The Festival of the United Kingdom

The Festival of the United KingdomThe full name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is a complicated name for what is in many ways a complicated country. There‟re four parts, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which complete to the set.Here, as follows, are the festival‟s aspects of the United Kingdom.New Year’s Day (January 1st)Festival origin: In the old days, the New Year started with a custom called “first footing”, which was suppose to bring good luck to people for the coming year. As soon as midnight had passed and January 1st had started, people used to wait behind their doors for a dark haired person to arrive. The visitor carried a piece of coal, some bread, some money and some greenery. These were all for good luck-the coal to make sure that the house would always be warm, the bread to make sure everyone in the house would have enough food to eat, money so that they would have enough money, and the greenery to make sure that they had a long life.Ways to celebrate: New Year‟s Day is the first day of the year, in the Gregorian calendar. In modern times, it is the 1st January. It is a time for looking forward and wishing for a good year ahead. It is also a holiday.People welcome in the New Year on the night before. This is called New Year‟s Eve. All over Britain there are parties, fireworks, singing and dancing, to ring out the old year and ring in the new. As the clock –Big Ben-strikes midnight, people link arms and sing a song called Auld Lang Syne. It reminds them of old and new friends.Valentine's Day（February 14th）Festival origin: The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.Ways to celebrate: Each year in Britain, we spend around ￡503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for Valentine‟s Day. Traditionally these were sent anonymously, but now-a-days we often make it clear who is sending each …Valentine‟.In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heartApril Fool's Day( April 1st)Festival origin: Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.However, in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools‟ errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.Ways to celebrate: April Fool usually involve persuading someone to do something silly, like looking for hen‟s teeth, striped paint, a long weight, aleft-handed screwdriver or some other non-existent thing. However, you can only play April Fools on people before midday-at midday the fun must stop.Easter (the first full moon of the first Sunday) Festival origin: Easter is the Christian commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus as a religious holiday. Over the past year the spring equinox, the first full moon of the first Sunday after Easter. Church of Christ in the early years of the date of Easter, there have been controversial, causing momentary confusion, until 325 AD, the priests of the Church of the meeting before deciding on a day to celebrate the unification of the Easter.Jesus crucified upon a cross, the third day Easter holiday was born. Easter Festiv al with religious origins to countries in Europe and the United States, Easter is a major holiday after Christmas. According to the "Bible Gospel According to Ma tthew" argument in the cross of Jesus Christ three days after the revival of tortur e, and thus the establishment of this section. According to the Western church tr adition, the Spring equinox festival (March 21) or a full day to see the first mont h after the Spring equinox, the first encounter is Easter Sunday. Eastern Church provides that if one happens to appear in this first Sunday, Easter again postpone d a week. Therefore, generally in a section from March 22 to April 25 between. On the death of Jesus Christ, according to the Christian creed is to change the w orld of crime. Thus, in Christianity, Easter is of great significance. However, an d Christmas, along with social progress, Easter religious overtones increasingly weak, as a folk festival features are becoming increasingly evident.Ways to celebrate: There are a lot of the traditional Easter celebration, Easter egg is a symbol of the most typical. In ancient times the eggs are often seen as more children and grandchildren and a symbol of resurrection, because it breeds new life. Later, Christians also gives new meaning to the egg that it is a symbol of the tomb of Jesus, the life of the future is born from it and get rid of. Easter eggs are often dyed red to represent the crucifixion of Jesus when the blood flow, but also a symbol of happiness after the resurrection. There is an ancient custom, the egg is cooked to the street children play. Their eggs from rolling down the hillside: Who broke the last egg, will win, all property of all of his eggs. White House to play this game every year, but is rolling eggs on the lawn only.Rabbit is a symbol of Easter. Now every Easter, the United States the total size of a candy shop to sell chocolate made with the Easter Bunny and eggs. These eggs and egg is almost small, big melon big surprise, the children eat them with relish. To the relatives and friends, but also be a good gift.May Day (May 1st)It is when people celebrate the coming of summer with lots of different customs that are expressions of joy and hope after a long winter.Festival origin: Traditional British May Day rites and celebrations include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen and celebrations involving a Maypole. Much of this tradition derives from the pagan Anglo-Saxon customs held during "Þrimilci-mōnaþ" (the Old English name for the month of May meaning Month of Three Milkings) along with many Celtic traditions. May Day has been a traditional day of festivities throughout the centuries. May Day is most associated with towns and villages celebrating springtime fertility and revelry with village fetes and community gatherings. Since the reform of the Catholic Calendar, May 1st is the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, the patron saint of workers. Seeding has been completed by this date and it was convenient to give farm labourers a day off. Perhaps the most significant of the traditions is the Maypole, around which traditional dancers circle with ribbons.Ways to celebrate: Traditionally, bonfires were lit to mark the coming of summer and to banish the long nights of winter. In February 2011, the UK Parliament was reported to be considering scrapping the bank holiday associated with May Day, replacing it with a bank holiday in October, possibly co-inciding with Trafalgar Day (celebrated on 21 October), to create a "United Kingdom Day".Mothers’ Day（the 4th Sunday of Lent）Festival origin:The earliest Mother‟s Day celebrations can be traced b ack to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday".Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent. In the United States Mother‟s Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe as a day dedicated to peace. By 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state.While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother‟s Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother‟s Day on the second Sunday of May.Ways to celebrate: During the church services held in that day, it is traditional that children will give a bunch of spring flowers to their mothers.In England, "Mothering Buns" or "Mothering Sunday Buns" were made to celebrate. These sweet buns are topped with pink or white icing and the round, multi-coloured sprinkles known in the UK as "hundreds and thousands". They are not widely made or served today.Fathers' Day（the 3rd Sunday of June）Festival origin: In the 1900s, Fathers‟ Day was created when Sonora Louise Smart Dodd wanted to express her deep appreciation to her own father, William Smart, who was widowed when his wife died at giving birth. Mr. Smart raised his six children on a rural farm in eastern Washington State. When Ms. Dodd was grown she wanted to show her appreciation to her father. So, in 1909,she proposed a day to honor her father in June (the month of her father's birth).The very first Fathers' Day followed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge showed support of this becoming a national holiday. However, it wasn't until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson officially proclaimed Fathers' Day a national holiday to be celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June.Halloween (October 31st)Festival origin: In the year 835 AD the Roman Catholic Church made 1st November a church holiday to honour all the saints. Although it was a joyous holiday it was also the eve of All Souls Day, so in Medieval times it became customary to pray for the dead on this date.Another name for All Saints Day is 'All Hallows' (hallow is an archaic English word for 'saint'). The festival began on All Hallows Eve, the last night of October.Currently, it is widely thought that Halloween originated as a pagan Celtic festival of the dead related to the Irish and Scottish Samhain, but there is no evidence that it was connected with the dead in pre-Christian times.Ways to celebrate: Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Children go in costume from house to house, asking for treats such as candy (sweets) or sometimes money, with the question, "Trick or treat?" In Scotland and Ireland, guising – children disguised in costume goingfrom door to door for food or coins – is a traditional Halloween custom, and is recorded in Scotland at Halloween in 1895 where masqueraders in disguise carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips, visit homes to be rewarded with cakes, fruit and money.Halloween costumes are traditionally modeled after supernatural figures such as monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. Over time, the costume selection extended to include popular characters from fiction, celebrities, and generic archetypes such as ninjas and princesses.Christmas Day (December 25th)Festival origin: The name Christmas is short for 'Christ's Mass'. A Mass is a kind of Church service. Christmas is a religious festival. It is the day we celebrate as the birthday of Jesus.There are special Christmas services in Christian churches all over the world. But many of the festivities of Christmas do not have anything to do with religion. Exchanging gifts and sending Christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the Christmas in the world.On Christmas Day, many people will have big parties. They like eating turkey（火鸡）, fruits and drinking some juice for supper. After supper, many people will go out for shopping and walking (walk) with their children. There are a lot of special things: Christmas trees, socks, Christmas card and some presents. So in Christmas Day, all the families are very happy.Ways to celebrate: Christmas is a truly magical season, bringing famililies and friends together to share the much loved customs and traditions which have been around for centuries. Most people are on holiday in the UK and stay at home with their family on Christmas day, the main day for Christmas celebrations in Britain.During the weeks before Christmas Day, we send cards, watch nativity plays and go to carol services. We put up Christmas decorations in our homes and churches.。