Cful Q & A - Holidays and celebrations
What English public holidays have you heard of?
Public holidays in England are called bank holidays because on these days the banks are closed. New Year's Day, Easter Monday and Boxing Day are bank holidays. For the past few years the British have also observed the May Bank Holiday, to be in line with the other EU countries. May Bank Holiday is the first Monday in May. The British also celebrate St Valentine's Day, May Day, the Queen's birthday, Hallowe'en, Guy Fawkes Day and Armistice Day.
What is Easter celebration like in Hungary?
At Easter, in Hungary, similarly to other parts of the Christian World, people celebrate the Resurrection, that is, the rising ofJesus Christ from the tomb three days after his crucifixion. The manner of Christ's death and his resurrection prove to Christian people that he was the Son of God. Easter is a two-day holiday when Easter Sunday is spent with the family and on Easter Monday girls and women stay at home and expect boys to sprinkle them with perfume or water. The boys get chocolate or painted eggs and chocolate bunnies in return. Typical Easter foods include ham, hard-boiled eggs and cold pork in aspic. Egg painting has a long tradition in Hungary. The patterns range from simple to intricate, and make the egg look very attractive, for example, a leaf is wrapped around the egg before dipping it in paint. The paint is traditionally made from onion skin, green walnut, wild pear or any other vegetable or fruit that yields natural colour, but, of course, these days there is a wide range of paints and decorations available in the shops.
Why is it important to celebrate traditional holidays?
Celebrating traditional holidays serves several functions. Observing national holidays helps people better understand themselves and their relation to the society they are a part of. Holidays also strengthen family relations since they provide an opportunity to come together to share experiences and enjoy themselves. By organising parties to celebrate an event, friends and colleagues can also get to know each other better.
What is Citizenship Day?
Citizenship Day was first celebrated in May 1940 and was called 'I am an American' Day. It was established as a federal holiday in 2004, and is celebrated on 17 September. It is also called Constitution Day to mark the anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Today this day is considered a birthday for the US and it is a means for American citizens to express their pride in their citizenship, and time to learn more about the Constitution.
What is Thanksgiving and how is it celebrated?
Every fourth Thursday in November is designated as Thanksgiving Day in the United States. People celebrate this day to remember how God and the native Americans saved them from starvation in the 17th century. The most important part of the celebration is the dinner which includes turkey or ham, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce or jelly, corn dishes, and breads and rolls. Most Americans eat pumpkin pie as a dessert. On Thanksgiving there are special TV programmes and sports events are broadcast.
What is Guy Fawkes Night?
Guy Fawkes Night, which is also known as 'Firework Night' or 'Bonfire Night', is celebrated on November 5. Guy Fawkes, together with some other men, tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament on 5 November 1605. These people wanted to kill Protestant King James I and make England Catholic again. They were discovered in the cellars with barrels of gunpowder, tried and executed. This anniversary is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires. Figures of Guy Fawkes are burned on the bonfires and later sausages are toasted on the fire and potatoes are baked in the embers.
How is Hallowe'en celebrated?
Hallowe'en, 31 October, is the time for children's parties where the most popular games involve apples which have to be seized with teeth if they are hung on a string, or with a fork in one's mouth if they are floating on water. The apple is then peeled in one long strip, which is thrown over the left shoulder to form the initials of the throwers true love's name. The children dress up as witches or in other disguises, make lanterns of pumpkins and light candles inside them to scare the witches away. Many children go from house to house wearing their disguises and carrying their lanterns and ask for money or sweets. In recent years English children have also started to play 'trick or treat', like American children, so they visit houses wearing costumes and knock at the door, and when it is opened, they say trick or treat. 'Trick' means playing a joke, and 'treat' means getting a gift, usually sweets. This day is celebrated in many countries all over the world, and every year the celebration seems to get bigger.
What public holidays are there in Hungary?
Hungarians celebrate 15 March, the day of the Hungarian Revolution and War oflndependence of 1848-49, 20 August, the day of King Stephen I and also the day of the Constitution and the new bread, and 23 October, the day of the Declaration of the Hungarian Republic. On these days official celebrations are organised throughout the country with speeches, and the buildings are decorated with the Hungarian tricolor of red, white, and green. On 20 August parades are held in many towns with music and different shows, such as the traditional annual air show in the capital, and the Flower Carnival in Debrecen. Impressive fireworks shows close the celebrations in the evening.
How is New Year's celebrated in England?
In England people go to parties or dances at New Year's Eve. At midnight they drink a toast to the New Year and link arms and sing 'Auld Lang Syne'. In large towns and cities people gather in the streets to 'see the new year in'. In London, thousands of people gather to celebrate at the squares and streets, and wait for Big Ben to strike midnight and the fireworks displays as well as the spectacular laser show at the London Eye. People celebrate in the streets virtually everywhere in the country, and they ring out the old year and welcome the New Year with new hopes, new aspirations and new resolutions.
What is the English Christmas like?
In England the festive season begins at Advent. During this time, holly wreaths are made with candles. Christmas Eve is the time for the annual office party and many English people go to a midnight mass, while others go to church on the morning of Christmas Day. When they go to bed, children hang up an old sock at the head of their bed for Father Christmas, also called Santa Claus, to put presents in. The presents are found either in the socks or under the Christmas tree which has been decorated with brightly coloured lights and glass ornaments. According to old Celtic traditions, the houses are also decorated with evergreen plants like holly and ivy, and mistletoe, the holy plant of the druids, is pinned up. Unlike many other European countries, it is Christmas Day, not Christmas Eve, that is the most important day of the Christmas holidays. This is the day when families come together, presents are opened and Christmas dinner is eaten. At the start of the meal, most people pull Christmas crackers, which are decorated paper tubes that make a noise when pulled apart. They contain a small gift, joke and a paper hat or crown, which is worn during the dinner. Christmas dinner usually consists of roast turkey and roast potatoes and vegetables, followed by a plum pudding. Other traditional foods of the Christmas season are mince pies, pastry filled with spiced raisins and currants, and Christmas cake, a heavy rich fruit-cake, often laced with brandy. A traditional feature of Christmas afternoon is the Queen's Christmas Message which is broadcast on radio and television at three o'clock in the afternoon. On 26 December, Boxing Day, fewer and fewer people give gifts or 'boxes' for regular callers, such as dustmen and postmen, but the day is still called Boxing Day because of this old tradition. Since Boxing Day is a public holiday, most families spend the day together watching sports and playing boardgames. Shop assistants have to work though, since this is also the first day of the winter sales.
How do the Hungarians celebrate New Year?
In Hungary at New Year's Eve people usually go to parties where they eat and drink and enjoy themselves. It is customary to eat so-called Vienna sausages with mustard, and roast pig. At midnight people drink champagne and sing the national anthem. Then they go to the streets and watch the fireworks. After the long celebration of the end of the year, on 1 January people spend the whole day resting. They traditionally eat lentils because they are said to bring luck and money. Eating chicken on this day is considered unlucky since chickens scratch away your good fortune.
What are the red letter days in Hungarian families?
In Hungary the greatest family celebrations include birthdays, namedays, wedding anniversaries, Mother's Day, Christmas and Easter. Birthdays are usually celebrated at the weekend so that not only the immediate family but also those relatives who live far away can come. There is a big dinner after which the celebrated member of the family blows out the candles on the cake and gets presents. The celebration of namedays and wedding anniversaries is not a very big event in all families. At Christmas and Easter, Hungarian families usually spend not only one day together but they invite relatives or go to visit them for two or three days.
What are namedays?
In many European and Latin American countries people celebrate namedays on a particular day of the year associated with the given name. Nameday celebrations have a Christian origin though nowadays there is no longer any concrete connection to Christianity. In Hungary women are usually given flowers or chocolates on their namedays, while men get a bottle of some kind of alcoholic drink on this day from acquaintances, including colleagues at work, and family members. Some popular names have several namedays, so the person can choose on which day to celebrate.
How do the Americans celebrate Christmas?
In the US the festive season traditionally begins in November, just after the Thanksgiving holiday. The beginning of the Christmas shopping season is indicated by a spectacular parade in New York City. Since the US is so multi-cultural, there are many different ways of celebrating Christmas as each nationality has brought its own traditions with them. Americans find it really important to decorate their homes, gardens, offices, and public places both inside and outside. Inside the house there is an evergreen tree which they decorate with coloured lights, tinsel, angels, stars and bright ornaments some time before Christmas. The exterior of almost every building as well as the gardens and yards are adorned with strings of electric lights and even life-sized, illuminated Santas and reindeers. Some people like to drive or walk around neighbourhoods in the Christmas evenings to see the lights displayed on and around other homes. Like in England, children hang their stockings on the fireplace or the end of their bed to find gifts and goodies in them in the morning. They also find nicely wrapped presents under the Christmas tree then. The Christmas dinner in most families includes turkey or ham, potatoes and pie, and the menu also consists of a lot of desserts. At Christmas Eve adults drink eggnog, a drink made of cream, milk, sugar, beaten eggs and brandy or rum.
What do you know about Easter celebrations in the US?
In the United States of America, carnivals and parades are held, in order to honour Jesus' return to life. I think the most famous carnival is the one that takes place in New Orleans. As in many other countries, Easter in the USA is also very much commercialized, so all kinds of Easter symbols like bunnies, Easter trees, Easter Eggs and Easter lambs can be bought everywhere. A lot of Americans are fond of traditions such as organising egg hunts and egg rolling. Easter parties where the traditional dishes include baked ham, potatoes and vegetables are organised.
How do the English celebrate May Day?
In villages people set up maypoles, that is, tall poles decorated with colourful ribbons, and dance around them. A pretty girl crowned as May Queen and wearing a crown of flowers is the central figure in the celebrations and she is driven through the streets in an open car. In many places you can also see Morris Dancers, men and women dressed usually in white with coloured ribbons, cross-belts and bells, either clashing sticks or waving handkerchiefs while dancing.
How do the Americans celebrate Independence Day?
Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, commemorates the adoption of the Declaration oflndependence on July 4, 1776. It is celebrated with fireworks, outdoor meals, processions, flags, and speeches. People organise parties for the whole neighbourhood on beaches, parks or suburban lawns. People eat hot dogs and hamburgers, play volleyball and softball, and at night there are fireworks. Traditionally several major and minor league baseball games are played this day. The Fourth of July is also the national day of the United States when parties are organised by American embassies throughout the world.
Where and how is Columbus Day celebrated?
It is celebrated throughout most of the United States, parts of Canada, and in several Latin American republics. The traditional Columbus Day in the United States includes a parade down New York's Fifth Avenue, and parades are often organised in smaller towns and cities as well. In recent years, some people have begun to oppose Columbus Day because they think that he was not the discoverer of the region and because of the mistreatment of the native people of the Americas. In many Latin American countries this day is celebrated as the day of the Spanish heritage of the Latin American peoples, and includes impressive and colourful fiestas.
What have you heard of Christmas celebrations in other English-speaking countries?
It is interesting that the Christmas dinner in Ireland is almost like a Thanksgiving dinner in the US since the main dishes are turkey, ham and cranberry sauce. In Scotland many people burn the branches of a rowan tree on Christmas Eve to signify the end of any bad feeling between friends and relatives. It is believed that if the fire goes out on Christmas Eve, it means bad luck for the coming year. Since in New Zealand and Australia Christmas takes place in the middle of summer, many people organize barbecues for friends and family. As far as I know, Australians used to celebrate Christmas the way the English do, but today the various ethnic groups have transformed the celebrations into a mix of various festivities.
When is the Queen's birthday?
It traditionally takes place on the second Sunday in June and hundreds of people go to watch the 'Trooping of the Colour', that is, the Queen inspecting the troops parading their regimental flag. This is a colourful ceremony which takes place on the Horse Guards Parade in central London, during which soldiers on foot and on horses parade in front of the Queen, carrying the flags that represent their regiments. The Queen's official birthday is also the day when British embassies give parties similar to those given by other nations on their National Day or Independence Day.
What do you know about Labor Day?
Labor Day is the first Monday of September, and is usually celebrated throughout the weekend. It is the holiday that honours each worker in the United States. One of the main features of the celebration is organising parades. Barbecues, picnics and other outdoor activities also take place. A lot of families spend the Labor Day weekend on the beach, playing ballgames or visiting relatives and friends who live far away. Numerous other countries have adopted Labor Day and celebrate it on the first of May.
What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day, which was earlier known as Decoration Day, occurs on the last Monday of May each year in honour of U.S. military personnel who have died during military service. It is traditional to mark the holiday by flying the national flag at half mast and numerous memorial ceremonies are held throughout the U.S. In addition to remembrance, this day is also used as a time for picnics, barbecues, family gatherings, and sporting events. On Memorial Day, Americans wear poppies and place flowers and flags on the graves of military personnel.
How is Easter celebrated in England?
On Good Friday, and during the whole Easter period, it is popular to eat hot cross buns, which are spicy sweet buns with a pastry cross on top. In England many people go to church on Easter Sunday. On this day children get Easter eggs, which symbolise new life and which are usually made of chocolate with a present inside. In some parts of Britain egg-rolling is a well-known custom when people roll hard-boiled eggs down a slope and if the egg does not get damaged, it means luck. In many parts of England, professional groups of dancers perform Morris Dances on Easter Sunday. They perform old spring dances to frighten away the vile spirits of winter. The dancers wear special costumes, often with small bells around their legs below the knee. In some English villages traditional egg hunts are organised where the Easter Bunny hides Easter eggs for the children to find. Easter Monday is a bank holiday and many people go to travelling funfairs on this day.
How is Armistice Day celebrated?
On Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, 11 November, people remember all those who have died for their country. Remembrance Sunday is the Sunday nearest to the Armistice Day. On this day and the days leading up to it people wear artificial red poppies sold by ex-servicemen to raise money for ex-servicemen and -women. The poppies symbolise the poppies in the cornfields in Flanders during the First World War. The largest celebration takes place in London, where the Royal Family and politicians lay flowers at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
What unusual holiday celebration do you find interesting?
Since I saw an American film entitled Groundhog Day, I have found the celebration of this day most interesting. It is celebrated on 2 February in the US and in Canada. It is believed that if the groundhog or woodchuck comes out of its hole and sees its shadow on this day, winter continues for about six weeks. If there is no shadow, spring is coming soon. The largest Groundhog Day is held in a small town called Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania where a huge crowd gathers every year to see the famous old groundhog called Punxsutawney Phil. In other states people call their groundhog anything from Jimmy in Wisconsin to PeeWee in Vermont.
What is Valentine's Day?
St Valentine's Day, 14 February, is the day of lovers. People send greetings cards, also called Valentine's cards, to people they love without putting their names on them, and you should try to guess who the sender is. They may also give flowers or confectionary as a sign of their love, or put ads or short messages in newspapers or magazines. The most popular motifs on the cards are hearts, red roses, doves, and Cupids. Shops can make huge profits on this day since they sell not only a lot of cards but also various heart-shaped decorations in big quantities too.
What public holidays are there in the USA?
The US does not have national holidays. Each state has its own legal holidays but most states observe the holidays set by the federal government. These holidays are New Year's Day (1 January), Martin Luther King's Birthday (the 3rd Monday in January), Washington's Birthday, also known as President's Day (the 3rd Monday in February), Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), Independence Day (4 July), Labor Day (the 1st Monday in September), Constitution Day or Citizenship Day (17 September), Columbus Day (the 2nd Monday in October), Veterans' Day (11 November), Thanksgiving Day (the 4th Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (25 December).
How is Christmas celebrated in Hungary?
The first tradition connected to Christmas takes place on the 6th of December when Santa Claus comes to put candies and small toys in red bags into the boots of children. It is the kids' task to clean the boots and put them on the windowsill or at the door the previous evening. Children who do not behave well are given a bunch of gilded birch twigs to show that they would deserve some kind of punishment. But the most important day is Christmas Eve when the family comes together for the Christmas dinner. The traditional dishes are fish soup, stuffed cabbage, and poppy seed and nut rolls. On this day the Christmas tree is decorated with sweets and cookies, brightly coloured lights, glass ornaments and sparklers, and then Christmas presents are placed under it. While parents and elder brothers and sisters decorate the tree, kids are taken to the cinema or for a walk so that they can believe that baby Jesus and angels have brought the decorated tree and the gifts. The beautifully wrapped presents are opened in the evening either before or after the dinner. At midnight a lot of families go to church for the midnight service. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day relatives visit each other and have lunch together.
What do Americans celebrate on the third Monday ofJanuary?
This day is Martin Luther King Day, or MLK Day for short, which is a federal holiday. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He is best-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation and for racial equality in the United States. Although President Reagan signed the law to make King's birthday a national holiday in 1983, it has only been celebrated by all the states since 2000.
What do you know about the holiday known as Washington's Birthday?
This holiday is often called President's Day as well, and is celebrated on the third Monday of February each year. The largest celebration of George Washington's birthday is held in Laredo, Texas. This month-long celebration attracts about half a million visitors every year, and includes parades, concerts, fireworks displays, a carnival, fun run, and BBQ cookoff. In some states both presidents Washington and Lincoln are honoured, and in some others, presidents from the State itself are celebrated.
What is Veterans' Day?
Veterans' Day typically falls on 11 November and it celebrates U.S. veterans. There are ceremonies and speeches, and at 11.00 in the morning, most Americans observe a moment of silence, remembering those who fought for peace. On this day memorial services are held and flowers are placed on military graves. People also organise benefit concerts to raise funds for charities, and groups of children visit the patients in veteran hospitals or write letters of thanks.