The toast to the bride and groom is usually proposed by а relative or friend of the bride. Не may say, “Mу Lords (if any are present), ladies and gentlemen, I have

Holidays and traditions in English – speaking countries.

     

pleasure in proposing the toast to the bride and bridegroom.” Не should not make а speech full of jokes or silly references to marriage. It should be short and dignified. The bridegroom replies with а few words of thanks. Не mау or mау not then propose the health of the bridesmaids. The best man replies with а few words of thanks. If а meal is provided, the toasts will come at the end of it.  

     After the toasts the bride and groom mау move around the room talking to their friends until it is time for them to go and change. When they are ready to leave, guests gather to see them off.  

     Wedding Presents can be anything, according to your pocket and your friendship with the bride or groom. Such presents are usually fairly substantial compared with most other presents, and should preferably be things useful for а future home. Some brides have lists at а large store near their homes. It is always wise to ask if there is one, as this eliminates your sending something the couple may have already. The list should contain items of all prices and when one is bought it is crossed off. А wedding is one of the few occasions when money can be given, usually as а cheque. Presents are sent after the invitations have been received, usually to the bride’s home. You address the card to both the bride and bridegroom. 

BIRTHS AND CHRISTENINGS

 

     When а child is born its parents may wish to announce the birth in а national or local newspaper. The announcement may read as follows:  

Smith. On February 12^th, 1999, at St. Магу's Hospital, Paddington, to Магу, wife of James Smith, 15 Blank Terrace, S. W. 3, а daughter. (The, name can be added in brackets.)  

     The birth must be registered at the local registrar's office within six weeks in England and Wales and three weeks in Scotland. А child is usually christened in the first six months of its life.

     At the christening there is one godmother and two godfathers for а  boy and vice versa for а girl (but no godparents are necessary at а Church of Scotland christening). The godmother always holds the baby during the ceremony and gives it to the clergyman just before he baptizes it. She makes the responses during the ceremony and tells the clergyman the names when asked. The true role of godparents is to watch over the spiritual welfare of their godchildren until confirmation, or at least to show interest in them throughout their childhood.

     Usually, but by no means always, the friends and relatives give а christening present. Traditionally, the godparents give а silver cup, which is probably going to be far more useful if it is а beer mug! Other presents should preferably be something

Holidays and traditions in English – speaking countries.

     

intended to last а lifetime, such as а leather-bound bible or poetry book, а silver spoon or а crystal and silver scent bottle. 

Sunday in England

 

     For many English families Sunday begins with the by now traditional “lie-in”, when, instead of getting up at 7.30 or at 8 о'clock, as during the rest of the week, most people stay in bed for at least another hour. And there are many younger реoplе — Saturday night revellers in particular – who never see the light of day before midday: what is usually referred to as “getting up at the crack of noon”.

     Church bells are another typical feature of an English Sunday morning, although by many their summons remains unanswered, especially by those in need of physical rather than spiritual comfort. But whether people get out of bed for morning service or not, their first meaningful contact with the world beyond the four walls of their bedroom will be the delicious aroma of bacon and eggs being fried by mother downstairs in the kitchen. This smell is for most people sо much а part of Sunday mornings that they would not be the same without it.

     During the mid-morning most people indulge in some fairly light activity such as gardening, washing the саг, shelling peas or chopping mint for Sunday lunch, or taking the dog for а walk. Another most popular pre-lunch activity consists of а visit to а “pub” — either а walk to the “lосаl”, or often nowadays а drive to а more pleasant “country pub” if one lives in а built-up area. It is unusual for anyone tо drink а lot during а lunchtime “session”, the idea being to have а quiet drink and а chat, perhaps discussing the previous evening’s entertainment or afternoon’s sport. One additional attraction of Sunday lunchtime drinks is that most men go to the pub alone, that is to say without their wives or girlfriends, who generally prefer to stay at home and prepare the lunch.

     Sunday has always been а favourite day for inviting people — friends, relations, colleagues — to afternoon tea, and there are nо signs that this custom is losing popularity

nowadays.

     In recent years television has become increasingly popular, and Sunday evening is now regarded as the peak viewing period of the week.

     Concerning the differences between а typically English Sunday and а Sunday on the Continent, there are still many forms of entertainment which а visitor from Europe would be surprised to find missing on Sundays in England. Professional sport, for example, was for many years forbidden on Sundays, and although the restrictions have been relaxed in recent years, it is still difficult to find any large sporting fixture taking place on Sundays. This is in marked contrast to the situation in most European countries where Sunday afternoon is the most popular time for so-called “spectator sports” — football, horse-racing and, in Spain of course, bullfighting.

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     On the Continent museums and art galleries also attract large numbers of visitors on Sundays, whereas in England it is only in recent times that such places as the National Portrait Gallery and “The Tate” have been open on such days – at present between 2 р. m. and 6 р. m. One of the most popular attractions in London on Sunday afternoons, especially in summer, is the Tower, although this too was closed for many years on Sundays.  

FIREPLACES

 

     In English homes, the fireplace has always been, until recent times, the natural centre of interest in а room. People may like to sit at а window on а summer day, but for many months of the year they prefer to sit round the fire and watch the dancing flames.

     In the Middle Ages the fireplaces in the halls of large castles were very wide. Only wood was burnt, and large logs were carted in from the forests, and supported as they burnt, on metal bars. Such wide fireplaces may still be seen in old inns, and in some of them there are even seats inside the fireplace.

     Elizabethan fireplaces often had carved stone or woodwork over the fireplace, reaching to the ceiling. There were sometimes columns on each side of the fireplace.

     In the 18^th century, space was often provided over the fireplace for а painting or mirror.

     When coal fires became common, fireplaces became much smaller. Grates were used to hold the coal. Above the fireplace there was usually а shelf on which there was often а clock, and perhaps framed photographs. 

DANCING

 

     Dancing is popular, and the numerous large and opulent-looking public dance-halls are an important element in the folklore and courtship procedures of all but the upper and middle classes. They manage to survive against the competition of the more modern, smaller, noisier discotheques. They are strictly places for dancing, with good floors and good bands, but often no tables for people to sit at when they are not actually dancing, only rows of chairs round the walls. They are visited mainly by young unmarried people. Girls tend to go in groups of two or three, friends from the same street or the same or officeсе, relying much on each other’s support as they go in; the young men sometimes go in groups too, but often alone. All the girls tend to congregate together between dances, and the young men similarly. At the beginning of each dance а man chooses а girl from the mass, and will ask the same girl to dance with him again if he finds her company agreeable, but the girl may refuse. Most of the dancers go home as they come — but not quite at all. If а couple like one another

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     the young man may offer an invitation to go to а cinema on some future night, and this invitation may be succeeded by others. After several рrе-arranged meetings а

couple may regard themselves as “going steady” together though for а long time they will meet only in public places, and an invitation home implies great admiration. Young people are thoroughly emancipated, and find it easy enough to meet each other.  

III. COSTUMES AND CLOTHES

 

      Many British costumes and uniforms have a long history. One is the uniform of the Beefeaters at the Tower of London. This came first from France. Another is the uniform of the Horse Guards at Horse Guards' Parade, not far from Buckingham Palace. Thousands of visitors take photographs of the Horse Guards, but the Guards never move or smile. In fact some visitors think the Guards aren't real. And that brings us to...Britannia. She wears traditional clothes, too. But she’s not a real person. She is symbol of Britain.

          Lots of ordinary clothes have a long tradition. The famous bowler hat, for example. A man called Beaulieu made the first one in 1850.

         The very cold winters in the Crimea in the war of 1853-56 gave us the names of the cardigan and the balaclava. Lord Cardigan led the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava (1854). A "cardigan" is now a warm woollen short coat with buttons, and a "balaclava" is a woollen hat.

Another British soldier, Wellington, gave his name to a pair of boots. They have a shorter name today - "Wellies" raced on the river Thames and the Oxford boat won. That started a tradition. Now, every Spring, the University Boat Race goes from Putney to Mort lake on the Thames. That's 6.7 kilometres. The Cambridge rowers wear light blue shirts and the Oxford rowers wear dark blue. There are eight men in each boat. There's also a "cox". The cox controls the boat. Traditionally coxes are men, but Susan Brown became the first woman cox in 1981. She was the cox for Oxford and they won. 
 
 
 

Customs and traditions of Great Britain 

      Every nation and every country has its own traditions and customs. Traditions make a nation special. Some of them are old-fashioned and many people remember them, others are part of people’s life. Some British customs and traditions are known all over the world: bowler hats, tea and talking about the wether.

      Englishmen have many traditional holidays, such as Christmas, St. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and others.

      Britain is full of customs and traditions. A lot of them have very long histories. Some are funny and some are strange. But they are all interesting. There is the long menu of traditional British food. There are many royal occasions. There are songs, saying and superstitions. They are all part of the British way of life.

      We can classify English traditions into several groups: traditions concerning the Englishmen’s private life (child’s birth, wedding, marriage, wedding anniversary), which are connected with families incomes; state traditions; national holidays, religious holidays, public festival, traditional ceremonies.

      Here are some of them. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

      Holidays 

      Christmas  

    It is certain that Christmas is celebrated all over the world. Perhaps no other holiday has developed a set of customs and symbols. This is the day when many people are travelling home to be with their famillies on Christmas Day, 25th December. The Christmas story comes from bible. An angel appeared to shepherds and told them that a Savior had been born to Mary and Joseph in a stable in Bethlehem. Three Wise Men from the East followed a wondrous star which led them to the baby Jesus to whome they paid homage and presented gifts of gold, frankicense and myrrh. To people all over the world, Christmas is a season of giving and receiving presents. In Scandinavian and other European countries, Father Christmas, or Saint Nicholas, comes into house at night and leaves gifts for the children. Saint Nicholas is represented as a fidly man with a red cloak and long white beard. He visited house and left giftes, dringing people happiness in the coldest months of the year. Another character, the Norse God Odin, rode on a magical flying horse across the ages to make the present day Santa Claus.

          For most British families, this is the most important festival of the year, it combines the Christian celebration or the birth of Christ with the traditional festivities of winter. On the Sunday before Christmas many churches hold a carol service where special hymns are sung. Sometimes carol-singers can be heard on the streets as they collect money for charity. Most families decorate their houses with brightly-coloured paper or holly, and they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner or the front foom, glittering with coloured lights and decorations. The Christmas tree was popularized by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who introduced one to the Royal Household in 1840. Since 1947, the country of Norway has presented Britain annually with a large Christmas tree which stands in Trafalgar Square in commemoration of Anglo-Norwegian cooperation during the Second World War.

          There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but perhaps the most important one is the giving of present. Familly members wrap up their gifts and leave them bottom of the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning. Children leave sock or stocking at the end of their beds on Christmas Eve, 24th of December, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents, fruit and nuts. They are usually not disappointe! At some time on Christmas Day the familly will sit down to a big turkey dinner followed by Christmas pudding. Christmas dinner consists traditionally of a roast turkey, goose or chicken with stuffing and roast potatoes. Mince pies and Christmas pudding flaming with brandy, which might contain coins or lucky charms for children, follow this. (The pudding is usually prepared weeks beforehand and is customarily stirred by each member of the family as a wish is made.) Later in the day, a Christmas cake may be served - a rich baked fruitcake with marzipan, icing and sugar frosting.

      The pulling of Christmas crackers often accompanies food on Christmas Day. Invented by a London baker in 1846, a cracker is a brightly colored paper tube, twisted at both ends, which contains a party hat, riddle and toy or other trinket. When it is pulled by two people it gives out a crack as its contents are dispersed.

      26th December is also a public holiday, 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 trades people 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. This is the time to visit friends and relatives or watch football.

      At midnight on 31th December throughout Great Britain people celebrate the coming of the New Year, by holding hands in a large circle and singing the song:  

Should auld acquaintance be forget, 
And never brought to mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forget? 
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne, 
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne!..  

      New Year's Eve is a more important festival in Scotland than it is in England, and it even has a special name. It is not clear where the word 'Hogmanay' comes from, but it is connected with the provision of food and drink for all visitors to your home on 31th December. It was believed that the first person to visit one's house on New Year's Day could bring good or bad luck. Therefore, people tried to arrange for the person or their own choice to be standing outside their houses ready to be let in the moment midnight had come. Usually a dark-complexioned man was chosen, and never a woman, for she would bring bad luck. The first footer was required to carry three articles: a piece of coal to wish warmth, a piece of bread to wish food, and a silver coin to wish wealth. 

      St. Valentine’s Day 

St. Valentine's Day roots in several different legends that have found their way to us through the ages. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid, the Roman god of Love, Who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow. Three hundred years after the death of Jesus Christ, the Roman emperors still demanded that everyone believe in the Roman gods. Valentine, a Christian priest, had been thrown in prison for his teachings. On February 14, Valentine was beheaded, not only because he was a Christian, but also because he had performed a miracle. He supposedly cured the jailer's daughter of her blindness. The night before he was executed, he wrote the jailer's daughter a farewell letter, signing it, "from Your Valentine". Another legend tells us that this same Valentine, well-loved by all, wrote notes from his jail cell to children and friends who missed him. Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St. Valentine's Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend of loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send "valentines" a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine wrote from jail. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic, and heartfelt. They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous. Americans of all ages as other people in different countries love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines, created by cutting hearts out of coloured paper, show that a lot of thought was put into making them personal. Valentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them. In elementary schools, children make valentines, they have a small party with refreshments. You can right a short rhyme inside the heart:  

There are gold ships 
And silver ships,  
But no ships 
Like friendship. 

            Valentine cards are usually decorated with symbols of love and friendship. These symbols were devised many centuries ago. Lace symbolises a net for catching one's heart. If you get a Valentine with a piece of a lace you may understand that the person who sent it must be crazy about you. A symbol should have several meanings, so some experts maintain that lace stands for a bridal veil. A ribbon means that the person is tired up, while hearts, which are the most common romantic symbol, denote eternal love. Red roses are also often used as a love emblem. Valentine's Day grows more and more popular in many countries of the world. Some people have already begun to celebrate it in Russia. They try to imitate European Valentine customs and want to known more about their origin. St. Valentine's Day is the day when boys and girls. Friends and neighbours, husbands and wives, sweethearts and lovers exchange greeting of love and affection. It is the day to share one's loving feelings with friends and family, but it is young men and girls who usually wait it with impatience. This day has become traditional for many couples to become engaged. That makes young people acknowledge St. Valentine's as the great friend and patron of lovers.