Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries Yangqian College of Foreign Languages Shenyang University

Customs Historical Periods 1 2 Traditional Costumes 3 Historic Sites

Public Holidays Bank holidays New Year’s Day Good Friday Early May Bank Holiday Spring Bank Holiday Summer Bank Holiday Christmas Day Boxing Day Royal wedding in 2011 Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012

National Holidays Trooping the Colour Queen’s Birthday Around Buckingham Palace in London The Queen inspecting her troops

Bonfire Night Remember, Remember the Fifth of November Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason ： Should ever be forgot.

Remembrance Day in Britain On 11 November / Poppy Day Two- minute silence At war memorials and churches

Religious Holidays Christmas: the biggest and the most popular British holiday celebrated on December 25th each year to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Decorating a Christmas tree

Three typical British traditions The Christmas Pantomime: a comical musical play

The Boxing Day

The Queen’s Speech over the television and radio

Easter The most important Christian festival In spring Easter egg

Pancake Day A traditional Christian Festival Pancake races

Typical Food & Drink No.1 Fish and Chips

No.2 Tea The entire British empire build up on tea. “I’ll put the kettle on.” Milk or sugar?

Afternoon Tea First plate: tea sandwich Second plate: scone Third plate: cakes and pastries

Eating habits Breakfast-fast Lunch-simple Supper/dinner-formal Brunch= breakfast + lunch on weekends Supper/dinner-formal Pasta & Pizza

Table Manners

Things you should do If you are a guest, it is polite to wait until your host starts eating or indicates you should do so. It shows consideration. You may eat chicken and pizza with your fingers if you are at a barbecue, finger buffet or very informal setting. Otherwise always use a knife and fork. When you have finished eating, and to let others know that you have, place your knife and folk together, with the prongs (tines) on the fork facing upwards, on your plate.

Things you should not do Never lick or put your knife in your mouth. It is impolite to have your elbows on the table while you are eating. It is impolite to put too much food in your mouth. It is impolite to slurp your food or eat noisily. Never blow your nose on a napkin (serviette). Napkins are for dabbing your lips and only for that.

Dos & Don’ts Greeting Weather talk Space invader Thank you & sorry First name

Dos & Don’ts Drive on the left 　　　 Smoking ban Jump the queue

Dos & Don’ts Superstition Sneezes & “God bless you” Never walk under ladders thirteen / Friday the thirteenth of March Opening an umbrella inside the house