Традиции и обычаи Великобритании

МКОУ «Олымская средняя общеобразовательная школа»

Касторенского района Курской области

Сообщение

"Traditions and customs of Great Britain"

(для старшеклассников)

Выполнила: Пигарёва Любовь Александровна,

учитель иностранного языка,

1-ой квалификационной категории

Март 2016 год

I want to speak about traditions and customs of Great Britain. We can't say that we know English language without knowing of traditions and customs of this country.

The right name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It consists of four parts: England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

The 1^st of January, New Year's Day is a big holiday in Scotland. The Scots call the New Year Eve (December 31^st) Hogmanay. It is celebrated in every Scottish family. They have a good dinner. At midnight they welcome the New Year in. They all join arms together and sing Burns' song "Auld Lang Syne".

Another Hogmanay tradition is the first person to enter their house must be a man with dark hair, with a piece of coal, a piece of bread and little money. It means that they will have good luck in the New Year.

The 25^th of January is also a great national holiday for Scots. It is Robert Burns' birthday. Burns is very dear to all people. They recite his poems, sing his songs. Burns' poems and songs have been translated by famous poets into many languages. The Scottish people prepare a traditional dish on this day - Haggis.

I want to add that Scotland is well - known to the world for its traditional costume, the kilt. The kilt is a short skirt worn as a part of the dress of men.

On the 14^th of February people in Great Britain celebrate St.Valentine's Day. It is a day of friendship and love. They send greeting cards to their sweethearts and friends. They don't write names in the cards. Those who get a Valentine card must guess who has sent it.

The 31^st of March people call Mother's Day. All members of the family try to visit their mother, to give her presents and flowers. On this day they prepare a special cake which is called-Simnel.

All Fool's Day is on the 1^st of April. The fun of the holiday is to play silly or harmless jokes on family members and friends. The victim of these jokes is called an April Fool.

Every year on the 12^th of April in Stratford-on-Avon, William Shakespeare's birthplace, Shakespeare's festival takes place. Old and young people like this holiday and people from many countries come to this holiday too.

There are special celebrations on the night of the 31^st of October in Britain. It's the night before All Saints' Day and it is called Hallowe'en. It's traditionally a night of magic, when all the ghosts and witches come out, so now people dress up in scary costumes and have parties.

On the 25^th of December Englishmen celebrate Christmas, which is a home and family celebration, those who live away try to get back home. It is the biggest holiday of the year. Everyone buys presents for friends and relatives. The children wait for Santa Claus, who brings presents and leaves them near their beds, under the Christmas Tree or in the stockings, at the fireplace. The traditional dish on Christmas is a turkey or a goose.

I've told about some holidays in Great Britain. I also want to say that the drink Englishmen love more than all others is tea. Today the people of Britain drink more tea than any other nation in the world. They drink it in bed in the morning, round the fire on winter afternoons and out in the garden on sunny summer day.

As for the features of English character Englishmen are known as reserved and modest, and polite people.

Englishmen are known all over the world as the great lovers of flora. The commonest hobby of all is gardening. They are keen on flowers, gardens. We can't find a house in Great Britain without flowers, trees, plants around it.

The people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are very proud of their country, its customs and traditions. They try to keep them.