2 Holidays - Family Traditions

The UK: Christmas: main day 25th December = christmas day. In the morning children open their presents. At noon people eat traditioanl dinner. Most often you would see roast turkey + christmas pudding. 26th December = boxing day (in the past people give their servants presents or money in boxes), a day of visiting relatives and friends.

New Year's Eve - 31st December a night of fun and entertainment, people take their N. Years resolutions (I will no drink alcohol any more).

New Year - 1st January, celebrations incoming New Year in a family circle. People take shower in the fountains of Trafalgar Square in London.

Easter - a movable spring holiday, christians remember death and ressurection of Jesus Christ. Symbols:decorated eggs, chickens, Easter bunnies

Mother's day - 2nd Sunday in May St. Valentine´s Day - 14th February, it is also called Lover´s Day. The day commemorates (připomíná) Roman priest who gave aid and comfort to persecuted Christians. He was killed. Valentines card are sent by young people anonymously.

the USA: Christmas - They have Santa Claus. In America the traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit.

The majority of Americans celebrate Christmas with the exchange of gifts and greetings and with family visits. For many, the day begins on Christmas Eve with the Midnight Mass. At Christmas it snows in many states, so dinner is usually eaten indoors. Dinner usually is roast turkey, goose, duck or ham served with cranberry sauce, then plum pudding or pumpkin pie followed by nuts and fruit.

There are also variety of special custums in different states and within different nations. In Hawaii, Christmas starts with the coming of the Christmas Tree Ship, which is a ship bringing a great load of Christmas fare. Santa Claus also arrives by boat.In New Orleans, a huge ox is paraded around the streets decorated with holly and with ribbons tied to its horns.

Thanksgiving day - 4th Thursday in November poeple remember the 1st harvest of Pilgrim Fathers who came to America in 1620 from Europe, all families gather and celebrate.

Independence Day - 4th July. It commemorates (připomíná) the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and establishing of the USA. Each state in the US has its own ceremony and parade.

Halloween - 31th October. It is connected to the Celtic traditions. Jack-o-lanterns = bludička, the name for the curved pumpkin.

the Czech rep.: Christmas = Christmas Eve - 24th December, fried carp + potato salat and other traditions as we know them.

Easter in the Czech Republic is a fun time. Many traditions are still observed and practiced, especially in villages, and different regions may have their own Easter traditions and customs.

Many Czech Easter symbols are related to spring and the beginning of new life. Some of the best known are: easter eggs, willow stick, baby animals...

Burning of the Witches - On the evening of April 30th, Czechs get together to build a bonfire (oheň, vatra, táborák) and prepare an effigy (figurína) of the witch that kept winter around so long. Czechs used to believe that the power of witches would weaken as the weather got warmer. So they thought that if they made something that looked like a witch and burned it, they could finally get rid of the cold weather.