British Holidays and Festivals

BritishHolidaysandFestivalsName:LiBingMajor:ComputerSoftwareandTheoryBritishHolidaysandFestivalsNationalholidaysReligiousholidaysReligiousholidaysChristmasChristmasEasterEasterChristianTraditionalholidaysCHRISTMAS-ORIGINANDHISTORYThebiggestandthemostpopularBritishholidaycelebratedonDecember25theachyeartocommemoratethebirthofJesusChrist.ThenameChristmasisshortfor‘Christ’sMass‘.MassisakindofChurchservice.Christmasisareligioustraditionalfestival.Andthat,ChristmasisthefeastofthenativityofJesus,ison25th,Decembereveryyear.ButnobodyknowtheactualbirthdayofJesus.CHRISTMAS-CELEBRATIONSCelebratingtheBirthofJesusPuttingupanddecoratingaChristmasTree.Decoratinghomes,churches,schools,workplaces,etc..Exchanginggifts,goingtoparties,spendingmoney,etc..Stayingathomewiththeirfamilies.SantaClausChristmastreeChristmascardCHRISTMASTRADITIONS:TheChristmasPantomime（哑剧）AtypicalBritishChristmastradition.Thepantomimeisusuallybasedonaversionofatraditionalchildren’sstorylikeCinderellaandSnowWhite.Therearetwomaincharactersintheplay:“theprincipalboy”,playedbyayoungwoman,and“theDame”,playedbyaman.Itisaplaywithsongsandjokeswhichcanbeenjoyedbybothadultsandchildren.BoxingDayWhichfallsonthedayafterChristmas.PeoplegiveChristmasgiftsandmoneytotheirservants.shopping;visiting;eating,;relaxingTheQueen’sspeechoverthetelevisionandradio.Talkabouttheyearthathaspassedandexpressesherhopesforthefuture.EASTEREasteristhetimeforholidays,festivalsandatimeforgivingchocolateEastereggs.ButEastermeansmuchmore....EasteristheoldestandthemostimportantChristianFestival,thecelebrationofthedeathandcomingtolifeagainofJesusChrist.EasteriscelebratedonthefirstSundaythatoccursafterthefirstfullmoononorafterthevernalequinox.FestivalCustomEastereggsEasterflowerEasterbunnyESTERFLOWER—LILYSymbolizethepurityandsacrednessofJesusChrist.Easteregg—aChristmassymbolofnewlife.•SymboloftheemptytombofJesus•AreminderthatJesusrosefromthegraveSymbolsofEasterManyofthesymbolsandtraditionsofEasterareconnectedwithrenewal,birth,goodluckandfertility.Oneofthemainsymbolsisacross,oftenonahill.WhenJesuswascrucified,thecrossbecameasymbolofsuffering.Thenwiththeresurrection,Christianssawitasasymbolofvictoryoverdeath.Rabbits,duetotheirfecundnature,havealwaysbeenasymboloffertility.IntheUKchildrenbelievethatiftheyaregoodtheEasterBunnywillleave(chocolate)eggsforthem.EASTERPARADENationalHolidaysQueenElizabethIIBirthday:April21,1926Celebration:2ndSat.ofJuneMainactivity:TroopingthecolourOneofBritain’smostimpressiveandcolorfulfestivalshappensontheQueen’sbirthday,thedayistreatedastheNationalDayoftheUnitedKingdom.Troopingthecolour皇家军队阅兵，或者军旗敬礼TheQueencelebrateherofficialbirthdaywithTroopingtheColourparadeincentralLondon.ThousandsofspectatorsjoinedtheQueenandtheDukeofEdinburghattheannualmilitaryspectaclethathasbeenperformedforcenturiesatHorseGuardsParadeinWhitehall.