Holidays in the United Kingdom

There are many different holidays in United Kingdom. Besides public holidays, or bank holidays ( a ‘Bank’ holiday is an official public holiday when all banks, post offices, most factories, offices and shops are closed), there are other festivals, anniversaries and simply days, on which certain traditions are observed, but unless they fall on Sunday, they are ordinary working days.

Christmas

25th December: Christmas. The proverb says, “Christmas comes but once a year.” There is once a year a buzz in the air as Christmas approaches. Fairy lights and brightly decorated trees illuminate the streets, carols ring out from cathedrals and churches, and children anxiously wait for the arrival of the most enjoyable holiday.

Christmas is a traditional family reunion day. On this day many people attend a church service, open their presents, eat Christmas dinner and watch the Sovereign’s annual Christmas broadcast on television.

Preparations for Christmas are always very pleasant: buying gifts, sending Christmas cards and decorating Christmas tree with small, brightly-coloured lights and small glass ornaments. In Britain, Christmas is the most important public holiday of the year. Every year a huge Christmas tree, the gift of Norwegian people in thanks for Britain’s support during the Second World War, graces Trafalgar Square.

New Year

New Year January 1st, New Year’s Day is now a public holiday in England, but it is not marked with any particular custom in Britain, largely because it comes so soon after Christmas. But in many large towns and cities there is public gathering on New Year’s Eve to ‘see the New Year in’, the largest and loveliest usually held in Trafalgar Square in London.

St. Valentine’s Day

February 14: St. Valentine’s Day February 14 is a day for choosing sweethearts and exchanging love-tokens. Generations of young people have considered St. Valentine to be friend and patron of lovers and have sent hand- made valentines to their sweethearts.

Valentine was a colouful card with a short love verse composed by the sender. Now thousands of ready-made valentines are sent through the post every year. They are complete with ready-made sentiments and decorations, brightly coloured and glided, and sometimes perfumed and packed into a neat box.

Pancake Day

Pancake day Pancake Day is a popular name for Shrove Tuesday – the last day of enjoyment before the fasting of Lent. On Shrove Tuesday Christians confessed their sins to a priest. Many people still traditionally eat pancakes on that day.

In many towns pancake races are held on Shrove Tuesday in which women run with pancakes. Each runner has a pancake in the pan. As she runs, she tosses the pancake up and over in the air and catches it again in the pan. The most famous race takes place at Olney, Buckinghamshire, and it is said to date from 1445.

Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday The fourth Sunday in Lent is Mothering Sunday – a day of small family reunions. On this day absent sons and daughters return to their homes and gifts are made to mothers by their children of all ages.

1st April

1st April : April Fool’s Day April, 1 is known in Britain as April Fool’s Day – the day when practical jokes are played. People takes them in good part and laugh heartily even if some tricks or jokes have made April fools of them. Any person, young or old, important or not, may be made an April Fool between the hours of midnight and noon.

Hallowee’n

Hallowe’en Another popular British tradition is Hallowee’n, celebrated on October 31, the eve of All Saint’s Day. Hallowee’n customs date back to a time when people believed in devils, witches and ghosts. They thought that they could do all kinds of damage to property. Some people tried to ward off witches by painting magic signs or nailing a horseshoe.

Now most people do not believe in evil spirits Now most people do not believe in evil spirits. Today the day is usually marked by costume balls or fancy-dress parties and is a popular tradition with young people and children. On the night of Hallowee’n children or grown-ups visit houses and ask the residents if they want “trick” or “treat”. If the people in the house give the children a “treat” (usually sweets or money), then the children will not play a trick on them.

Another Halloween custom is to scrape out a pumpkin, cutting eyes, nose and mouth in its side and lighting a candle inside, this is made to scare their friends.