Notable Days in English Speaking

Countries
HALLOWEEN - October 31st
HALLOWEEN
(Samhain)

 Comes from the Celtic festival of Samhain. Celebrated 2000 years ago in
what is now Ireland.

 It was the last day of year in the UK and Northern France. The last harvest
and the beginning of the Winter. Which is associated with death.

 Christianity changed the name to All Hallow‘s Eve because November 1st
is All Saint‘s Day. It was later shortened to Halloween

 The Jack-O-Lantern (Jack of the Lantern) is the symbol of Halloween.

 It is not a National Holiday (státní svátek)

‘Trick or Treat, Smell my feet,
Give me something good to eat.’
Children wear scary costumes and go

Trick or treating
Don’t ask for a TRICK.
A TRICK means something bad happening to your
house:
Toilet paper in your trees
Eggs thrown at your house
Soap on your windows

If you don’t have anything to give them, don’t open the door!
People also visit Haunted
Houses or play Apple Bobbing.
Bonfire Night / Guy
Fawkes Day
Remember, remember the 5th of
November. Gunpowder, treason & plot

•Bonfire or Fireworks Night is a uniquely British event. It

commemorates the UNsuccessful plot to blow up King
James I and Parliament by Catholics in 1605. The fireworks
are a reminder of the gunpowder that was placed by the
plotters under the Houses of Parliament.

•It is not a national holiday (státní svátek)

•In 21st century Britain, Bonfire Night is usually celebrated

with a trip to an organised bonfire and firework display,
with paid admission and controlled access.
November 11th
•Also known as Poppy Day or Armistice
Day. Armistice Day is commemorated
every year on 11 November to mark the
armistice signed between the Allies of
World War I and Germany.
•Remembrance Day in the United
Kingdom honours the heroic efforts,
achievements and sacrifices that were
made in past wars. The main observance
is on the second Sunday in November, but
2 minutes of silence is also made on
November 11 at 11am.
Thanksgiving Day is an annual national
holiday in the USA & Canada celebrating
the harvest.

Americans generally believe that their

Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest
feast shared by the English colonists
(Pilgrims) and the Wampanoag people.
Abraham Lincoln
proclaimed the 4th
Thursday in November
to be a National
holiday in 1863.
The traditional meal is turkey with vegetables. Also, foods that come from the New World such as
pumpkins and potatoes
There is a Thanksgiving Parade in New York. The
last float is Santa Klaus, to mark the start of Xmas.
 There is always a football game at
Thanksgiving, with a half time show
Black Friday is the day after
Thanksgiving.
Since 1957
Thanksgiving Day has
been celebrated in
Canada on the second
Monday in October.
In the UK & USA people don‘t have Advent Wreaths but the Christmas tree is often put up
at the beginning of Advent
On the 24th of December, in the evening, children in the UK leave Brandy
and a mince pie for Father Christmas
On the 24th of December, in the evening, children in the USA leave Milk
and Cookies for Santa Klaus
UK - On the 24th
Children hang
stockings by
their bed for
Father
Christmas to fill
with small
presents
USA- On the
24th Children
hang stockings
by the fireplace
for Santa Klaus
to fill with small
presents
Larger presents are
put under the tree
and opened before
dinner on the 25th
Traditional Christmas dinner
Christmas Cracker
The paper crown
tradition is from the
ancient Romans, who
wore crowns to celebrate
Saturnalia (at the end of
December). In the UK it
is compulsory to wear
them during dinner. They
are inside Christmas
crackers.
Bad Jokes and plastic prizes are
inside the crackers too.
Xmas pudding (on fire)and Xmas cake
But many
people don‘t like
Xmas pudding.
Opting for other
British desserts
A typical American
Xmas dessert is fruit
cake or Pecan Pie
Like in the Czech Republic, it
is popular to bake Christmas
Cookies & Gingerbread in
the USA
In the UK the Queen‘s
annual speech is at 3pm
- many people plan
Xmas dinner around it.
After dinner, it is time for fun and party games such as Monopoly,
Who am I and Charades
 January 6th/ Epiphany/ 3 Kings Day

The Christmas tree and all Christmas decorations

must be taken down on this day.

In the UK according to superstition, if you don‘t, you‘ll

have bad luck all year.
UK USA
• No advent wreaths. • No advent wreaths.
• Tree & decorations up beginning of advent. • Tree & decorations up beginning of advent.
• On the 24th children leave Brandy and minced pies for • On the 24th children leave Milk & cookies for Santa
Father Christmas. Klaus.
• On the 24th children hang stockings by their beds. • On the 24th children hang stockings by the fireplace.
• Open presents before dinner on the 25th of December. • Open presents before dinner on the 25th of December.
• Roast turkey and Vegetables for Xmas dinner. • Roast turkey and Vegetables for Xmas dinner.
• Christmas pudding or Christmas cake for dessert. • Pecan pie of Fruit cake for dessert.
• Don’t bake Christmas biscuits • Bake Christmas cookies
• Christmas cracker tradition. • No Christmas cracker tradition
• Tree and decorations down by January 6th • No superstition about taking tree down

Comparing Christmas: UK & USA

• From the end of the 17th century to the 1950's Christmas was not really celebrated as a
festival in Scotland, regarded as a Catholic celebration and banned by the Protestant church
for this reason.

• As a result, most people in Scotland worked over Christmas and took the time off at New Year
to gather and party with friends and family, sharing gifts which were known as hogmanays.
 The Torchlight Procession
blazes through the streets
every year on December 30th.
• The Torchlight Procession is an ancient customs
from Scottish Hogmanay parties hundreds of years
ago.
• These festivities would include the lighting of
bonfires, rolling blazing tar barrels down hills and
tossing torches, as fire has long been considered a
symbol of rebirth and new beginnings
• The Torchlight Procession can also be traced back
even further to pre-Christian Viking festivals, which
celebrated the Winter Solstice. At these, fireballs
and torches signified the power of the sun to purify
the world by consuming evil spirits – a reference to
Hogmanay’s pagan Norse roots.
 "First footing"
- you should arrive on the
doorstep on January 1st with a
piece of coal, some shortbread,
salt, black bun or whisky. The
most desired visitor is a tall, dark
and handsome man. A blond man
would mean trouble. A woman
would mean bad luck!
Scottish Hogmanay
Traditions
•Clean the house and take out the ashes from the fire before 31st
December and all debts should be cleared before "the bells" sound
at midnight, with the idea that you start the new year afresh.

•Singing of For Auld Lang Syne - just after midnight and the joining
of hands and celebration of friendship.

•Loony Dook - after a parade, hundreds of Scots wear fancy dress

and run into the freezing cold waters of the Firth of Forth on
January 1st to clear their Hogmanay heads.
Saint Patrick’s Day – March 17th
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. March 17 th is the
anniversary of his death. He brought Christianity to Ireland.
He used the Shamrock (Clover) to explain the Holy Trinity
Irish immigrants started the St Patrick’s day parade in America
Green is the National colour of Ireland (the Emerald Isle).
Green clothes (or you’ll be pinched), food, beer.
The Chicago river is also green for a few hours.
There are parades in Ireland and major USA cities.
The 20th/21st of
March (Spring
Equinox) is the
first day of Spring
– sometime after
this day there is a
full moon – the
Sunday after this
full moon is
Easter Sunday
6 weeks before Easter many Christians
practise Lent
On Easter
Sunday
children in
the UK &
USA have an
Easter Egg
Hunt
Children
believe the
Easter
Bunny hides
the eggs or
brings them
an Easter
basket
In the UK
roast lamb
with mint
sauce is the
traditional
Easter
Sunday
lunch
Independence Day is a
federal holiday in the
United States
commemorating the
Declaration of
Independence of the
United States, on July 4,
1776.
People celebrate with
BBQs, concerts,
baseball games and
parades