English Holidays

New Year’s day (January, 1)
There are a number of holidays, which are celebrated in Great Britain every year. One of them is, of course, New Year's Day on 1 January. It is not so popular in England as in our country, but it is rather popular in Scotland. On that day people usually visit their friends and there is a lot of dancing and eating. In Scotland people bring a piece of coal for good luck in the New Year.

St. Valentine’s Day (February, 24)
The next holiday of the year is St. Valentine's Day. It is on 14 February. People buy or make Valentine cards and send them to the people they love.

Mother’s Day (March)
In March there is Mother's Day. It is always the fourth Sunday of Lent. Mothering Sunday is a time when children pay respect to their Mothers. All the children, little or adult ones, come to their mothers on that day to express their love and gratitude.

April Fool’s Day (April, 1)
April Fool’s Day is on 1 April. In this holiday people try to trick their friends, to make them behave like fools. April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year.

St. George’s Day (April, 23)
St. George’s day is on 23 April. It’s England’s national day. St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England and part of the British flag.

Easter (April)
In April there is Easter. At Easter children eat chocolate Easter eggs. Sometimes parents hide them in the house or in the garden and children have to look for them.

Father’s day (June)
In June there is Father's Day. This festival is celebrated on the third Sunday of June and therefore the date of the holiday is never fixed. On Father's Day children give or send their fathers and grandfathers cards and presents.

Halloween (October, 31)
On 31 October there is a Halloween. They say ghosts and witches come out on Halloween. People make lanterns out of pumpkins. Some people have Halloween parties and dress as witches and ghosts.

Guy Fawkes Day (November, 5)
Guy Fawkes Day is on 5 November. November 5th marks the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, a conspiracy to blow up the English Parliament and King James I in 1605, the day set for the king to open Parliament. The anniversary was named after Guy Fawkes, the most famous of the conspirators.

Christmas Day (December, 21)
The 25th of December is Christmas Day. It is one of the people's favourite holidays. People put Christmas trees in their houses and decorate them. There are beautiful Christmas decorations in the streets. On Christmas Eve everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Father Christmas puts presents into the stockings which children usually hang on their beds. The traditional Christmas meal is roast turkey and Christmas pudding.

Boxing Day (December, 26)
Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the following day after Christmas Day which is on 26 December. Traditionally, 26 December was the day to open the Christmas box to share the contents with the poor.

Christmas Bank Holiday (December, 27)
Christmas Bank Holiday is on 27 December. If Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is a substitute bank holiday. If Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday and Tuesday are substitute bank holidays. The bank holiday is a time for many people to relax and enjoy a day off from work.

I’m so grateful to you…
GIFT-RECEIVING:
Thank you very much.
Thanks a lot.
I’m happy to have it.