Important holidays in Great Britain

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Important holidays in Great Britain
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1 st January

• This is the first day of New Year. People in
  London celebrate this day with champagne and
  artificial fires.

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Last Tuesday in January

• Held every year to celebrate the end of Yule.
  Over 900 colourfully dressed "guisers" follow the
  Jarl's squad of Vikings and their longship
  through the darkened streets of the town to the
  burning site. Here the official ceremony ends in
  a spectacular blaze as 800 flaming torches are
  thrown into the galley.

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1st FebruaryThe Celtic Feast of Imbolc

• Imbolc was the second of the four great fire
  festivals. At Imbolc, Brighid, the daughter of
  Daga, was pregnant with the seed of the Sun. She
  was ripe with the promise of new life, as the
  seeds of the earth deep within its soil begin to
  awaken at this time, thus signaling the return of
  spring.

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2nd FebruaryCandlemas Day

• This, being the fortieth day after the birth of
  Christ, it was the day on which, the purification
  of the mother and the presentation of the son
  should occur. Also known in England as The Wives'
  Feast.

• If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,Winter will
  have another flightBut if it be dark with clouds
  and rain, Winter is gone, and will not come
  again.

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14th FebruarySt Valentines Day

• Originally a pagan priest in third century Rome,
  St Valentine became a Christian convert. Despite
  being noted for his chastity, he became the
  patron saint of lovers. It became an old country
  custom to choose sweethearts on his feast day.
  The earliest Valentine cards written on parchment
  appeared in the fourteenth century.

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Shrove TuesdayPancake Ceremony

• The connection between pancakes and Shrove
  Tuesday dates back to when fasting in Lent was
  strictly observed. The pancake ceremonies
  provided the opportunity to use up the households
  butter, eggs and flour.

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1st MarchWhuppity Scoorie

• This festival marks the approach of spring. At
  6pm, children traditionally race around St
  Nicholas' Church, making as much noise as
  possible and trying to hit each other with paper
  balls on the ends of strings.

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18th MarchSt Edward the Martyrs Day

• Brutally murdered on this day in 978 on the
  orders of his stepmother, Edward the 15-year-old
  Anglo-Saxon King of England became known as a
  Saint and Martyr when miracles began to occur at
  his tomb. As a consequence of this, his body was
  moved from Wareham to Shaftesbury Abbey. Pilgrims
  still attend his modern shrine.

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Easter

• Easter Sunday is not just a holiday but also a
  special day that is celebrated to honor the
  Jesus' return to life. It's a day to celebrate
  the victory of life over death and light over
  darkness. Well, to commemorate the resurrection
  of Jesus Christ, every nation hosts some special
  kind of celebration that is specific to their
  region. Easter celebration in Britain is truly
  different.

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1st AprilAll Fools Day

• All Fools Day, also known as April Fools Day,
  is a time for the traditional playing of pranks
  upon unsuspecting people...the victim being known
  as the April Fool. The primary aim behind April
  Fools Day jokes and pranks are that they should
  be able to be enjoyed by everyone ...especially
  the person upon whom the joke is played.

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23rd AprilShakespeare Celebrations

• The birthday of the worlds most famous
  playwright is celebrated in his hometown. Folk
  dancing, processions and the laying of wreaths at
  the grave form part of the celebrations.

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1st MayHobby Horse Day

• Celebrations commence when midnight is struck on
  30th April with the singing of the May Song
  outside the Golden Lion Inn. The Obby Oss, with
  its horse shaped head and curtained body, starts
  its dance through the winding streets of Padstow
  at 10 a.m. led by the Teaser. The origin to this
  ancient pagan ritual have been lost in the midst
  of time.

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29th MayOak Apple Day, Arbor Tree Day.

• These celebrations commemorate the escape of
  Charles II after the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
  He escaped his pursuers by hiding in an oak tree
  whilst they searched the ground below. In 1660
  Charles proclaimed Arbor Day, when the trees were
  to be dressed.

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First Saturday in the month.Gawthorpe May
Festival

• Retaining all the elements of a traditional May
  Day celebration, commencing with the crowning of
  the May Queen, then onto the procession and
  finally the maypole dancing.

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May Bank Holiday (Usually the first Monday in the
month)Jack-in-the-Green Festival

• Jack has been an important character in May Day
  celebrations since medieval times some claim he
  is even older than that, a relic from the days of
  ancient tree worship.

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During the monthWell Dressing

• Well dressing involves the decoration of springs
  and wells with pictures made from living plants
  and flowers.

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Thursday before the 29th of the month (St Peter's
Day)Cakes and Ale Ceremony

• Jankyn Smith a benefactor of the town, who died
  in 1481, is remembered at St. Marys Church,
  cakes and ale are dispensed after the special
  service.

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20th JulySt Margaret's Day

• St Margaret was once a very popular saint - she
  had the nick name of St Peg. People believed that
  doing honour to Peg would bring them God's
  protection against illnesses and evil spirits. St
  Pegs day was traditionally celebrated with a
  plum pudding called Heg Peg Dump.

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Third Wednesday in the monthKnighthood of
Southampton Old Green Championship

• Bowls started to be played on the Southampton Old
  Bowling Green in 1299, making it the oldest
  bowling green still in use in the world. The club
  that plays there now is believed to have been
  established in the 17th Century and hosts an
  annual competition known as the Knighthood.

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Second Friday of AugustBurry Mans Parade

• This pagan ceremony dates back to a time before
  records began and its origins and purpose have
  been lost in the midst of time. A local man is
  covered in burrs (from the burdock plant) and is
  paraded around the town. It's thought the parade
  was to ward off evil spirits - it can certainly
  ward off children who are said to be terrified at
  the very look of the Burry Man.

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Sunday closest to the 19th of the month.Clipping
the Church

• The people of the pretty Cotswold town "clip" or
  hug the church. Everyone joins hands to create a
  chain all around the church and they all sing a
  special clipping hymn.

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7th OctoberLost in the Dark Peal

• On a dark October night in 1754 William Davis
  became lost in the Hampshire countryside. He was
  just about to ride his horse over a cliff when
  the sound of Twyfords church bells rang out. As
  they did so William realised he was heading in
  the wrong direction and pulled up to take stock.
  It was then he noted he was on the edge of a deep
  quarry and had he not stopped would have plunged
  to certain death. In gratitude he left a pound
  for a peal of bells to be rung annually with a
  feast provided for the bell ringers. The funds
  ran out long ago but the tradition remains.

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13th OctoberSt. Edwards (The Confessor) Day

• A special service commemorates the last
  Anglo-Saxon king and the Abbey founder. He earned
  the pious nickname The Confessor partly for his
  monk-like qualities of generosity to the poor and
  partly due to his unconsummated marriage to Queen
  Edith.

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31st OctoberHalloween

• The eve of All Souls Day also coincides with the
  ancient festival of Samhain, which marked the
  last day of the Celtic year, when the Festival of
  the Dead took place. The day of the year when
  demons and evil spirits were free to roam and the
  night when witches gathered to hold their most
  important sabbats. Bonfires were lit as
  protection and charms placed in barns to
  safeguard livestock. It was believed that the
  dead returned on Halloween, hence it was once
  the custom to leave doors open and food on the
  table to nourish the souls of recently departed
  family members.

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1st NovemberAll Saints Day

•  A Christian Feast that celebrates its saints.
  The origins of the Feast date back to around 400.
  All Saints is a day to venerate and pray to the
  saints in heaven for help in whatever matter
  concerns or troubles you.

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6th DecemberEnthroning of Boy Bishops

• The custom of choosing a Boy Bishop from the
  members of a cathedral choir is thought to date
  from the 13th century. Following his election he
  is fitted out in full Bishops regalia including
  robes, mitre and crozier. During the ceremony the
  chosen chorister and his attendants enter the
  church, or cathedral, and the new Boy Bishop
  takes his place on the Bishop's throne and
  receives a blessing. He then holds this post from
  the Feast of St Nicholas on 6th December until
  Holy Innocents Day on the 28th December.

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31st DecemberBurning the Old Year Out

• A re-enactment of the ancient fire festival is
  continued with a torchlight procession through
  the town followed by a bonfire. The bonfire
  symbolizing the burning out of the old year.
  During World War II a candle was lit in a tin can
  to ensure the tradition survived.

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The presentation was prepared by

• Michal Kuprasz
• Mateusz Golabek
• From II TZ