TEXT: CHRISTMAS IN BRITAIN

In Britain, Christmas is normally spent at home, with the family and is regarded as a celebration of the family. There are many preparations which begin on the 1^st of December when children receive advent calendars to count down the days until Christmas. For each day of December, there is a little door to open and inside there is a picture of a traditional Christmas image such as an angel or a robin red breast. People also begin sending Christmas cards to their friends and relations. This is a tradition that dates back to 1846. Another old tradition is the Christmas tree. Almost every family has a decorated tree at home, although some nowadays are artificial. The Christmas tree was first popularized by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, who introduced the custom from his native Germany in 1840.

Christmas trees are usually decorated with electric lights, toys, chocolate sweets and a star or fairy at the top. According to tradition, the tree is decorated on Christmas Eve, but in practice many people decorate their trees earlier. The tree should be taken down 12 days after Christmas.

As well as Christmas trees, people often decorate their houses with evergreens (plants which do not lose their leaves in winter): a wreath of holly on the front door and garlands of holly, ivy and fir indoors. Christmas mistletoe is an older tradition than Christmas trees. This green plant with white berries is often hung in bunches above doorways for good luck. The rule is that any couple passing under the mistletoe must kiss.

There are also usually decorations in most towns and cities. In most towns, there is a Christmas tree in a prominent place and in big cities, such as London and Glasgow, there are impressive displays of lights which people travel from all over to see. Every year the people of Norway give the City of London a Christmas present of a huge tree which stands in Trafalgar Square.

There are many special rituals connected with Christmas Eve which are followed by most families in anticipation of Father Christmas’ arrival during the night. Father Christmas is also known as Santa Claus in Britain, this comes from the European name for him, Saint Nicholas. Children often leave a snack for Father Christmas – traditionally milk and cookies – as well as a carrot for the reindeer who pull his sleigh.

Children usually leave empty stockings by the fireplace or at the foot of their bed for Santa to fill with presents. Nowadays, children receive many presents, most of which do not fit into a stocking, but the stocking is filled with small gifts like pencils, oranges, nuts, coins and small toys.

Now on Christmas Day at 3p.m. the Queen makes a speech on radio and TV. It’s ten minutes long. In it she talks to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth about the past year and congratulates them on coming Christmas and New Year.

On Christmas Day, after presents have been opened, people prepare traditional food for Christmas dinner. Although the tradition of turkey for Christmas dinner is not very old (goose was the traditional Christmas meat in the 1900s), most people have turkey for dinner. Some people prefer roast beef or goose. A typical Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey, cranberry sauce, carrots, Brussels sprouts and gravy. The traditional dessert is Christmas pudding that is covered with brandy and set alight.

Crackers are also usual at Christmas dinner. These came to Britain from China in the 19^th century. Two people pull a cracker and the one who is left with the largest part, when the cracker bursts open, wins the contests – usually a joke, a paper hat and a small toy.

Families usually relax at home after Christmas dinner, playing games or watching TV. There are often popular films shown or special Christmas editions of popular comedies.

 

 

Ex. 2. Read the following texts about other British holidays. Do you have such holidays in Russia? Which text do you like most of all? Why? Ask your group-mates what information is the most interesting for them.

Guy Fawkes Night

In 1605 King James I was on the throne. As a Protestant, he was very unpopular with Roman Catholics. Some of them planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament on the 5^th of November of that year, when the King was going to open Parliament. Under the House of Lords they had stored thirty-six barrels of gun powder, which were to be exploded by a man called Guy Fawkes. However, one of the plotters spoke about these plans and Fawkes was discovered, arrested and later hanged. Since that day the British traditionally celebrate 5^th of November by burning a dummy made of straw and old clothes, on a bonfire, whilst at the same time letting off fireworks.

The dummy is called a “guy” and children can often be seen on the pavements before 5^th of November saying “Penny for the guy”. If they collect enough money they can buy some fireworks.

 

May is here

As summer comes, Britain likes to celebrate the end of the winter. In England on 1^st May, Morris men* may be seen in country areas celebrating traditional dances, waving their white handkerchiefs to drive away the evil spirits and welcome in the new ones. In the Middle Ages the young men of each village tried to win prizes with their bows and arrows, and people danced round the Maypole (a long pole beautifully decorated with brightly coloured scarves). The people of the community usually chose May Queen and they leave baskets of spring flowers on their friends’ doorsteps before the holiday.

 

Easter eggs

At Easter time, the British celebrate the idea of new birth by giving each other chocolate Easter eggs which are open and eaten on Easter Sunday. On Good Friday bakers sell hot cross buns, which are toasted and eaten with butter. The first Christians in Rome made hot cross buns two thousand years ago. But now they are an Easter tradition in Britain. Here is a story about hot cross buns. In 1800 a widow lived in a house in East London. Her only son was a sailor and went to sea. Every year she made hot cross buns and kept one for him. He never came back, but she kept a bun for him every year. Then, after many years, she died. Now, her house is a pub. It’s called “The Widow’s Son”. For a long time people remembered the widow. Every Easter they put a hot cross bun in a special basket in the pub. Now the tradition is different. The owner of the pub sells the special hot cross bun, then he gives the money to the British Sailors’ Society.

Christians commemorate Good Friday as the day that Jesus Christ died and Easter Sunday as the day that He was resurrected. The Easter egg is a good example of a custom that began many thousands of years ago. For ancient peoples, the symbol of new life was the egg. For countless years it was the custom to give eggs as gifts during the spring festival. So we do today.

In some countries of Europe, decorating eggs has been a great art for many years. In Poland and Yugoslavia girls and women paint fancy designs on eggs before they are dyed. They paint the designs with beewax, and try to make each one a little different. Flowers stand for love, a deer for good health, the sun for good luck, a rooster for wishes that will come true.

* Morris men – мужчины, исполняющие театрализованный мужской танец в средневековых белых костюмах с колокольчиками во время майских праздненств.

 

Ex. 3. Answer the following questions:

1. Why was King James I unpopular with Roman Catholics?

2. What did they plan to do?

3. Did they succeed?

4. What did they store under the House of Lords?

5. Why Fawkes was discovered?

6. How do the British usually celebrate 5^th of November?

7. Who are Morris men?

8. In what competitions did they try to win?

9. What other customs (besides Maypole dance) do the English have on 1^st of May?

10. Retell the story of hot cross buns. Did it impress you?

11. What is Good Friday? And Easter Sunday?

12. Was the egg or the sun the symbol of new life?

13. Is decorating eggs an art?

14. Have you ever painted Easter eggs?

15. Describe the process of eggs painting in some European countries.

 

UNIT 18.

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