UK holidays and events 2020: the most important festivals and highlights, national holidays and events in the UK. Photos and videos, descriptions, reviews and timings.
- Tours for May to the UK
- Last minute tours to the UK
- February 14, 2020 Valentine's Day in England
- February 24 - March 1, 2020Maslenitsa in England
- May 1, 2020 Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival
- May 24, 2020 British Queen's Birthday
- July 21 - 24, 2020 Isle of Wight Festival
The music festival, taking place on one of Britain's well-known islands, has many blemishes on its history. In 1968, the headliner of the festival was the American cult band of the hippie era Jefferson Airplane, who made a name for themselves with the hit White Rabbit.
- August 2, 2020 Fringe Festival
- 8 – 12 August 2020 Great Beer Festival in London
- October 31, 2020 Halloween
- November 5, 2020 Guy Fawkes Night
- December 25, 2020 Christmas in the UK
- December 31, 2020 New Year in London
- December 31, 2020 New Year in Scotland
- December 31, 2020 New Year in England
- December 31, 2020 New Year in Great Britain
When Russians celebrate May Day, people in the UK organize the Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival. Yes, yes, modern heating systems have not yet eradicated this profession; rather, on the contrary, they have raised its prestige.
The British love May; there are many holidays and festivals in this month: in May they honor chimney sweeps, organize a whiskey festival, or simply celebrate May Day by choosing a king and queen of the month.
So, on the first of May in England there is a colorful procession with dancing in honor of the grimy, but never despondent people with ladders, ropes and brooms. “My Lord” leads the procession, followed by Jack-in-the-Green, a boy decorated with leaves and branches, teenage clowns somersaulting in front of him, followed by lords and ladies. At the end there is “milady”, who collects the “treasury”. Jack-in-the-Green represents the spirit of spring and the forest.
Apart from Easter, Christmas and New Year, all UK holidays fall on Mondays. This is how the British diplomatically solved the problem of a “hard day.”
In May, a whiskey festival takes place in Scotland: the doors of factories open to ordinary people, which, of course, they usually cannot get into. And most importantly, during the festival there are tastings of the drink that the Scots are so proud of. On May Day, a medieval carnival is held on the streets, ruled by a king and queen - they are chosen by the residents themselves. On the last Monday of May, residents of Great Britain have a spring day off: everything around is decorated with fresh flowers, people dance and sing in the streets. Every year, during three weeks in August, the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, welcomes guests and participants of the world's largest arts festival, the Fringe.
The Fringe festival hosts 32 thousand performances and more than 2 thousand different shows, for which more than 250 venues are equipped throughout the city.
Another interesting holiday celebrated in Great Britain is Apple Day. It is celebrated on October 21 or the weekend closest to this date. On this day you can try hundreds of different varieties of apples, some of which are not sold in regular stores. Also among the holiday dishes are apple pies, fruit and vegetable seasonings, and cider. And, of course, the holiday is not complete without games and competitions. For example, you can shoot apples with a bow or try your hand at a competition for the longest strip of peel.
The longest apple peel is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. American Katie Wolfer peeled an apple for 11 hours and 30 minutes and obtained a peel 52 meters 51 centimeters long. The record was set on October 16, 1976 in New York.
If you are planning to live in the UK, are friends with British people or are interested in British culture, you need to have an understanding of British holidays. The full list of holidays numbers several dozen and differs in England, Scotland, Wales and. But there are several most important holidays that are celebrated everywhere and on a grand scale. Usually such days are public holidays.
Christmas and Boxing Day
history of the holiday
Name of the holiday Christmas comes from the Old English phrase Christes maesse, which translates as “Mass of Christ.” It is believed that the tradition of celebrating Christmas in Great Britain was spread by Augustine of Canterbury, who carried out a mass baptism of Englishmen on Christmas Day in 597.
Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, was only celebrated during the reign of Queen Victoria. This holiday probably originates from the tradition of giving servants a year's wages on the day after Christmas.
Holiday symbols
- Father Christmas– “Father Christmas”, an analogue of the Russian Father Frost
- Christmas stockings– Christmas stockings, bright red stockings or socks that are hung over the bed to contain candy and sweets
- Christmas tree- Christmas tree
- Holly- holly, from which, according to legend, the wreath of Jesus Christ was made
- Mistletoe– mistletoe, evergreen sprigs that are hung from the ceiling
Holiday traditions
Christmas is the main British holiday: the largest, the most fun and the most anticipated. Preparations for Christmas in the UK begin months in advance. The first Christmas products appear in stores in early autumn. In November, the Christmas atmosphere is already in full swing.
At Christmas, the British give cards to relatives, friends, colleagues and even just acquaintances. Around three billion Christmas cards are sold in the UK every year. Close friends and relatives are always given gifts.
At Christmas, the main British Christmas tree is installed in Trafalgar Square in London, which is brought from Norway every year. It is decorated in the Norwegian style with descending garlands. The British are very fond of Christmas decorations; they decorate their homes colorfully and elegantly, sometimes even too brightly.
Christmas is a family holiday, celebrated with relatives over dinner. The Christmas table always includes roasted turkey with vegetables and gravy - the main holiday dish. On this holiday, children write letters to “Father Christmas” and throw it into the fireplace so that the smoke delivers the message to the recipient.
The day after Christmas is also a holiday, Boxing Day or Boxing Day. On this day, stores have huge discounts on all products. The British either go shopping, visit each other with gifts, or stay at home, watch movies and eat leftover Christmas dinner.
In the UK, it is customary to throw out the tree and remove the decorations no later than 12 days after Christmas. It is believed that otherwise the year will be unsuccessful.
New Year – New Year
history of the holiday
Until 1752, the British celebrated New Year and Christmas at the same time, in accordance with the Julian calendar of that time. In 1752, Great Britain switched to the Gregorian calendar, and the date of the New Year moved from December 25 to January 1.
Holiday symbols
- Strikes of Big Ben– the chime of the Big Ben clock, which marks the beginning of the New Year
- Christmas symbols– Christmas symbols, decorations and a tree that remain in the house and on the streets until the New Year
Holiday traditions
New Year is considered a much less significant holiday for all Britons except the Scots. Only in Scotland is this holiday celebrated on the same scale as in Russia, and they even pay more attention to it than to Christmas.
Before the New Year, Brits make New Year's resolutions and create a list of goals for the coming year. Not everyone sticks to it throughout the year, but they perform this ritual every time.
Before the New Year, festive parades take place on the streets of London. On New Year's Day, it is customary to get together with friends and organize parties that last until the morning. It is not customary to give large gifts; usually the British buy cards, candles, souvenirs and Christmas tree decorations for friends.
The New Year's menu includes turkey, stewed vegetables, puddings, meat pies, sweet pies with marzipan figures. But many Englishmen do not stay at home on New Year's Eve, but go to clubs, cafes, and costume parties. People can celebrate the New Year on the square under fireworks or even at the skating rink. When the clock strikes, there is a tradition of kissing under the mistletoe.
Valentine's Day
history of the holiday
During the late Middle Ages, legends appeared in England that connected the life of St. Valentine with the secret weddings of lovers. In the 14th century, English writer Geoffrey Chaucer romantically described this popular belief in his poem “The Parliament of Birds.” This made the holiday, which was celebrated on the day of the execution of St. Valentine, popular in Great Britain.
Holiday symbols
- Valentines– valentines, postcards with declarations of love
- Red roses and other flowers – red roses and other flowers
- Chocolate– chocolate
- Red and rose hearts– red and pink hearts
- Cupids– cupids, little winged boys with bows and arrows
Holiday traditions
Valentine's Day in Great Britain is not a public holiday, but it is quite a popular holiday. This day should be dedicated to your loved ones. Typically, lovers give each other valentines and gifts and arrange surprises - for example, dinners at a restaurant or romantic evenings at a hotel. On this day it is very difficult to get into any British establishment: everything is reserved in advance.
Musicians and children sing romantic ballads on the street in exchange for candy on Valentine's Day. On this day, most British people are in high spirits, as the holiday is associated with the arrival of spring.
In Great Britain there is a belief that if a girl gets up early on Valentine's Day and looks out the window, the first man she sees will become her husband.
Easter
Every year a different date, from the end of March to the end of April, falls on a Sunday
history of the holiday
The British began to celebrate Easter since Christianity spread in the country. But many Easter traditions appeared before the Christian era. Even the English name of the holiday Easter comes from the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre .
Holiday symbols
- Easter eggs– Easter eggs painted in different colors, lately most often these are chocolate eggs rather than real chicken eggs
- Easter Bunny– Easter bunny, symbol of the ancient holiday of the spring equinox
- Hot cross buns– Easter buns with a pattern in the form of crosses filled with raisins and candied fruits
Holiday traditions
Easter is considered the second most important British holiday after Christmas. This is also a family holiday, primarily a children's holiday, since it is on Easter that British children begin their spring holidays.
The celebration begins on Good Friday, which the British call Good Friday. On Friday, at dawn, cross buns are baked and served for breakfast.
On Sundays at dawn, religious services and organ concerts are held in British churches. Parks and restaurants host children's parties with egg hunting competitions and egg rolling down the mountain. Solemn processions and performances by dancers of the national Morris dance take place through the streets, and Easter fairs are held in the squares. On this day it is customary to wear new clothes.
For lunch, the family gathers around a table decorated with an Easter basket with white lilies. The British prepare an Easter cake called Simnel Cake, eat baked lamb meat and colored eggs, exchange chocolate Easter bunny figurines.
Halloween – Halloween
history of the holiday
Halloween originates from the Celtic pagan holiday Samhain, which was celebrated at the end of October and was associated with supernatural forces. When the British Isles were converted to Christianity, many pagan holidays survived under new names. So, Samhain turned into All Saints' Day - All Hallowed Souls Eve. This name was shortened in Old English to Halloween.
Holiday symbols
- Jack-O-Lantern– Jack-o'-lantern, pumpkin head with candles inside
- Bats- the bats
- Skulls– skulls
- Witches– witches
- Orange- Orange color
Holiday traditions
In the lead-up to Halloween, families entertain themselves by carving jack-o'-lanterns and decorating their homes. Pumpkins are placed on windowsills or outside the house to scare passersby. Many British people decorate their homes with special spider webs from shops, bats and skeletons cut out of paper.
On Halloween, the British throw costume parties at home or go to parties in clubs. Mass celebrations are held on the streets. Children dress up in scary costumes and go from house to house, begging for sweets or money with words Trick or treat. This is an American tradition, but it is already widespread in the UK. That's why the British prepare treats for children in advance.
Every year Warwick Castle in central England hosts a children's Halloween show. The party ends with the explosion of a huge candy bomb.
Guy Fawkes’ Night, Bonfire Night
history of the holiday
On the night of November 5, 1605, a group of conspirators attempted to blow up the British Parliament. One of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes, was supposed to light the fuse under the gunpowder room, but he was arrested. Parliament called on Londoners to organize a holiday in honor of saving the king's life and light bonfires in the streets. They made an effigy of Guy Fawkes from straw and burned it. Since then, every year on the night of November 5, a holiday is held with bonfires, fireworks and firecrackers.
Holiday symbols
- Banger- firecracker
- Bonfire– bonfire
- Guy- scarecrow
Holiday traditions
On the evening of November 4, Britons dress up in period costumes and children smear charcoal on their faces. Everyone takes to the streets to participate in or watch processions, admire fireworks, shoot firecrackers and firecrackers, and burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes. Stuffed animals are made in advance or bought in stores.
Many Britons stay at home, have festive dinners and invite guests over. In addition to dinner with mashed potatoes, sausages and apples in syrup, the program includes lighting a fire in the area and setting fire to a scarecrow.
Bank holidays – Bank Holidays
First Monday in May, last Monday in May, last Monday in August
history of the holiday
In 1871, the Bank of England established a list of additional holidays to make work easier for workers. At first there were only four of them. Later this list was supplemented by several more days.
Holiday traditions
Bank holidays in the UK are public holidays on which weekends are held. Such weekends were established in addition to the usual holidays, which are called Common Law Holidays– for example, Christmas or Easter are also official days off. And Boxing Day, for example, is a real bank holiday. But now in colloquial speech the British often call all official days off bank holidays, and the terms Bank Holidays, Common Law Holidays And Public Holidays have long been confused.
Bank holidays are held twice in May and once in August. These holidays are called Early May Bank Holiday , Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday. Although banks are closed during this time, most shops are open as people prefer to indulge in shopping during these holidays.
If you know more about British holidays, please share with us in the comments.
There are eight public holidays in England: New Year(1st of January), Good Friday(in 2013 March 23), Second day of Easter(in 2013 April 1), may Day, Spring day off(May 27, 2013), Summer day off(August 26, 2013), Christmas(December 25), (December 26).
All public holidays in Great Britain are also called “bank holidays”, i.e. official holidays in banks and other organizations.
Bank holidays mainly fall on Mondays, giving English citizens the opportunity to enjoy a long three-day weekend.
The designation “Bank holidays” was introduced in the 19th century by banker and politician Sir John Lubbock, who considered that two types of holidays should be distinguished.
The Bank Holidays Act 1871 provided for four official holidays: Easter Monday, the First of May, the Last Monday in August and Boxing Day.
Today this term is used for many public holidays, which, however, are not officially recognized as "Bank holidays", i.e. are not holidays.
1.1. New Year.
Rice. 1 Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.
Rice. 2 New Year celebration.
The main winter holiday in England is Christmas, and the New Year is a continuation of the festive Christmas days. The British do not understand this holiday without street illumination in the form of Her Majesty's crown. The festive city is transformed: it puts on garlands of lights and houses a whole forest of Christmas trees.
The center of New Year's celebrations is Trafalgar Square. Thousands of people always gather there to celebrate the New Year, and a Christmas tree is erected. The Christmas tree is delivered from Norway as a sign of gratitude to the Kingdom for saving members of the Norwegian royal family during World War II.
The most famous New Year's tradition in this country is the tradition of the first guest. A few minutes before the midnight clock strike on New Year's Eve, the father of the family or a dark-haired guest leaves the house through the back door, carrying away a small package containing a piece of coal, a loaf of bread and a coin. The person who "takes away the old year" and then "brings in the new year" should under no circumstances be blond or red-haired - this can bring bad luck.
A minute after the New Year, this man enters the house, loudly slamming the door, and the whole family greets him with laughter, shouts, congratulations and kisses. Then the bundle, which was brought in the same way a year ago, is thrown into the trash bin, and the new bundle is stored until the end of the year. The contents of the package should provide the family with warmth, food and prosperity throughout the coming year.
1.2. Easter.
Easter is a Christian holiday in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated by the Catholic Church on the first full moon Sunday after the spring equinox between March 22 and April 25.Major holidays in England follow one another. This Good Friday(Good Friday), herself Easter or Holy Sunday(Easter Day) and Easter Monday(Easter Monday).
The constant symbol of the holiday are chocolate Easter Eggs and the Easter Bunny, symbolizing abundance and fertility.
Rice. 3 Chocolate Easter egg.
Rice. 4 Easter bunny.
Modern traditions of celebrating Easter in England are very cheerful, bright, colorful and joyful. Easter is considered one of the most important holidays of the year. On Easter Day, religious services are held in churches at dawn. Organ music concerts are held in Catholic churches.
On this day it is customary to wear new clothes, which symbolizes the end of the bad weather season and the onset of spring. At this time, tulips, crocuses and daffodils appear in the UK. Easter baskets filled with eggs, bread and other food are taken with them to the Easter service to be blessed in the church.
On Easter Monday, it is customary to give candy and toys to children on the streets. The kids are looking forward to Sunday, when they wake up and see that the Easter Bunny has left baskets of sweets for them and hid the eggs that they painted last week.
Children are looking for eggs all over the house. There are even special competitions - searching for eggs (" Eggstravaganza» – « Eggstravaganza"), the child who collects the most receives a prize. Such celebrations are held in parks and restaurants.
On Easter mornings, children roll eggs down the mountain. This is an old game. The egg rolling down the mountain symbolizes the stone rolled away from the Holy Sepulcher. In Lancashire, Easter festivities and “egg races” are held: hard-boiled eggs are lowered down a hill, and the one whose egg reaches the bottom of the hill first wins. The British brought this tradition to America.
One of the typical Easter traditions is preserved in Radley near Oxford. Parishioners join hands and “hug” their church - forming a living circle around it.
In England, the whole family gathers for Easter, prepares Sunday lunch: they bake a lamb with a lot of vegetables, bake an Easter cake (simnel cake), and paint eggs. And on Sunday mornings they serve hot cross buns with tea.
Another tradition associated with Easter is when the monarch gives money to the poor on Maundy Thursday in the Holy Week before Easter. The royal alms are distributed among pensioners living in the vicinity of the cathedral or abbey in which the church service with the participation of the monarch is held.
The location of this service changes every year. Previously it was held in London, but Elizabeth II c. At the beginning of her reign, she decided to hold ceremonies in different cities of the United Kingdom.
1.3. May Day.
Rice. 5 Spring day.
The official holiday is the 1st Monday of May. This holiday went down in history as Spring Day (May Day). In the Middle Ages, on this day, girls got up before dawn and washed themselves with dew, believing that this would make them irresistible for the year ahead. Also on this day, archery competitions were held, residents sang and danced.
This custom still survives in some remote British villages, but city dwellers completely ignore it. On this day, fun festivities, costume parades, and other fun events take place in all parts of Britain. And the cities are decorated with flower garlands.
Spring Day is also associated with the national hero Robin Hood. Recently, the day of May 1 has been darkened by mass hooliganism among young people in central London.
1.4. Spring day off.
Rice. 6 Spring day off.
The spring holiday in the UK, celebrated annually on the last Monday of May, refers to the so-called Spring Bank Holiday.
This day can rightfully be called the holiday of flowers, because on the eve of the holiday, houses and streets of England are decorated with garlands of spring flowers.
In the morning, costume processions with flowers and branches of flowering trees are held on the streets. And during the day and evening the holiday spills over into folk festivities.
1.5. Summer day off.
August rest day (August Bank Holiday), which takes place every last Monday in August.
This day is considered an official holiday, and the local population tries to spend it with family in nature.
1.6. Christmas.
Rice. 7 Christmas.
Rice. 8 Christmas wreath.
Christmas– the most important holiday of the year is celebrated on December 25th. From December 1 to December 24, preparations for the Christmas holidays begin, the so-called Nativity Fast. Residents of England are stocking up on Christmas paraphernalia and gifts for loved ones.
One of the main traditions of these weeks is wreaths with candles, which have a special meaning. Such wreaths are made on the first Sunday of this period, and usually consist of 5 candles: four red and one white. Every Sunday a new red candle is lit. They are lit at a time when the family gathers together for prayer, a festive table, etc. A white candle is lit on the evening before Christmas as a symbol that Christ will come into the world and illuminate the darkness.
Another tradition associated with Christmas is hanging up stockings for gifts. According to the Christmas legend, in ancient times there lived a noble, but very poor man. His wife died and he was left alone with three daughters. The girls could not get married because they did not have a dowry.
One Christmas Eve they washed the stockings and hung them in front of the fireplace. Santa Claus decided to help the homeless women and threw a gold bar into each stocking so that they could get married.
Since then, on Christmas night, children in England hang stockings in front of the fireplace, and in the morning they find gifts in them. Children write letters to Santa Claus describing their wishes, but instead of mailing them, they throw them into the fire. And Santa Claus diligently reads the smoke.
The house is decorated with pine branches and wild berries. Branches and berries were brought into the house to disperse the winter gloom and remind that spring is just around the corner. Mistletoe can be found on apple trees and willows. It was hung around the house by the ancient Druids, who believed that mistletoe had mystical powers that brought good luck to the home and scared away evil spirits.
On Christmas Eve, children leave mince pies and brandy for Santa Claus and carrots for the reindeer. Gifts are opened on Christmas morning. Children wake up very early in the morning and find a sock full of gifts at the foot of the bed and gifts on the floor. Later, the family gets together to open all the gifts that were left under the tree.
Rice. 9
December 26th is one of the most pleasant holidays - Boxing Day. The name of this holiday does not come from the word boxing, but from the word “box” (box, box).
Traditionally, on this day, donation boxes are opened in churches and their contents are distributed to the poor. Previously, on this day, servants were sent home for a festive dinner with their families.
The holiday is an additional day off after Christmas.
Learn English and not know English holidays? This nonsense, and also short-sighted: if you find yourself in Britain in August, it would be a shame not to see the largest carnival in Europe, in November - the stunning fireworks of Guy Fawkes Night, in June - the celebration of the official Queen's Birthday.
And by congratulating your British colleague on the holiday, you will not only make him (or her) happy, but also strengthen your professional relationship. But enough about business (“Work done, have your fun”): today we are talking about how the British spend their free time from work, namely, about the holidays!
The English word holiday comes from the phrase “holy day”, “sacred day”, which in the past was dedicated to worship. Nowadays, there are both religious and secular holidays.
In addition, there are a number of strange holidays - one or more for every day of the year. For example, in the UK they hold Straw Bear Festival and Scarecrow Festival, celebrate Kissing Friday and Blessing of the Throats Day, and hold Cheese Rolling Championships ) and swimming in a diving mask in a swamp (Bog Snorkelling Championships) - and the like.
So, the holidays of the United Kingdom are many and varied. But, unfortunately for the British, There are not so many official holidays (holiday calendar for 2015):
|
New Year's Day - New Year |
Public Holiday |
||
|
Scotland |
|||
|
St Patrick's Day - St. Patrick's Day |
Northern Ireland |
||
|
Good Friday - Easter |
Public Holiday |
||
|
Monday |
Easter Monday - Monday of Easter week |
||
|
Monday |
Early May Bank Holiday - Bank holiday at the beginning of May |
Public Holiday |
|
|
Monday |
Spring Bank Holiday |
Public Holiday |
|
|
Monday |
Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) (Substitute Day) — |
Northern Ireland |
|
|
Monday |
Scotland |
||
|
Monday |
Summer Bank Holiday |
Public holiday (except Scotland) |
|
|
Monday |
St. Andrew's Day - St. Andrew's Day |
Scotland |
|
|
Christmas Day - Christmas |
Public Holiday |
||
|
Boxing Day |
Public Holiday |
||
|
Monday |
Boxing Day (Substitute Day) |
Public Holiday |
As can be seen from the table, Not all holidays in England, Ireland and Scotland are the same. But each member of the Commonwealth can boast a number of its own “holy days”. In our article we provide a list of the most important and popular holidays in the United Kingdom, from January to December.
January
1 – New Year’s Day
On the night from December 31 to January 1, residents of the United Kingdom celebrate the beginning of the New Year. This holiday is traditionally celebrated among family and friends, welcoming the first minutes of the new year with an old song based on the words of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, ‘Auld lang syne’. The party can go on long after midnight, until the New Year. It's common to make New Year's resolutions, such as achieving a goal or quitting a bad habit.
In Scotland, New Year's celebrations are called Hogmanay [ˌhɔɡməˈneː]).
January 25 — Burns’ Night
On Burns Night, many Scots hold a special dinner in honor of Robert Burns. with reading the poems of this poet. Men can wear a kilt, bagpipes sound, and almost always on the table there is haggis (traditional Scottish pudding made from lamb tripe: heart, liver and lungs) with turnips (turnips) and potatoes (tatties).
January 31 - Chinese New Year
Outside of Asia, the most lavish New Year celebrations are held in London. In Chinatown (West End) there is a parade with music, performances by acrobats and dancers, as well as a food fair and fireworks. But the holiday is not limited to this: celebrations take place throughout the country. Large street parades are also held in other cities, including Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool and Birmingham.
February
January 14 - Valentine's Day
Love is in the air! The historical Valentine's Day is today a celebration of love. Many residents of the United Kingdom dine in restaurants with their sweethearts and give them Valentine’s cards, chocolate, and sweets. If you're single, you can get an anonymous Valentine from a secret admirer!
March
Shrove Tuesday or "Pancake Day"
Lent (Lent) is a traditional Christian period of abstinence lasting 40 days. Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) is the day before the start of Lent, Ash Wednesday, when housewives prepare a hearty meal with lots of eggs, milk and sugar.
Nowadays, even non-religious people cook and eat pancakes on this day. Pancakes in England are made thin (unlike in America) and are most often served with lemon and sugar or corn syrup (golden syrup).
Some towns in the UK also host pancake races, in which participants try to run a distance with a frying pan in their hands, tossing a pancake as they run. One of the most famous races is held in Olney, Buckinghamshire, where the first pancake race is believed to have taken place back in 1445.
“Ash Wednesday” - the exact date is determined according to the solar and lunar calendars
Christian holiday marking the beginning of Lent (Lent).
March 8 – International Women’s Day
On International Women's Day, very popular in the UK and Europe, it is customary to honor all women, and sometimes - give the fair sex small gifts (for example, flowers).
Mother's Day / Mothering Sunday
Mother's Day in England is almost always celebrated in March, three weeks before Easter Sunday. On this day, mothers are honored and thanked for everything they do for us. It is customary to give mothers cards, gifts, invite them to a restaurant or cook a festive dinner for them.
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day - North. Ireland
St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Ireland, revered by all Irish communities around the world. In the UK, the day is marked by celebrations in many cities, including Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and London, as well as Belfast.
Crowds of people take to the streets, wearing green clothes or adorning themselves with the symbol of a three-leaf clover (shamrock), which is believed to bring good luck.
April
April 1 - April Fool's Day
One day a year is possible - and even necessary! - “make jokes” and organize practical jokes(to play a prank / practical joke / trick on smb.).
Even in newspapers, on television and radio, comic news is often published and broadcast on April 1st. The prank is accompanied by the exclamation “April fool!” (this is what they call someone who “gets caught”). At noon, however, the time for jokes ends.
Palm Sunday
Christian holiday marking the beginning of Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday
Thursday of Holy Week, Christian holiday of commemoration of the Last Supper.
Good Friday
Christian holiday commemorating the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Easter Sunday - the exact date is determined according to the solar and lunar calendars
In the Christian calendar, Easter is the most important holiday of the year. It was installed in honor of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
People celebrate Easter in different ways, but many give each other chocolate eggs and bake Easter buns with a cross on them(hot cross buns).
April 23 - St. George's Day
Legend has it that Saint George was a Roman soldier who killed a dragon to save a princess. He is now the patron saint of England, and April 23rd is England's national holiday. St. George's Cross can be seen on the flag of England (a red cross on a white background).
William Shakespeare was also born on April 23rd. And the best place to celebrate this day is undoubtedly the hometown of the great writer, Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, where a festival dedicated to this day is held. In 2014, the celebrations were especially grand as they celebrated the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth.
May
May 1 - first day of May (May Day)
May 1st welcomes the arrival of summer. And although summer officially begins only in June, the first day of May celebrates the end of the cold and the hope of a mild summer. The holiday tradition includes dancing around the maypole.
May 5 and 26 are bank holidays
Two Mondays in May are considered days off. Britons can skip work or school and, if they're lucky, spend the day outdoors enjoying the first sunshine of spring.
June
June 14th - The Queen's Official Birthday
Although the actual birthday is celebrated on April 21st, according to a tradition dating back to 1748, the king's or queen's birthday is celebrated in June.
On this day, a traditional military parade called Trooping the Color is held in London, which is hosted by the Queen herself, surrounded by members of her family.
3rd Sunday of June - Father's day
On this Day, fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, fathers-in-law and fathers-in-law are honored. Many British people give their older male relatives a card or a gift, or arrange a dinner or a trip to a restaurant together.
July
Eid al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr)
Marking the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, The holiday of Eid al-Adha is widely celebrated by Muslim communities in Great Britain. Typically, each community organizes its own celebrations, but cities such as London and Birmingham have larger celebrations of the event.
August
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The world's largest arts festival,"The Fringe" has thousands of performances and productions in 250 theater venues. The festival is open to any theatre, comedy, music or dance production, and many drama students come to Edinburgh at this time to stage their first productions.
25 August – Notting Hill Carnival
Held in West London on a bank holiday, this carnival is the largest street festival in Europe. About 1 million people come to admire the colorful carnival floats, dancers in colorful, spectacular costumes, hear the sounds of salsa and reggae and enjoy Caribbean cuisine from street stalls. Bring some holiday spirit, plenty of cash, and be patient—the carnival gets pretty crowded.
September
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week(in 2014 it took place from September 12 to 16) sets fashion guidelines— along with similar weeks in Paris, Milan and New York. This event is intended for fashion industry professionals, but anyone can purchase tickets to the Fashion Weekend, where they can get into the spirit of fashion shows. London hosts two fashion weeks every year, the first of which takes place in February.
October
October 23 – Diwali
Diwali (or Deepavali) is the Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindu, Sikh and Jain religious communities.
Leicester (the city that hosts the largest Diwali celebration outside India), London and Nottingham host vibrant street performances featuring traditional Indian dishes. Indian music is played and traditional Indian dances are performed. And of course, the streets are illuminated with a variety of lamps, lanterns, candles and fireworks.
October 31 — Halloween
Discuss this topic at Skyeng school
first lesson free
Submit your application
33458
In contact with
Here you can find UK holidays. State, national, official and unofficial holidays in the UK.
The historical and cultural homeland of the English language is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This is a country with rich traditions, a fascinating history and the most beautiful English accent. England is also one of the most conservative countries in the world, which is why its residents are very sensitive and respectful of national customs and honor existing traditions.
The United Kingdom consists of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland. Each country is unique in its own way and is connected to the other three by a number of similarities and differences. Thus, each area has its own distinctive accent, and often a completely different vocabulary. The same applies to traditional holidays. While Christmas is invariably celebrated on December 25th in every country in the UK, the 4-day festival on New Year's Eve, Edinburgh Hogmanay, is a holiday that only takes place in Scotland.
All public holidays in Great Britain are also called “bank holidays”, i.e. official holidays in banks and other organizations. "Banking" holidays are, as a rule, approved by the Royal Proclamation. The traditional holidays of England, Wales and Northern Ireland are considered to have broadly the same dates and customs, while those of Scotland differ slightly from their neighbours.
So the most popular winter holidays in the UK are undoubtedly New Year and Christmas. Catholic Christmas falls on December 25, and this day is an official holiday, as well as December 26 and 27 as Boxing Day And Christmas Bank Holiday. New Year, like in many countries around the world, is celebrated on January 1. However, for the British, Christmas itself is of particular importance and it is on this day that the largest treats occur, including Christmas dinner with stuffed turkey in England, roast goose in Wales and Ireland. Another symbol of Christmas is Plum Pudding. On this holiday, British homes look like fairy-tale decorations, as they are decorated with Christmas tree branches, wild berries, colorful candles, and a sprig of mistletoe above the door. Custom says that if a man and a woman meet under a mistletoe branch, they must kiss. The most favorite symbol of children on this holiday is Christmas stockings, prudently hung over the fireplace so that Santa Claus fills them to the limit with gifts.
Another important holiday for the British takes place on February 14th. This St.Valentine's Day. Nowadays, this holiday is celebrated in almost all countries of the world. On this day, millions of people confess their love to their significant other and do it beautifully, with the help of valentine cards or heart-shaped souvenirs. Originally appearing in England, the expression “Be my Valentine” has now spread throughout the world.
Spring is also full of interesting holidays. So every year on March 17th all residents of Northern Ireland celebrate St. Patrick's Day- a native Irish religious holiday in honor of the memory of the saint, with whose name the emergence of Christianity in the country is associated. The symbol of this holiday is the trefoil in honor of the Holy Trinity, as well as the color green. On this day, national festivals featuring Irish folk music are held throughout Britain and other English-speaking countries.
April begins with April Fool's Day, or, in other words, in Britain on April 1st, on a cheerful note, a holiday takes place April Fool's Day. It's a day of harmless pranks. It is noteworthy that in Scotland this holiday is called Cuckoo Day. On April 1, it is customary to act out funny situations, make fun of acquaintances and friends, and even the media are happy to participate in this.
The British love their Queen very much and that's why Queen's Birthday, which falls on April 21, is celebrated throughout the country. All television channels, radio and newspapers are sure to congratulate Queen Elizabeth II. However, the official celebration Monarch's Birthday in England (Queen's/King's Official Birthday) dates back to 1748 and is assigned to the 2nd Saturday of June. On this day there is a ceremonial parade, a ceremonial carrying of the banner, a review of troops and a magnificent social ball at the end of the day.
The next spring holiday, which is celebrated not only by the countries of Great Britain, but also by the entire Christian world, is Easter. The date of Easter varies from year to year, but it usually falls in March or April. Major holidays in England follow one another. This Good Friday, Easter itself or Easter Sunday And Easter Monday or Egg Nyte). The constant symbol of the holiday are chocolate Easter Eggs and the Easter Bunny, symbolizing abundance and fertility.
The official holiday is the 1st Monday of May. This holiday went down in history as Spring Day (May Day). On this day, fun festivities, costume parades, and other fun events take place in all parts of Britain. And the cities are decorated with flower garlands. Spring Day is also associated with the national hero Robin Hood.
Not many holidays occur in the summer, but two events at the end of August deserve special attention. The first holiday is August Bank Holiday, which takes place every last Monday in August. This day is considered an official holiday, and the local population tries to spend it with family in nature. The second holiday is Notting Hill Carnival, which takes place every last Sunday in August. This is a two-day street festival during which everyone tries to wear fancy or extravagant clothes, music plays non-stop until late, fairs with a variety of food are held and many other interesting events. Sometimes famous musicians play in the streets, and orchestras play Caribbean or Arabic music.
One of the favorite holidays of the British, and now of many other nationalities in the world, is the holiday Halloween, taking place annually on October 31st. The holiday appeared thanks to the ancient Celts, and marks the eve of All Saint's Eve. Despite the fact that Halloween is not officially a day off, this day is celebrated especially actively in the country. People wear colorful costumes, decorate their homes, trick-or-treat and beg for sweets. The symbol of the holiday is traditionally a pumpkin with a face carved on it and a candle inside, popularly known as the Jack-o'-lantern. This Halloween attribute is found among all Englishmen. He is called upon to protect the house from evil spirits and from all evil spirits. The Irish celebrate Halloween especially brightly. On this day they have massive fireworks displays and bonfires are lit everywhere. And this holiday is less popular in Scotland.
The British celebrate another interesting autumn holiday on the night of November 5th. This Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night. On this night, fireworks roar throughout England, bonfires are lit and an effigy of Guy Fawkes is burned, the man who tried to commit the Gunpowder Plot in the 17th century and blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. Many people also burn the garbage that has accumulated in the yard, arranging a kind of farewell to autumn. Boys on the streets beg for coins with words supposedly for Guy, and with the money collected they buy firecrackers.
Well, at the end of the year, preparations for the Christmas holidays begin, the so-called Advent, lasting from December 1 to December 24. Residents of England are stocking up on Christmas paraphernalia and gifts for loved ones. One of the traditional attributes is a wreath with five candles, one white and four red. Every following Sunday until Christmas, one red candle is lit, and the white one is reserved for the Nativity of Christ. In Scotland there is an ancient tradition called Yule Log(Christmas log), which is associated with an ancient Scandinavian holiday. At one time, the Vikings burned a large log so that the sun would shine brighter, and the Scots burn a large candle instead of a log so that light and goodness would come into the house, and with them the coming of Christmas(December 25) is the most important holiday of the year.
