holiday in Australia 1 January – New Year‘s Day 26 January – Australia Day – anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Shops at Port Jackson and raising of the Flag of Great Britain by Governor Arthur Philip. 25 April – ANZAC Day = Day of Army Corps of Australia and New Zealand 9 June – Queen‘s Birthday 25 December – Christmas Day 26 December – Boxing Day, Proclamation Day (Australia Day)

( Auld Lang Syne ) ( New year‘s Eve in Prague) ( Coca Cola Christmas commercial) (Saint Cyril and Methodius ) (Australia Day ) ( Christmas is all around )