National holidays (Státní svátky)

National Holidays Types of celebrations Christmas/Advent Easter Family celebrations Czech National Holidays Czechoslovak Independence Day UK - Bank holidays National Holidays of the USA American Independence Day

Three different kinds of celebrations are: Types of celebrations Three different kinds of celebrations are: Religious holidays – Christmas, Eastern Family celebrations – birthday, wedding, name day National Holidays - New Year’s Day, Liberation Day

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.   Christmas Eve (evening) - 24th December Christmas Day - 25th December St. Stephen’s Day - 26th December

Advent Time of four weeks before Christmas. Women decorate their houses and bake sweets. We buy presents for our relatives and friends. Every Sunday we lit candle on the Advent wreath.

Christmas Eve We have Christmas dinner – fried carp and potato salad. We decorate Christmas tree. We have Christmas dinner – fried carp and potato salad. We open presents under the decorated Christmas tree.

Christmas in UK and in the USA People in UK and the USA open presents on 25th December in the morning. Their typical Christmas meal is roast turkey.

Easter The most important Christian holiday. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is celebrated in spring – in March or April. The date is different every year. The first Sunday after the first spring full moon.

Easter Symbols of Easter are decorated eggs, lambs, rabbits, representing the new life. On Easter Monday boys with willow sticks decorated with ribbons go to beat girls.

Family celebrations Birthday Baptism Name day Wedding Wedding anniversary

Czech National Holidays New Year’s Day Workers Day Liberation Day Czech Statehood Day Czechoslovak Independence Day Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy

New Year’s Day - January the 1st People celebrate the New Year at night before, at New Year’s Eve. They celebrate the coming of the New Year by drinking and fireworks. At midnight they have New Year´s toast with a glass of champagne. They make New Year´s resolutions.

International Workers' Day – May the 1st Also known as May Day. A celebration of the international labour movement. A national holiday in more than 80 countries.

Liberation day - May the 8th Celebrates the end of the Second World War.

Czech Statehood Day – September the 28th On this day Prince Wenceslas was killed. He became the patron saint of Czech nation.

Czechoslovak Independence Day - October the 28th The independent Czechoslovak Republic was founded in 1918. T. G. Masaryk became the first president.

Day of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy - 17th of November The student demonstration against Nazi occupation in 1939. The demonstration in 1989 that started the Velvet Revolution.

Bank Holidays in the UK National holidays in Great Britain are called the Bank Holidays. Banks are closed these days.

National holidays of Great Britain New Year´s Day Easter May Day Spring Bank Holiday (end of May) Summer Bank Holiday (end of August) Christmas

National Holidays in the USA New Year´s Day Easter (Good Friday, Easter Monday) Independence Day Thanksgiving Halloween Christmas (Christmas Day, Boxing Day)

The USA - Independence Day The greatest American holiday, celebrated on 4th July. Americans celebrate their country’s birthday. The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. George Washington became the first American president.

The USA – Thanksgiving The oldest of all American holidays. It is celebrated on the last Thursday of November. Historically held as thanks for good harvest. Festival for families, who usually come together. Traditional meal is turkey and autumn vegetables.

The USA – Halloween One of world's oldest holidays. It goes back to Celtic times. It is celebrated on the evening of October 31st. Time of masks, costumes and superstitions. Very popular with children.

Saint Valentine's Day – February the 14th A holiday that celebrates love. People in love give and get candy & gifts.