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1、Holidays and FestivalsUnit 13Learning ObjectsAfter learning the unit, students should be After learning the unit, students should be able to:able to:Be familiar with the British holidays and Be familiar with the British holidays and festivals.festivals.Retell the traditional celebrations of British
2、Retell the traditional celebrations of British holidays and festivals.holidays and festivals.Compare the differences between British Compare the differences between British holidays and that of their own country. holidays and that of their own country. Main ContentsText AText AText BExercisesText A
3、Holidays and FestivalsFocal PointsReligious HolidaysChristmasThe Boxing Day EasterNational HolidaysBonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night) The battle of the BoyneSt Patricks DayHogmanay The Burns NightHalloweenThe EisteddfodChristmas is the biggest and the mostChristmas is the biggest and the mostpopular B
4、ritish holiday celebrated on Decemberpopular British holiday celebrated on December2525thth each year to commemorate the birth of each year to commemorate the birth ofJesus Christ. People usually decorate homes Jesus Christ. People usually decorate homes with evergreen plants Christmas trees and wit
5、h evergreen plants Christmas trees and ornaments. They also exchange gifts andornaments. They also exchange gifts andChristmas cards.Christmas cards. Three typical British traditions on ChristmasThree typical British traditions on Christmasare: the Christmas Pantomime, the Queensare: the Christmas P
6、antomime, the Queensspeech over the television and radio, and the speech over the television and radio, and the Boxing Day.Boxing Day.ChristmasIt is a typical British It is a typical British tradition celebrated on the tradition celebrated on the day after Christmas. Peopleday after Christmas. Peopl
7、eused to give Christmas gifts used to give Christmas gifts or money to their staff or or money to their staff or servants on this day. And servants on this day. And now they mostly do shopping, now they mostly do shopping, pay visits, enjoy eating or pay visits, enjoy eating or just relax.just relax
8、.Boxing DayThis festival occurs in the spring, which This festival occurs in the spring, which commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival
9、for many church-goers. festival for many church-goers. The Easter egg, originally a Christian symbol of The Easter egg, originally a Christian symbol of new life, is the main symbol of Easter for most people.new life, is the main symbol of Easter for most people.Rabbits and chicks are also animals t
10、raditionally Rabbits and chicks are also animals traditionally associated with Easter.associated with Easter.EasterBonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night) It is a truly English holiday celebrated in It is a truly English holiday celebrated in November. It originates from the 1605 November. It originates fr
11、om the 1605 Gunpowder Plota plan to blow up the British Gunpowder Plota plan to blow up the British Parliament, kill the Protestant King and replaceParliament, kill the Protestant King and replacehim with a Catholic king. People celebrate it byhim with a Catholic king. People celebrate it byhaving p
12、ublic bonfires and fireworks. A straw having public bonfires and fireworks. A straw effigy called the “Guy” (one of the conspiratorseffigy called the “Guy” (one of the conspiratorsGuy Fawkes) is thrown on the bonfire. The Guy Fawkes) is thrown on the bonfire. The biggest Bonfire Night celebration is
13、 held in biggest Bonfire Night celebration is held in Lewes.Lewes.The battle of the BoyneThe Catholic King James II was forced off the The Catholic King James II was forced off the throne in 1688. William of Orange, affectionately throne in 1688. William of Orange, affectionately known as King Billy
14、, was invited to take the throne known as King Billy, was invited to take the throne and James was driven into exile. With the help of and James was driven into exile. With the help of the French and the Irish-both Catholic the French and the Irish-both Catholic nations-James tried to retake the thr
15、one butnations-James tried to retake the throne buthis forces were defeated by King Billy on the banks his forces were defeated by King Billy on the banks of the Boyne River in County Kildare, now a part of of the Boyne River in County Kildare, now a part of Ireland (Eire).Ireland (Eire).St Patricks
16、 Day It is on March 17 each It is on March 17 each year, when northern Irish year, when northern Irish Catholics celebrate the Catholics celebrate the birthday of the patron saint birthday of the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick. The of Ireland, St Patrick. The shamrock is a popular symbol shamro
17、ck is a popular symbol to wear on St Patricks Day, to wear on St Patricks Day, and it is also considered and it is also considered very lucky to wear somethingvery lucky to wear somethinggreen.green.HogmanayWhile most British people welcome the coming of the New Year While most British people welcom
18、e the coming of the New Year with parties, in Scotland, New Years Eve called with parties, in Scotland, New Years Eve called HogmanayHogmanay (31 (31 December)-is the major winter celebration, and December)-is the major winter celebration, and overshadows Christmas (called Yule in Scotland), which i
19、s a very overshadows Christmas (called Yule in Scotland), which is a very quiet affair. How quiet affair. How HogmanayHogmanay is celebrated varies throughout is celebrated varies throughout Scotland, but one widely practiced custom is first footing. Scotland, but one widely practiced custom is firs
20、t footing. There is a superstitious belief that the first person to cross the There is a superstitious belief that the first person to cross the threshold of a household in the New Year can bring luck and threshold of a household in the New Year can bring luck and prosperity: the appearance of a you
21、ng, preferably dark haired prosperity: the appearance of a young, preferably dark haired and handsome man is considered particularly lucky. First footers and handsome man is considered particularly lucky. First footers often bring a bottle of spirits, alcohol, a lump of coal or a peat often bring a
22、bottle of spirits, alcohol, a lump of coal or a peat as a gift and are given a dram of whisky as their reward.as a gift and are given a dram of whisky as their reward.The Burns Night It is a celebration by Scottish It is a celebration by Scottish people on the evening of the people on the evening of
23、 the birthday (25 January) of Scottish birthday (25 January) of Scottish national poet Robert Burns. Peoplenational poet Robert Burns. Peoplecelebrate it with suppers of celebrate it with suppers of haggis and whisky and Burns haggis and whisky and Burns poems are recited throughout the poems are re
24、cited throughout the evening.evening. Halloween It is a Scottish festival celebrated on It is a Scottish festival celebrated on31 October each year. Communion with 31 October each year. Communion with the dead, mischief, fortune-telling and the dead, mischief, fortune-telling and masquerades are com
25、mon practices. masquerades are common practices. Some of the other customs are “turnip Some of the other customs are “turnip lanterns” for children and girls using lanterns” for children and girls using magic spells to see into the future.magic spells to see into the future.The Eisteddfod It is a po
26、pular festival of music-making and It is a popular festival of music-making and poetry-writing in August each year to celebrate the poetry-writing in August each year to celebrate the Welsh culture and language. During the festival, Welsh culture and language. During the festival, competitions are h
27、eld to find the best choirs, competitions are held to find the best choirs, translators, essayists and poets. The highlight is the translators, essayists and poets. The highlight is the crowning of the two bards who have written the best crowning of the two bards who have written the best poems of t
28、he festival.poems of the festival.Text B Easter DayuuEaster is a Christian Easter is a Christian festival that celebrates festival that celebrates the resurrection (rising the resurrection (rising from the dead) of from the dead) of Jesus Christ, Son of Jesus Christ, Son of God.God.uuEaster Sunday f
29、alls Easter Sunday falls sometime between sometime between March 22 and April 25. March 22 and April 25. It falls on the first It falls on the first Sunday after the first Sunday after the first full moon following full moon following March 21.March 21.OriginuIt would have been suicide for the very
30、early Christian converts to celebrate their holy days with observances that did not coincide with celebrations that already existed. uTo save lives, the missionaries cleverly decided to spread their religious message slowly throughout the populations by allowing them to continue to celebrate pagan f
31、easts.Meaningu F For Christians, Easteror Christians, Easteris a celebration of Christs is a celebration of Christs divinity and an affirmation divinity and an affirmation of their faith. It celebrates of their faith. It celebrates the miracle of his the miracle of his resurrection and the resurrect
32、ion and the prophecies of the Old prophecies of the Old Testament, which foretold Testament, which foretold the coming of a messiah.the coming of a messiah.u Easter eggs are special eggs that are Easter eggs are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or often given to celebrate Easter
33、 or springtime. The egg is a pagan symbol of the springtime. The egg is a pagan symbol of the rebirth of the Earth in celebrations of springrebirth of the Earth in celebrations of springand was adopted by early Christians as a and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Je
34、sus.symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.u From the earliestFrom the earliesttimes, the egg was a times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in symbol of rebirth in most cultures. Eggs most cultures. Eggs were often wrapped were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant
35、, were a peasant, colored brightly by colored brightly by boiling them with the boiling them with the leaves or petals of leaves or petals of certain flowers.certain flowers.u Today, children hunt colored eggs andplace them in Easter baskets along with the modern version ofreal Easter eggs - those m
36、ade of plasticor chocolate candy.uThe Easter Bunny is not a modern invention. The symbol originated with the pagan festival of Eastre. The goddess, Eastre, was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, therabbit.uThe Easter Bunny, the creature brings baskets filled with colored eggs
37、, candy and sometimes also toys to the homes of children of Christmas,as they both bring gifts to children on thenight before their respective holiday.ExercisesI.I.Decide whether the following statements are true or Decide whether the following statements are true or false. false.1.( ) Britain is ma
38、inly a Christian country.2.( ) Easter is the biggest and best loved British holiday.3.( ) Christmas Pantomime is one of the three Christmas traditions which are particularly British.4.( ) The Queen gives New Year message to her realm over the television and radio each year.5.( ) Boxing Day involves
39、the sport of boxing and has something to do with the Boxer uprising in China.6.( ) The Queens Birthday is officially celebrated around Buckingham Palace on the second Saturday in June.7.( ) The biggest Bonfire Night celebration is held in London.8.( ) St Patricks birthday is celebrated on March 17 e
40、ach year.9.( ) In Ireland, New Years Eve called Hogmanay (31 December) is the major winter celebration.10.( ) Scottish people all over the world celebrate their most beloved National poet, Robert Burns by holding a Burns Supper on the evening of his birthday (25 January).II. Discussion questions.1.D
41、iscuss the differences between Christmas and Easter.2.Retell the origin of Easter Day.3.Search for the respective Easter traditions in different countries.4.Which holiday or festival can be equal to Easter Day in China? Why?5.Do you often celebrate Easter Day in China? Which holiday do you often celebrate in China?
