суббота, 14 мая 2011 г.

Boxing Day: The Meaning of a British Christmas Tradition. What other British holiday traditions do you know?





20 комментариев:

  1. Right.You know,when I hear something about Britain or the British-I have an association with tea drinking.To my mind it came since ancient time(or maybe a bit later).This certain custom of Britain is quite clear.Probably-because of it is some kind of feature of that nation-to drink delicious tea in front of the fire-place,or to look through the window at foggy avenue...On the one hand-the British might seem as calm,fond of dreaming with a cup of tea.On the other hand-they are rather brave people,and they keep the security of Britain quite carefully,looking forward with alert to see invaders.
    As for other traditions-I know Britain has a lot of ones,and the best way to learn ones is to visit this country oneself.

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  2. I heard about this tradition and it`s very interesting.It`s the day after Christmas is known in Britain as Boxing Day, which takes its name from a former custom of giving a Christmas Box - a gift of money or food inside a box - to the deliverymen and tradespeople who called regularly during the year. This tradition survives in the custom of tipping the milkman, postman, dustmen and other callers of good service at Christmas time.
    And I read, that another traditional feature of Christmas afternoon is the Queen's Christmas Message to the nation, broadcast on radio and television.

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  3. England is the county with rich culture and it has a lot of interesting traditions.Some British customs and traditions are famous all over the world.Bowler hats, tea and talking about the weather, for example.

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  4. Well, talking about British traditions, I have associations with Royal Family, Big Ben, cricket and tea. The British people are used to play cricket and gather together at dinner-time on Sunday. It is very old custom that peculiar to Britain. Also they like often to have picnic outdoors.
    There is a very curious fact - the British people prefer to drink China or Japanese tea, then English tea they take only travelling in other countries.

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  5. Without doubt,Great Britain is an old country and it has a lot of holidays and interesting traditions. Holidays in the country are historic and public. Apart from Boxing day, there are many other traditons that are connected with British holidays. For example,at Easter, the British give each other chocolate eggs, which they eat on Easter Sunday.Also I know that in Northern Ireland there is a holiday called St. Patrick's Day. It is celebrated on the 17-th of March. On this day people wear green clothes and drink Irish beer.

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  6. Surely, Great Britain has a great number of various traditions and customs, which date back centuries. We encounter and recognize them everywhere, but personally I would like to mention the ones, which we rarely come across, such as Commonwealth Day, St George's Day and the Swan Upping. St. George's Day is regarded as England’s national day/ On this day some patriotic English people wear a rose pinned to their jackets. As for the Swan Upping, it takes place annually during July on the River Thames in a ceremony known as Swan Upping. Swans are counted and marked on a 70 mile, five day journey up the River Thames.Speaking about the Commonwealth Day, people use it to promote understanding about global issues, international co-operation and the work of the modern Commonwealth. Each year there is a different theme. The Queen attends a special service in Westminster Abbey.

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  7. We can’t really imagine Britain without all its customs and traditions. British people are so proud of their colorful cultural heritage. They carefully keep it up as an integral feature of their social and private life.
    I’d also like to mention some other famous British traditions which I find pretty interesting!
    A popular Scottish event is the Edinburgh Festival of music and drama, which takes place every year.
    A truly Welsh event is the Eisteddfod, a national festival of traditional poetry and music, with a competition for the best new poem in Welsh.
    Morris Dancing is an event where people, worn in beautiful clothes with ribbons and bells, dance with handkerchiefs or big sticks in their hands, while traditional music- sounds.
    The Grand National horse race is one of the most exciting horse races in the world. It takes place near Liverpool every year. Amateur riders as well as professional jockeys can participate.

    I’m sure such holidays make the life of people richer and happier, make them feel proud of their country, its history and culture.

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  10. When we hear the word 'Britain' we all began to scroll every thing we know about Britain in our head. And I think at first we thought about british customs and traditions.


    There are many customs and some of them are very old. There is, for example, the Marble Championship, where the British Champion is crowned; he wins a silver cup known among folk dancers as Morris Dancing.
    Another example is the Boat Race, which takes place on the river Thames, often on Easter Sunday. A boat with a team from Oxford University and one with a team from Cambridge University hold a race.
    Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The name was later shortened to Halloween. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day.
    Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night.
    On November 5,1605, a man called Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the king James 1st was to open Parliament on that day. But Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was caught and later, hanged. The British still remember that Guy Fawkes' Night. It is another name for this holiday. This day one can see children with figures, made of sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks.

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  11. British nation is considered to be the most conservative in Europe. It is not a secret that every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. In Great Britain people attach greater importance to traditions and customs than in other European countries. Englishmen are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up. The best examples are their queen, money system, their weights and measures.There are many customs and some of them are very old. I've heard about many of the British tradition. For example: Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The name was later shortened to Halloween. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day.Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night.On November 5,1605, a man called Guy Fawkes planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament where the king James 1st was to open Parliament on that day. But Guy Fawkes was unable to realize his plan and was caught and later, hanged. The British still remember that Guy Fawkes' Night. It is another name for this holiday. This day one can see children with figures, made of sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks. A popular Scottish event is the Edinburgh Festival of music and drama, which takes place every year. A truly Welsh event is the Eisteddfod, a national festival of traditional poetry and music, with a competition for the best new poem in Welsh. Another example is the Boat Race, which takes place on the river Thames, often on Easter Sunday. A boat with a team from Oxford University and one with a team from Cambridge University hold a race. British people think that the Grand National horse race is the most exciting horse race in the world. It takes place near Liverpool every year. Sometimes it happens the same day as the Boat Race takes place, sometimes a week later. Amateur riders as well as professional jockeys can participate. It is a very famous event. One of the famous event is a Queen's Birthday, The Queen is the only person in Britain with two birthdays. Her real birthday is on April 21st, but she has an "official" birthday, too. That's on the second Saturday in June. And on the Queen's official birthday, there is a traditional ceremony called the Trooping of the Colour. It's a big parade with brass bands and hundreds of soldiers at Horse Guards' Parade in London. A "regiment" of the Queen's soldiers, the Guards, march in front of her. At the front of the parade is the regiment's flag or "colour". The Guards are trooping the colour. Thousands of Londoners and visitors watch in Horse Guards' Parade. And millions of people at home watch it on television.
    I believe that the British are very conservative interesting and intelligent people. They have a lot of interesting traditions. and it is very important and commendable that they have complied with these traditions

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  12. There is no other part of the British Isles where national spirit is stronger, national pride more intense and national traditions more appreciated than in Wales.
    To begin with,in South Wales, Friday is associated with bad luck. Miners refuse to start any new work on a Friday and pit-men always stayed away from the mines on Good Friday throughout Wales.
    A robin, pigeon and dove seen flying around the pit head foretold of disaster. They were called 'corpse birds' and were said to have been seen before the explosion at Senghennydd Colliery in Glamorgan in 1913 when 400 miners died.
    In 1890 at Morfa Colliery near Port Talbot, a sweet rose-like perfume was noted. The perfume was said to be coming from invisible 'death flowers'. On March 10th half the miners on the morning shift stayed at home. Later that day there was an explosion at the colliery and 87 miners were buried alive and then perished in the disaster.

    Many precautions against bad luck were taken. If a 'squinting' woman was met on the way to work, the miner would go back home again. The women-folk also tried to banish any bad luck. When lots were being drawn for a position at the coal face, the miner's wife would hang the fire-tongs from the mantle-piece and put the family cat in the un-lit oven!
    There is one more Welsh tradition,which called Noson Lawen(Merry Night).The event was held to celebrate the successful bringing in of the hay harvest, always a big event because of the uncertainty of the Welsh weather. Because corn does not grow in Wales, a good hay crop is essential for winter feed for the cattle and horses.The Noson Lawen gave everyone a chance to show his or her talents; in modern days, an MC takes charge of the evening and introduces the performers, sometimes professional entertainers. However, in village halls throughout Wales, the old-fashioned Noson Lawen keeps pace with the local Eisteddfod as a living reminder of an old and much-valued cultural tradition.

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  13. British people keep great respect and honour to their outstandng poets and writers. For example, the Twelfth Night is an annual seasonal celebration held on the Bankside by Shakespeare's Globe, in London. It is a celebration of the New Year, mixing ancient Midwinter seasonal customs with contemporary festivity. On the 25th of January Burn's Night is held. It is the birthday of Scotland's most famous poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796), celebrated with great festivity by the Scots. Burns Suppers are traditional celebrations on this day.
    Besides, there are also rather peculiar traditions in Great Britain. One of them is Kissing Friday in February.
    English schoolboys were once entitled to kiss girls without fear of punishment or rejection, a custom that lasted until at least the 1940s.

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  14. As a part of Valentine's Day tradition in Britain, it is a trend to pen down love verses in newspapers and magazines. In my eyes, that's an awesome way to honor the icon of love, Saint Valentine. Though every country, every religion has its own customs and traditions, but one thing that is common to all, as far as valentine's day is concerned, is the exchanging of beautifully quoted cards, flowers and chocolates.
    Among the many Valentine Day customs in England, one tradition is the singing of romantic songs. Actually the thing is that on this very special day, children sing songs and get gifts in the form of candies, fruit etc. Sometimes, they get money too. Unmarried young women wake up early in the morning and stand near the window and keep an eye on the people passing by. It is believed in England, that the first man, an unmarried woman would see on the morning of valentine day, would be her future would be husband. 

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  15. Britain has a long and varied past. Through its history, many strange traditions and festivals have arisen. As this theme captured my attention, I surfed the Net and found some extremely unusual and hilarious traditions that will hit your fancy!

    Straw Bear

    Straw Bear Day is an old English tradition held on the 7th of January. It is known in a small area of Fenland on the borders of Devonshire and Cambridge shire, including Ramsey Mereside. This day is believed to be traditional start of agricultural year in England. A man or a boy wears a straw costume covering him from his head to toes. He goes from house to house where he dances. As prize for his dancing people give him money, food or beer.

    Bog Snorkeling

    Yes indeed, you read correctly, bog snorkeling. If any of you ever doubted that us Brits are mad, this should make up your minds for you. Basically participants dive into a bog, wearing goggles, a pair of flippers and a snorkel, they then proceed to race each other along a 120ft trench filled with mud. Held every year the participants come from all over the world and raise lots of money for charity.

    Pearly King and Queen

    Pearly Kings and Queens, known as pearlies, are an organized charitable tradition of working class culture in London, England. The practice of wearing clothes decorated with pearl buttons originated in the 19th century. It is first associated with Henry Croft, an orphan street sweeper who collected money for charity. In 1911 an organized pearly society was formed in Finchley, north London.

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  16. Well, I've never heard about Boxing Day. But, to my mind it's a great tradition. As Nathan said, people don't have to cook or to prepare something. It's just the day after Christmas. You only need to keep smiling amd have fun with your quests. I like that sort of things, probably you like it too. If I'm not mistaken, when people want to have fun after party(I don't mean exactly Christmas), they can go to "afterparty". Please excuse me for tautology.

    England is a country, where people respect customs and traditions, probably as nowhere else. England was build by traditions. If don't take into account holidays and celebrations, there are lots of interesting everyday traditions. Everybody knows that the English are great tea lovers. National Sports in England are cricket, golf, tennis, polo, etc. They play cricket every sunday. It's exactly English kind of sport. Also, popular tradition for England is a good education for children.

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  17. It is well known fact that Britain is the state based on numerous traditions. Every Englishman is proud that he comes from Britain. As I know from my travelling experience and general knowledges, the main British traditions are connected with Royal family. Did you see how all the Britains were inspired with the wedding of Prince William and Kate Midlton? They were very into in this thrilling event, and how many different traditions could we notice during it. And speaking about wedding…famous English tradition(now it is also popular in America and other European countries) when bride should have something new, something borrowed, something blue=)
    Sounds sweet, doesn`t it?

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  18. in my opinion Halloween the best tradition in Britain. October 31st is Halloween, and you can expect to meet witches and ghosts that night. Halloween is an old word for "Hallows Evening", the night before "All Hallows" or "All Saints' Day"
    On Thai one night of the year, ghosts and witches are free. Well, that's the traditional story. A long time ago people were afraid and stayed at home on Hallowe'en. But now in Britain its a time for fun. There are always a lot of parties on October 31st. At these parties people wear masks and they dress as ghosts and witches, or as Dracula or Frankenstein's monster. And some people make special Halloween lamps Irom a large fruit the pumpkin.
    First they take out the middle of the pumpkin. Ihen they cut holes for the eyes, nose and mouth. Finally they put a candle inside the pumpkin.

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  19. This one interested me...=)

    The fifth night after a Halloween is the day of failure of Powder plot when the group of Catholics-conspirators has tried to blow up Parliament of Great Britain in London on the night of November, 5th, 1605 is marked, during throne speech of Protestant king Jacob I when, except him, at a building of Chamber of lords there would be members of both chambers of parliament and the Supreme representatives of judicial authority of the country.

    Guy Fawkes tried to hide in a cellar of the Westminster palace of a butt with gunpowder. One of accomplices has warned the royal lord about outlined explosion and has told, that that didn't come next day to a palace building. The lord has decided to rescue not only his life, but also royal lives. He has warned the king, and on the next day Guy has been arrested and brought to a Tower.

    In Great Britain at the Guy Fawkes night people make fireworks and fires on which they burn Guy Fawke's stuffed animal. And on the eve of the day, guys ask for some coins «for good boy Guy» to buy petards.

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  20. The British tradition I know poorly. The other hand it's too much Russian holidays.))))))I know some of British holidays.Halloween is a day on which many children dress up in unusual costumes. In fact, this holiday has a Celtic origin. The day was originally called All Halloween's Eve, because it happens on October 31, the eve of all Saint's Day. The name was later shortened to Halloween. The Celts celebrated the coming of New Year on that day.

    Another tradition is the holiday called Bonfire Night.This day one can see children with figures, made of sacks and straw and dressed in old clothes. On November 5th, children put their figures on the bonfire, burn them, and light their fireworks.

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