British and American History Week 12

Schedule Presentations – Halloween – Thanksgiving – Easter – Veteran’s Day – Independence Day Lecture Holiday Games

New Year’s Day January 1 The first day of the Western calendar. December 31 is called « New Year’s Eve » (evening before)

New Year’s Traditions Have a party on New Year’s Eve Staying awake until midnight Having a countdown to midnight Watching fireworks Giving someone a kiss (for good luck) right at midnight Watching the party in Times Square on TV Making New Year’s resolutions (goals to keep)

New Year’s Eve Party

Staying Awake till midnight Having a countdown

Watching Fireworks

Times Square

New Year’s Resolutions

Holidays Times Square New Year preparations tory-of-the-holidays-new-years- eve#history-of-the-holidays-new- years-eve

Valentine’s Day February 14 Celebrating love. (Historically, based on a priest, Valentinus, who would secretly help people get married.) Traditions: buy roses/ chocolates/ gifts for your lover, go on a date. Children also give candy and cards.

Valentine’s Day tory-of-valentines-day#history-of- valentines-day

Presidents’ Day 3 rd Monday in February. Celebrating the birthdays of George Washington (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12). To celebrate all the presidents. Traditions: some business and schools have a day off.

Easter Always on a Sunday in Spring, but not based on the Western Calendar. A combination of 2 holidays: – The coming of Spring – The resurrection of Jesus Christ

Easter Traditions istory-of-the-holidays-easter- video#history-of-the-holidays- easter-video

Easter Traditions Dyeing (coloring) Easter eggs Easter egg hunt (for children) « The Easter Bunny » Church meeting at sunrise Singing Easter songs

Dyeing Eggs

Easter Bunny

Memorial Day Last Monday in May. To honor the memory of soldiers who have died in battle. Traditions: watch parades, military ceremonies, visit the graves of relatives who were soldiers, have a day off from work.

Independence Day (4 th of July) July 4 Celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence – « America’s birthday ». Traditions: shooting off fireworks, having a BBQ or picnic, watching parades, traveling.

Halloween Oct. 31 Originally « Hallow’s Evening », the night before a religious holiday, Nov. 1. Now, it’s just a celebration of scary things. Traditions: have a costume party, trick-or-treating (asking for candy), decorate a pumpkin. Carve a pumpkin

Costume Party

Carving a Pumpkin jack o'lantern or decorate a pumpkin

Halloween alloweens-origins#haunted- history-of-halloween alloweens-origins#haunted- history-of-halloween alloweens-origins#halloween- traditions

Veteran’s Day November 11 To honor former soldiers who are still living. (Originally, this date was the official end of WW1) Traditions: watch parades, ceremonies to thank our veterans, have a day off work.

Thanksgiving Day 4 th Thursday in November. Celebrates the first harvest of the Pilgrims in the New World. They were thankful to God and to the Indians for helping them survive their first year in America.

Thanksgiving Traditions Big family dinner (biggest feast of the year) with many traditional foods: turkey, pumpkin pie, etc. Playing American football/ watching the football on TV. Remembering things we are thankful for. Going shopping the Friday after.

Thanksgiving Meal

Playing Football or Watching Football on TV

Black Friday

Thanksgiving istory-of-the-thanksgiving- holiday#history-of-the- thanksgiving-holiday istory-of-the-thanksgiving- holiday#history-of-the- thanksgiving-holiday istory-of-the-thanksgiving- holiday#thanksgiving-day-parade- tech

Christmas December 25 Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. America’s biggest holiday (for Christians and for non- religious people).

Christmas Traditions Visiting family and having big family dinners. Decorating Christmas tree, decorating house Exchanging gifts (and shopping for them) Singing Christmas songs, attending concerts Story of Santa Claus, reindeer, etc… Watching Christmas movies a-holiday a-holiday christmas christmas

Stockings on the Fireplace

Christmas Cookies

Decorating the house for Christmas