Holidays (topic, essay, vocabulary)

Holidays (topic, essay, vocabulary)

UK:

St. Valentine´s Day – February 14th- It is lovers´day. Friends and lovers sen done another letters of greeting cards expressing their love and affection. Some of them are romantic, humorous, sentimental, satiric or provoking. 
The first Valentine was a bishop, a Christian martyr, murdered by Romans. Before he was put to death he sent a note of friendship to his jailer´s daughter.
All Fools´Day – April 1st – Day full of jockes and tricky. People play tricks on other people and then they shout „April Fool“
Easter- between March and April. Easter is a Christian festival, it is also a welcome spring holiday.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter, It is the anniversary of Christ´s crucification.
Easter Sunday commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus. Easter eggs, symbolizing new life, are given as present.
Halloween – is celebrated in October 31st. People dress up funny costumes(ghosts, devils, fairies) and go to a party. Children light pumpkins. People tell tales about ghosts and witches. This tradition marks beginning of winter.
Guy Fawkes Day– November 5th. I tis celebrated with bonfires, fireworks and the burning of guys made of straw. Guy Fawkes was an English Catholic. He tried to destroy the Houses of Parliament with a bomb. He was arrested and executed.
Christmas – December 24th. Special Christmas decorations, coloured lights and Christmas trees can be seen in the streets and shops. Christmas carols are sung almost everywhere. People buy presents. Children hang up Christmas stockings at the end of their beds for Santa Claus and then they go to bed. In the morning children get up early to find presents. Christmas dinner consists of filled turkey and Christmas pudding.
New Year´s Day – January 1st – people sing and dance. Famous place for this event is Trafalgar square.

USA

Thanskgiving Day is celebrated on the last Thursday in November. People celebrate their first harvest and the first people who came to America (Pilgrim fathers). These days families in USA meet together and they have a big dinner which consists of roast turkey.
Independence Day – July 4th – The Declaration of Independence was signed. People do not go to work and meet together.

SLOVAKIA
In Slovakia we celebrate Easter holidays, Mother’s day, Father’s day, New Year, Christmas, Good Friday…... Events in Slovakia are very traditional. When two people get married they have a wedding. We have many family celebrations such birthdays, name days, school leaving celebrations and many others.
Some holidays are connected with our history. For example:
The Day of the Estamblishment of Slovak Republic –1.1
The Day of St.methodius and Cyrils – 5.7
The Anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising –SNP-29.8
The Day of the Slovak Constitution-1.9-Ustava
The Day of the fight for the freedom and democracy-17.11
Our Lady of Sorrows-15.9

Slovakia:

Christmas:

Among children, Christmas is the most exciting and fascinating time.

Preparations for this holiday start many weeks before. Some people have been shopping Christmas present since October. Christmas decorations, colourful Christmas trees can be seen in the streets and shops. Christmas carols are sung everywhere, people buy presents and send postcards to their relatives and friends.

On Christmas Eve (24.12) homes are already decorated with Christmas tree – the most important part of decoration. Mothers prepare the traditional Christmas dinner: Sauerkraut or Lentil soup for the first course and fish (carp) and potato salad for the second course. Tables are decorated with candles and Wreaths and there are a lot of cakes and pastries as well as fruit. In most families an apple is cut to see what the next year will be like. After dinner the Christmas presents are exchanged, which is then followed by visiting our nearest and dearest family members and friends. The last tradition of the evening is going to church for the Midnight Mass.

New Year’s Eve – is celebrated at cottages, pubs, outside or at home. It is also a popular time for skiing and staying in the mountains. Traditionally, at midnight champagne is drunk. We all wish and hope for a Happy New Year.

Easter– Another important religious holiday is Easter. Our traditions are completely different from other countries. Boys and men go to every house where girls and women are. They have whips and buckets of water and they whip and douse the girls and women with water. Girls give them decorated eggs, offer drinks and give the males a ribbon on the whip.

Great Britain:

Christmas – Before Christmas department stores are decorated. Presents are usually bought long before Christmas. Christmas Eve is on the 24^th December. They have traditional Christmas dinner, which means a roast turkey and Christmas pudding. Children go to bed very early. Most families open their Christmas presents on the 25^th December at breakfast time. The Christmas Day is on the 25^th December. The next day, the 26^th December, is called the Boxing Day. People sing carols and songs during Christmas time.

Easter – is a typical spring holiday. In Britain is celebrated over several days. On Good Friday, people eat hot cross buns and on Sunday people give each other chocolate eggs.