Question 4 Public Holidays And Celebrations

Public holidays and celebrations in Great Britain Great Britain is a country of customs and traditions. A lot of them have very long histories. Some of them are funny, some are strange. But they all are interesting and they are an essential part of the British way of life. There are fewer public holidays in Great Britain than in other European countries. They are the days when most of offices and shops are closed and people don't need to go to work. In Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, public holidays are commonly referred to as bank holidays, and the two terms are often used interchangeably, although there is a difference. Bank holidays are holidays when banks and many other businesses are closed for the day. Public holidays are holidays which have been observed through custom and practice. British Public Holidays are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday and Summer Bank Holiday. Nowadays a Public Holiday is an official day off.
Christmas Day 25 December is the date of Christmas Day. It is one of the most popular holidays in Great Britain. Christmas is a joyful religious holiday when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The day before Christmas, on 24 December (this is the date of Christmas Eve) offices and public buildings close at one o'clock, but the shops stay open late. Most big cities, especially London, are decorated with Christmas trees and colored lights across the streets. On this day people traditionally decorate their trees with fairy lights, angels and small toys. On top of their trees they put a star. This star represents the star appeared over the stable in which Christ was born. They take down the decorations on Twelfth Night, which is on 5 January. Also everybody puts the presents under the Christmas tree. People say that at night Father Christmas puts presents into the stockings, which children usually hang on their beds. Besides, the Christmas