costumes so the demons of winter would think they were one of
them and do them no harm. Hence, the origin of costumes for
today’s celebration: It represents a devil coming to your home
whom you can placate with a treat.
A favorite custom is making a jack – o – lantern. Children
scrape out a pumpkin and cut the outlines of eyes, nose and
mouth in its side. They light a candle inside the pumpkin to
scare their friends. This custom refers to a man named Jack who
still wanders around the earth lighting his way with a pumpkin
lantern.
ELECTION DAY
The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November is
Election Day. It is a legal holiday. Since 1845, by Act of
Congress, this date has been set aside for elections.
On this day American citizen elect their public officials,
president, congressmen, governors, mayors and judges. All states
require that voters be citizens of the United States.
“Election Day” sales in stories are very popular on this day.
The night of the election, people watch the election results on
TV. They listen to the speeches made by the winners.
VETERANS DAY
November 11th is a national holiday. Veterans Day is a day
to remember and honor all those Americans who served in the
armed forces and particularly those who fought during the Spanish
– Americans War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the
Vietnam War. People also remember those soldiers missing in
action. This day reminds people of the courage and patriotism of
all men and women who serve their country.
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice
Day so Americans would not forget the tragedies of war. In 1954
Congress changed the name to Veterans Day to honor all United
States veterans. It is also a day dedicated to world peace.
On this day, the radio and television broadcast services held
at the National Cemetery in Arlington. High officials come from
Washington to attend these services. They place a wreath of
flowers at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. All stand in silence
for a few minutes at eleven o’clock to honor the memory of the
serviceman killed in the two World Wars.
THANKSGIVING DAY
When Pilgrims sailed to this new
land,
They met a friendly Indian band.
The Indians taught them to plant,
hunt, and fish,
Then they all had a feast with
many a tasty dish.
Thanksgiving Day is marked on the fourth Thursday of November
in memory of the first Thanksgiving Day held by the early
Pilgrim settles in Massachusetts in 1621, in gratitude for the
successful harvest. They experienced difficulty in those early
times and survived only with the help of American Indians who
taught them how to grow and harvest indigenous foods such as
squash and corn. The first Thanksgiving day lasted three days and
was celebrated with their Indian friends.
Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national day of observance by
Congress in 1941 .
Thanksgiving Day is a four – day holiday for most Americans.
This is a family holiday. Families come together from near and
far. In some places special religious services are held in the
morning. Then comes the traditional feast. Turkey with stuffing is
the main dish. It is served with sweet potatoes, squash,
cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Apple cider is the drink of
the day.
Football is the most popular game on this day. Usually there
are several football games to watch on TV. There is Thanksgiving
Day Parade in New York City.
Stores, classrooms, and homes are decorated with turkeys,
pilgrims, Indians, wreaths of dried flowers, and vegetables. Horns
of plenty are also very popular.
CHRISTMAS
It’s time
for hanging stockings,
It’s time
for riding sleighs,
It’s time
for jolly greeting,
Snow and
holly overeating,
It’s
Christmas! Merry Christmas!
It’s the
best of holidays.
Christmas is a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of
Jesus Christ. Americans celebrate Christmas on December the 25th .
It is usually a one – day official holiday, but it is proceeded
and followed by festive parties. By this day people decorate fir
- trees with toys and candies. Children wait for Santa Claus who
comes to every house and brings them presents. Before going to
bed, children leave their shoes to find in them what they want
most of all the next morning.
Decorating the house with holly, ivy and mistletoe is a
custom, which comes from England. Ivy means immortality. Holly is a
bush with shiny red berries and glossy leaves with a
characteristic shape and sharp pointy edges. Because it remains
green throughout the year it was believed to hold a promise that
the sun would return. Holly'’ berries symbolize Christ’s blood.
Mistletoe is an interesting green parasitic plant which grows in
globe – like formations high up in the branches of oak trees.
Springs of it are tied together with ribbons and hung up in
doorways. By custom anyone standing under the mistletoe gets to
be kissed.
Christmas is a family holiday. Schools and colleges close
between Christmas and New Year’s Day. People stay at home and
spend the time with their families. Everybody tries to come home
for Christmas. People send cards or Christmas greetings to family
and friends away from home. All the members of the family
exchange gifts. It is a merry holiday.
Some holidays in America have their own symbols. Here they are:
1. Presidents Day 6.
Independence Day
2. Columbus Day 7. New
Year’s Day
3. St. Patrick’s Day 8. Martin
Luther King’s day
4. Easter 9.
Christmas
5. Valentine’s Day 10. Halloween
And there are festival post cards for every holiday, which
American people give the friends and relatives when they
congratulate each other. Here are some postcards for some parties:
Such are the US holidays. A holiday has simply become, for most
Americans, a day off from work. No matter what the holiday’s
origin is, they all seem to be the same thing, though some (for example,
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween) retain some individuality.
The list of literature:
1. “Holidays Go Round and Round”; Authors: Kathleen Carroll, Marina
Novikova. St Petersburg, 1996, Triada Publishing.
2. “Английский для поступающих в ВУЗы”; Authors: Цветкова И. В.,
Клепальченко И. А., Мыльцева Н. А. Москва, ГЛОССА, 1995.
3. “95 устных тем по английскому языку”; Author: Занина Е. А.
Москва, Айрис Рольф, 1997.
4. “Spotlight on the USA”; Author: Natalia Timanovskaya. Тула,
Автограф, 1996.
5. “Living in the United States”. Intercultural exchange series.
Copy right 1994.
6. “Happy English 2”; Authors: Татьяна Клементьева, Джилл Шэннон.
Обнинск, Титул, 1996.
7. “English”. Еженедельное приложение к газете “ Первое сентября”,
N 7, 9, 11, 17, 18, 20, 29, 32, 36, 42, 1994.
