Holidays and tradition of your country

Одесская национальная морская академия

 

Кафедра «Английский язык в гидрографии и морской радиосвязи»

 

 

 

 

РЕФЕРАТ

ПО АНГЛИЙСКОМУ ЯЗЫКУ

на тему

«HOLIDAYS AND TRADITION OF YOUR COUNTRY»

 

№ зачетной книжки 511018

 

студентки 1 курса з/о

специальности «Правоведение»

 
Лукянченко Натальи  Григорьевны

 

 

 

Реферат проверил

преп. Дерецкая Ю.А.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Одесса

2012 
Contents

 

Introduction…………………………………………………………

 

1. New Year and Christmas…………………………………….

2. The Twenty Third of February and the Eighth of March…………

3. Religious Holidays: Orthodox Easter and Holy Trinity Day……………

4. Public Holidays: Constitution Day and Independence Day

5. Labor Day and Victory Day…………………………..

 

Conclusion………………………………………………………

 

Literature………………………………………………………….. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

  Each culture is the unique universe created by the certain attitude of the person to the world. Each culture is a way of creative self-realization of the person. Therefore comprehension of other cultures not only gives us new knowledge, but also acquaints us with traditions, customs, world-outlook.

The word «Holiday» comes from the words «holy day».Holidays were first religious festivals. Now many holidays have nothing to do with religion. Every country has holidays honoring important events in its history.

The Ukrainians are just fond of celebrating holidays. They strictly observe the traditions of Orthodox and Soviet holidays and readily accept Western holidays. A great number of holidays can be divided into several groups - public, religious and just holidays. Public holidays are marked with red in the calendar for you not to forget to have a good rest. When a holiday falls on a non-work day, Saturday or Sunday, the nearest Friday or Monday is a day-off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. New Year and Christmas.

 Jan 1 New Year's Day

    …is no doubt the main holiday of the year. According to the most recent polls about 90% of the Ukrainians have called it their favorite holiday, everybody impatiently waits for round the year. People decorate the New Year Tree, cook festive dinners, buy presents, go to numerous New Year's parties that are generously held not only at the end of December but also in the first two weeks of January. There is a saying that a person will spend the year the way he has welcomed it, so many do their best to have fun on the New Year's Day. One usually spends this day or, to be more precise, evening and night with his family or friends. The local channels show loved-by-all Soviet films and a few minutes before midnight, the annual festive address of the President to his nation is broadcasted. This bright holiday is loved by people of different ages, but it is especially dear to children. They believe that Ded Moroz comes this night and puts gifts under the tree, of course if they haven't been naughty in the old year.

Jan 7 Orthodox Christmas

...Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, used in Europe and North America. Therefore the Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on January 7, 13 days later than the Catholic world. A very important religious holiday, Christmas wasn't celebrated under the Soviets almost during the whole 20th century and only at the end of 1990s it was resurrected. On January 6th, Christmas Eve, many families gather for Sviata Vecheria (Holy Supper). The twelve-course meal is dedicated to Christ's twelve apostles. The traditional meal is kutia. In the last few years many forgotten traditions like Kolyadki (masked children going door-to-door to receive candy in exchange for traditional songs and jokes) have being reviving.

 

2.The Twenty Third of February and the Eighth of March.

Feb 23 Former Red Army Day

...Men's Day In Soviet times it was the holiday of all those who had ever served in the military. While the Soviet Union was rather a military state, about 90% of men were at some point connected to the Red Army, so later it became a holiday for men. It is not a public holiday in Ukraine, but most women make some presents to their male relatives and friends and do their best to please their husbands and boyfriends.

8 Women's Day

...Originally introduced by the Communists, this holiday has lost its political content and has become a cultural tradition. On this extremely popular holiday men are expected to do everything around the house and give their women the possibility to have at least the only day off from all that cleaning and cooking. Men present chocolate, flowers and small gifts to their wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, female friends and colleagues.  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             3. Religious Holidays: Orthodox Easter and Holy Trinity Day.

Orthodox Easter

...The major holiday of the Orthodox religious calendar. It is usually about two weeks after Catholic Easter. For many people this holiday starts with church attendance on Saturday evening, where the festive church service is held and the father, or Orthodox priest blesses kulichi (traditional Easter cake) and pisanki (painted Easter eggs). The father greets the congregation repeating many times over: "Christ is risen!" and the congregation replies in chorus "Indeed He is risen!" During the day people visit relatives and closest friends and present them with Easter basket, filled with kulichi and pisanki, which are believed to posses a spiritual power. Everybody greets each other with "Christ is risen", then follows the answer "Indeed He is risen!" .

Holy Trinity Day

...It comes fifty days after Easter and celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit who poured himself out on the apostles. On this day people decorate their houses and apartments with greenery, which is a reminder of the new life that comes through baptism. The wildflowers blessed on the festive church service are dried up and kept behind the icons, as they are believed to possess special spiritual powers.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

4. Public Holidays: Constitution Day and Independence Day.

Jun 28 Constitution Day

...It is quite obvious that this holiday commemorates the signing of the Ukrainian Constitution that took place in 1996. In biggest cities on the Constitution Day on  Squares are held concerts of popular Ukrainian singers . Besides, on this day you are sure to hear the hymn of Ukraine, broadcasted on radio or TV or sung by people in the street.

Aug 24 Independence Day

...In 1991 Ukraine became independent from the USSR and was proclaimed a Sovereign State. The Independence Day is usually celebrated with festivals and military parades. If you have a possibility, visit the performance of military orchestras that is quite interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Labor Day and Victory Day.

May 1 Labor Day

...or May Day. Under the Soviets, it was one of the greatest holidays of the year - with colorful demonstrations and celebration of the workers and collective farmers. Today, practically nobody bothers with parades, transparency and that entire Soviet staff (surely except for some energetic old people, who try to revive those "good old days"). People just stay at home and rest. Nevertheless, this remnant of Communism is unlike to die in the near future.

 May 9 Victory Day

… It is a very important holiday for all the Ukrainians. Large military parades are held, wreathes and flowers are put on graves of soldiers and those who died in war. Family and friends congratulate veterans who wear their uniforms and medals on this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

The culture is a universal way of creative self-realization of the person, aspiration to find sense of a human life. Uniting and inspiring people, traditions give them not only the general way of comprehension of the world, but also a way of mutual understanding and empathy, a language for expression of the most delicate movements of soul. Each culture is unique, and each culture has its true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocabulary:

 culture – культура;

self-realization – самореализация;

holy day – святой день;

non-work day – нерабочий день;

day-off – выходной день;

Julian calendar – Юлианский календарь;

Orthodox Easter – Православная Пасха;

Easter cake – кулич;

«Christ is risen!» - «Христос воскрес!»;

«Indeed He is risen!» - « Воистину воскрес!»;

Holy Spirit – Святая Троица;

Constitution Day –День конституции;

Victory Day – День победы;

unique – уникальный.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Literature:

         1.Руднев В.А. Древо жизни. Об истоках народных и религиозных обрядов. – Харьков,1991.

        2.http://www.gumer.info