Special Occasions

Birthdays n Birthday cake –may be any kind of cake –candles (is China the same?) n Birthday song: Happy birthday to you Happy birthday dear name Happy birthday to you

Question If you are not a Christian and you have never been to a church, can you get married in one? Answer: Yes (in some churches).

Wedding n Popular places for a wedding: –church (traditional) –garden (a public garden, or at home) –beach

Wedding n Important people –bride: the woman who is getting married –groom: the man who is getting married –maid of honour: assistant to the bride helps the bride to dress, etc –best man: assistant to the groom holds the wedding ring until it s needed –officiant: the priest, etc who performs the marriage

Question Who enters the church first, the bride or the groom? Answer: the groom

Wedding n The ceremony: –guests enter and sit down –groom and best man wait at the front –the bride enters, and walks down the aisle with her father –the officiant helps the bride and groom to speak the wedding vows at this time, the groom puts the wedding ring on the bride s finger the bride may give the groom a ring too

Wedding n Receiving line –the newlyweds and their parents stand in a line and greet all the guests one by one n Reception (a meal) –the best man makes a speech and toast often a humourous speech –the newlyweds cut the wedding cake –the newlyweds dance together

Funerals n The colour for a funeral: black n Can be religious or non-religious –even if the person never went to church n The body is washed and dressed and placed in a casket. Often the casket is left open, so that people arriving at the funeral can say goodbye.

Funerals n The main funeral ceremony –in a church, etc –usually somebody gives a eulogy (a speech about the person) n The casket is driven in a black car to the cemetery. n The casket is carried by pallbearers. –some male friends and relatives n Another short ceremony.