LESSON 14

Holidays and Traditions

Christmas comes but once a year.

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.

Traditions are group efforts to keep the unexpected from happening. 

An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day. 

TOPICAL VOCABULARY

1. Ukrainian religious holidays and traditions	1. Українські релігійні свята та традиції
to celebrate	святкувати
wedding / birth / burial rites	весільні обряди / обряди народження / обряди поховання
young / married couple	молода / одружена пара
secular	світський, мирський
Lent / fasting	Великий піст / піст
to bless(ed) / blessed food / to bless oneself	благословляти, освячувати / освячена їжа / хреститися
crucifixion / resurrection / purification	розпинання на хресті; муки, страждання / воскресіння (з мертвих) / очищення
Easter / Easter bread / Easter egg / Easter basket / Easter mass	Великдень, Пасха / паска / крашанка (писанка) / пасхальний кошик / пасхальна служба
Shrovetide (Pancake Festival) / pancake	Масляна / млинець
April Fool’s day	День сміху
2. Christmas (X-mas)	2. Різдво
to sing (sang; sung) X-mas carols	співати різдвяні колядки
chimney / mistletoe	димар / омела
Christmas Eve	вечір напередодні Різдва
reindeer / sleigh (sledge)	північний олень / сани
3. Valentine’s Day	3. День Святого Валентина
to express(ed) feelings	висловлювати (виражати) почуття
to exchange(d) gifts	обмінюватися подарунками
to go (went; gone) out on date	ходити на побачення
heart-shaped card	листівка у формі серця
candle-light dinner	вечеря зі свічками
4. Halloween	4. Гелловін (переддень усіх святих)
scary costume	страшний костюм (убрання, що лякає)
carved pumpkin / jack-o’-lantern	вирізаний гарбуз / ліхтар, вставлений у гарбуза
to play(ed) tricks	жартувати, обдурювати
‘trick or treat’	“цукерки або смерть!”
5. Foreign holidays	5. Іноземні свята
Bank holidays	банківські свята у Великій Британії
Memorial Day (Remembrance Day) / Veteran’s Day	День пам’яті / День ветеранів
Independence Day	День незалежності
Thanksgiving Day	День подяки
Labour Day	День праці

Introductory text Home and Foreign Holidays and Traditions

Notes to the text:

to celebrate(d) – святкувати public holiday – державне свято huge – великий joyful – радісний to stay awake – не спати to be associated with – бути пов’язаним iз

service – служба (церковна) greetings of affection – вітання любові Pancake day / pancake – Масляна / млинець turkey – індичка pumpkin pie – гарбузовий пиріг to keep up traditions – дотримуватися традицій

Every nation and every country has its own customs and traditions. But there are also international holidays which are celebrated practically in all the countries. They are: Christmas, New Year, Easter and St. Valentine’s day.

Christmas is a traditional family day. On this day, many people go to church, open their presents and eat a Christmas dinner. In Britain Christmas is the most important public holiday of the year. Every year a huge Christmas tree is placed in Trafalgar square. In Ukraine Christmas is celebrated on the 7^th of January. On this day people celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ.

Year is a public holiday. It is not so important in Britain and America, but it has a joyful celebration in Ukraine. People stay awake until midnight on December 31^st. Many parties are given on this night. Restaurants, night clubs and streets are crowded.

Easter is one of the most important Christian holidays. It is traditionally associated with Easter eggs and with the coming of spring. Most churches are specially decorated with flowers for the service.

St. Valentine’s Day is not the official holiday in most countries. February 14^th is the day of lovers. Boys and girls, sweethearts and lovers, husbands and wives, friends and neighbours exchange greetings of affection, saying: “Be my Valentine.

There are also some special holidays which are celebrated in a particular country.

Let's start with the traditional British holiday Pancake Day. But people don't only eat pancakes on this day, they run with them. In many towns in England pancake races are held every year.

The truly American holiday is Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving is a day when the family eats a large traditional dinner, usually with turkey and pumpkin pie.

In Ukraine we celebrate Women’s day on the 8^th of March. On this day men do everything about the house and cook all the meals.

Ukrainians and Englishmen are proud of their traditions and carefully keep them up.

1. Comprehension questions.

1. What are the international holidays?

2. What is the difference between Christmas in Britain and Ukraine?

3. What holiday is associated with eggs and the coming of spring?

4. When do people exchange greetings of affection?

5. What is Pancake Day?

6. Where and how is Thanksgiving Day celebrated?

2. Complete the sentences.

   1. On ………., many people go to church, open their presents and eat a holiday dinner. On this day people celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ.

   2. ………. is not so important in Britain and America, but it has a joyful celebration in Ukraine.

   3. Most churches are specially decorated with flowers for the service on ………. .

   4. ………. is the day of lovers.

   5. But people don’t only eat pancakes on ………., they run with them.

   6. On ………. the family eats a large traditional dinner, usually with turkey and pumpkin pie.

   7. In Ukraine we celebrate ………. on the 8th of March.