2. 1. Land of traditions 2. Interesting to know 3. Famous people

3. General Superstitions Unlucky to walk underneath a ladder. Seven years bad luck to break a mirror. The superstition is supposed to have originated in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods. Unlucky to see one magpie, lucky to see two, etc.. Unlucky to spill salt. If you do, you must throw it over your shoulder to counteract the bad luck. Unlucky to open an umbrella in doors. The number thirteen is unlucky. Friday the thirteenth is a very unlucky day. Friday is considered to be an unlucky day because Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Unlucky to put new shoes on the table. Unlucky to pass someone on the stairs.

4. Food Superstitions When finished eating a boiled egg, push the spoon through the bottom of the empty shell to let the devil out In Yorkshire, housewives used to believe that bread would not rise if there was a corpse (dead body) in the vicinity, and to cut off both ends of the loaf would make the Devil fly over the house! Wedding Superstitions Bride and groom must not meet on the day of the wedding except at the altar. The bride should never wear her complete wedding clothes before the day. For good luck the bride should wear “ something borrowed, something blue, something old and something new ”. The husband should carry his new wife over the threshold of their home.

5. Twelfth Night is the night before Twelfth Day. The evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking. Twelfth Night (5th January) is when all Christmas Decorations should be removed so as not to bring bad luck upon the home. If decorations are not removed on Twelfth Night, they should stay up all year. Why is Twelfth Night on 5th January and not 6th January? Why is it bad luck to leave the decorations up after Twelfth Night? Long ago it was thought that leaving the decorations up would cause a disaster. People believed that tree-spirits lived in the greenery (holy, ivy etc) they decorated their houses with. The greenery was brought into the house to provide a safe haven for the tree-spirits during the harsh midwinter days. Once this period was over it was necessary to return the greenery back outside to release the tree-spirits into the countryside once again. Failure to do this would mean that vegetation would not be able to start growing again (spring would not return), leading to an agricultural disaster. visit projectbritain.com It was also thought that, if you left the greenery in the house, the tree-spirits would cause mischief in the house until they were released. visit projectbritain.com for more information Today people still feel uneasy about leaving the Christmas decorations up after Twelfth Night. Despite decorations now being made of foil or paper, and even though the tree-spirits are long forgotten, the superstition still survives.

6. International Thank You Day got its start in 1994. January 11 is one of the most "polite" days. The history of the holiday has not much details. According to one version, the International Thank You Day was coined by a single company, a manufacturer of greeting cards. In Russia the word was born in the XVI century. The phrase ''Spasi Bog'' - "God, save us," was often used at the time, later turned into one word - "Spasibo" - "Thank you." Psychologists believe that the words of gratitude - a "verbal pats" that can soothe and warm by its warmth. The specialists note that the important thing is that the words spoken from the heart. Gratitude is a very important element of psychological comfort, and the most important thing here is that people should be sincere while pronouncing the “magic” words. Only in this case will it work! Thanks. Thanks a lot. Thank you Thank you very much. Thank you ever so much. It's very nice (kind) of you. I appreciate it. I appreciate your help. You're welcome. Don't mention it. It was nothing. My pleasure. I'm glad I could help. Anytime.

7. January 16 - The Beatles day January 16 marks The Beatles day. This date of the legendary band was approved by UNESCO in 2001. On January 16, 1957, Liverpool opened the Cavern club, where The Beatles debuted, signaling the launch of one of the most celebrated bands in the twentieth century. This day, fans around the world organize numerous events dedicated to the legendary band. Formed in Liverpool, the group consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Rooted in 1950s rock and roll, the group later worked in many genres ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. The Beatles gained popularity in the United Kingdom after their first single, "Love Me Do", became a modest hit in late 1962, and acquired the nickname the "Fab Four" as Beatlemania grew in Britain over the following year. The band toured extensively around the world until August 1966, when they performed their final commercial concert. From 1966 they produced what many critics consider to be some of their finest material, including the innovative and widely influential albums Revolver (1966), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), The Beatles (1968) and Abbey Road (1969).

8. As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) "Auld Lang Syne" is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and "Scots Wha Hae" served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country. Other poems and songs of Burns that remain well known across the world today include "A Red, Red Rose"; "A Man's A Man for A' That"; "To a Louse"; "To a Mouse"; "The Battle of Sherramuir"; "Tam o' Shanter"; and "Ae Fond Kiss". He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic Movement, and after his death he became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism, and a cultural icon in Scotland and among the Scottish Diaspora around the world. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries, and his influence has long been strong on Scottish literature. In 2009 he was chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a vote run by Scottish television channel STV. Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) (also known as Robbie Burns, Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favorite son and in Scotland as The Bard) was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a light Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English, and in these his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest. 25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796 Burns statue (1898) in Bernard Street, Leith