Guide To American Holidays Guide To American Holidays Черепина Марина Юрьевна yчитель английского языка МОУ Полетаевская СОШ Сосновского района Челябинской области

–National Celebrations: Christmas Mother’s Day Father’s Day Independence Day Thanksgiving Day –Religious Celebration: Easter –Fun Days: St. Valentine’s Day Halloween –LiteratureLiteratureContents

Christmas Christmas is a joyful religious holiday when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. In the USA the main character of this holiday is Santa Claus.

On December 24, Christmas Eve, Santa hitches his eight reindeer to a sleigh, and loads it with presents. The reindeer pull him and his sleigh through the sky to deliver presents to children all around the world, that is, if they had been good all the year.

Customs of Christmas By this holiday people set fur trees in their houses and decorate them with toys and candies.

Another important custom of Christmas is to send and receive Christmas cards and presents.

Long ago, each child hung a stocking, or sock, over the fireplace. Santa entered down the chimney and left presents inside the socks for the children. Today the tradition is carried on, but the socks are now large red sock-shaped fabric bags still called stockings. Each child can’t wait to open his or her eyes to see what Santa has left in the stocking.

Special Christmas songs, or carols, are sung and heard all during the holiday season. Christmas carols, both religious and secular, capture the spirit and excitement of the season.

Mother’s Day comes on the second Sunday in May. It is the one day out of the year when children, young and old, try to show how much they appreciate their mothers. This holiday, suggested by Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, was established in This holiday, suggested by Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, was established in On this day American children give their mothers gifts and red carnations, the official Mother’s Day flower. This is the busiest day of the year for American restaurants. On her special day, family members do not want Mom to cook dinner! On this day American children give their mothers gifts and red carnations, the official Mother’s Day flower. This is the busiest day of the year for American restaurants. On her special day, family members do not want Mom to cook dinner!

Father’s Day comes on the third Sunday in June. President Calvin Coolidge made it a national event in Since then fathers had been honoured and recognized by their families.

One of the greatest holidays is Independence Day. It was on July 4,1776, that the Declaration of Independence was signed. It proclaimed independence of the thirteen British colonies from Great Britain.

On that day cities and towns are decorated with flags, there are parades and fireworks. Most Americans go on picnics to the countryside. Wherever Americans are around the globe, they will get together for a traditional 4 th July celebration!

Thanksgiving Day falls on the fourth Thursday in November. On this day people thank God for his goodness; besides it marks the end of the harvest season on farms. Thanksgiving has been celebrated since the first harvest festival in America in the autumn of 1621.

Thanksgiving Dinner Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and sharing. As a rule several generations of the family gather for Thanksgiving dinner at the house of an older relative. It is a long- standing tradition to fry a large turkey for a festive meal on this day.

Turkey Pardon The ceremony that takes place at the White House every year. The President of the United States is presented with alive turkey, and the president has granted the turkey a "presidential pardon". The turkey is then taken to a farm where it may live out the rest of its natural life.

In the USA February 14 is St. Valentine’s Day. One of the earliest popular symbols of the day is Cupid, the Roman god of Love, who is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow.

This holiday has roots in different legends. This is one of them. Valentine was a Christian priest in Roman Empire three hundred years ago after the death of Jesus Christ. He had been thrown in prison for his teaching. On February 14, Valentine was beheaded, not only because he was a Christian, but also because he had performed a miracle. He cured the jailer’s daughter of her blindness. The night before he was executed, he wrote a letter to the girl, signing it “From Your Valentine”.

“Valentines” Most people send “valentines”, a special greeting-card. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic and heartfelt. They can be friendly. Valentines can be heart-shaped, or have hearts, the symbol of love, on them. You can write a short rhyme inside the heart: The rose is red, The violet’s blue, Sugar is sweet, And so are we.

Easter is a religious holiday. People celebrate it according to their beliefs and their religious denominations. Christians commemorate Good Friday as the day that Jesus Christ died and Easter Sunday as the day that He was resurrected.

Symbols of Easter Easter eggs Easter basket Easter Bunny Easter Bonnet

When the season’s flowers enjoy the springtime Sun, It’s time to hope your Easter is A very Happy one! Wishing you a beautiful season That blossoms with Easter hopes and Easter happiness. Have an EGGcellent day. Easter Wishes

Egg Rolling In the USA in the early 19th century, Dolly Madison, the wife of the fourth American President, organized an egg roll in Washington, D.C. She invited the children of Washington to roll hard-boiled eggs down the hilly lawn of the new Capitol building. The event has grown, and today Easter Monday is the only day of the year when tourists are allowed to wander over the White House lawn. The egg rolling event is open to children twelve years old and under. Adults are allowed only when accompanied by children!

Halloween is an autumn holiday. It means “holly evening”, and it comes every October 31, the evening before All Saints Day. It is a holiday for children.

Beggar’s Night On Halloween night American children dress up in Halloween costumes and go out on the streets to beg. They often wear masks over their faces. They carry boxes and bags. They go from house to house and knock on the door. When the people come to the door, the children say, “Trick or treat! Trick or treat!” Almost all the people treat the children. They gave them candy or money.

Symbols Of Halloween Symbols Of Halloween Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits. Witches flying on broomsticks with black cats, ghosts, spiders, goblins and skeletons are symbols of Halloween. They are popular trick-or- treat costumes, and decorations for greeting cards and windows. Black is one of the traditional Halloweens colours.

Jack-O’-Lantern A favourite Halloween custom is to make jack-o’- lanterns. The children scrape out a pumpkin and cut the outlines of eyes, nose and mouth in the side. They light a candle inside the pumpkin to scare their friends. This custom refers to a man named Jack whose spirit was doomed to wander around the earth lighting his way with a pumpkin lantern.

Scary Story No Halloween party is complete without at least one scary story. Usually one person talks in a low voice while everyone else crowds together on the floor or around a fire. “What Do You Come For?” There was an old woman who lived all by herself, and she was very lonely. Sitting in the kitchen one night, she said, ”Oh, I wish I had some company.” No Sooner had she spoken that down the chimney tumbled two feet from which the flesh had rotted. The old woman’s eyes bugled with terror. Then two legs dropped to the hearth and attached themselves to the feet. Then a body tumbled down, the two arms, and a man’s head. As the old woman watched, the parts came together onto a great, tall man. The man danced around and around the room. Faster and faster he went. Then he stopped, and he looked in her eyes. “What do you come for?” she asked in a small voice that shivered and shook. “What do I come for?” he said. “I come – for YOU!” The narrator shouts and jumps at the person near him!

Resources Celebrate! Holidays In The USA. / Editor Frank Smolinski. - Washington, D.C.,