1. Festivals and ceremonies in great Britain

2. Hogmanay
Nowhere else in Britain is the arrival of the New Year celebrated so wholeheartedly as in Scotland. It is much more important festival there than in any part of Britain and it has a special name – Hogmanay.

3. Hogmanay

4. Hogmanay

5. Hogmanay

6. St. Valentine`s day
Valentine`s Day is a day to share loving feelings with friends and family. It is also known as a holiday honouring lovers. Long before February 14 shops come to life with displays of attractive and brightly coloured “I love you” Valentine cards.

7. St. Valentine`s Day

8. April Fool`s day
April 1 is a day when one can light-heartedly make fool of any person, young or old, important or otherwise, a friend, a colleague, a family member. Many people like to play jokes or tricks on this day.

9. April fool`s Day

10. Christmas
Christmas Day, December 25 is probably the most beloved, the most exiting and the most important holiday in Britain. Christmas is a festival when both children and adults are filled with anticipation and excitement.

12. Easter
In Britain, as well as in many other countries, Easter is annual Christian festival in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is observed on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or next after March 21, the day of the spring equinox.

13. Easter

14. Easter

15. Hallowe`en
Hallowe`en meaning “holy evening” is a popular tradition celebrated on October 31, on the eve of All Saints` Day which is marked on November 1. It is time for games, fun and fortune telling, for ghost stories and making mischief.

16. Hallowe`en

17. Guy Fawkes Night
It is one of the most popular festivals celebrated on November 5 for four centuries already. It commemorates the discovery of Gunpowder plot which prevented blowing up the Houses of Parliament.

18. Poppy Day
Remembrance Day is observed throughout Britain in commemoration of the million or more British soldiers, sailors and airmen who lost their lives during the two World Wars. In is celebrated on the second Sunday in November.

19. Poppy Day

20. Trooping the Colour
It is one of the most magnificent military ceremonies in Britain. It is held annually on the reigning monarch`s “official” birthday, which is the second Saturday in June.

21. Trooping the colour

22. Trooping the colour

23. Changing the Guard
The spectacular ceremony of Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace attracts numerous spectators from the country and tourists from different parts of the world. The Guard is changed at a.m. daily.

24. Changing the Guard

25. The ceremony of the keys
Every night at 9.53 p.m. the Chief Warder of the Yeomen Warders (Beefeaters) of the Tower of London lights a candle lantern and then makes his way towards the Bloody Tower. In the Archway his Escort waits his arrival. The Chief Warder, carrying the keys, then moves off with his Escort to the West Gate, which he locks, while the Escort “presents arms”. Then the Middle and Byward Towers are locked.

26. The ceremony of the keys

27. The Lord Mayor`s show
The ceremony is the gesture of pride in the City`s history and strength as a world commercial centre. The ceremony seems still more bright and colourful because it is always held on the second Saturday in November when the city is often wrapped in mist or rain.

28. The Lord Mayor`s show

29. Pancake Day
Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the day before Lent starts. Lent is a Christian fast, which lasts for 40 days before Easter.

30. Pancake day

31. Pancake day