1. CHRISTMAS and
New Year in
different countries!!!
Колчина Ирина Алексеевна
учитель английского языка
МБОУ «Лингвистическая гимназия № 27»
2. New Year and Christmas are the
most loved holidays all over the
world. All people look forward
them very much! But it is
interesting to know what were
their origins (backgrounds).
3. • In Ancient Egypt, for
example, New year
was met in the
beginning of summer,
during the flood of the
Nile.
• In Ancient Greece
celebrating was held
in the longest day in a
year - June, 22.
The calendar in which
New year began with
January, 1, was entered
by the Roman emperor
-July Caesar. It is
known as Julian
calendar.
4. And in England in Middle Ages New year was
met in the spring - on March, 1.
The meeting of New year in Russia fell on
September, 1. And only since 1700 under the
decree Peter the Great New year began to
celebrate on January, 1. People took part in
the parade with multi-coloured fireworks.
5. And here the custom to give gifts came from
Ancient Rome: where the first gifts were
branches of laurels which symbolized
happiness and success in a coming year.
Ancient Romans wrote «I Wish you
good luck in New year!» on the gifts, and this
was also accompanied with the comic verses.
In fact New year is a cheerful holiday.
6. The custom to exchange
congratulatory cards with a wish of
happiness and success came from
England.
7. In Germany Christmas is considered the main and
favourite holiday. The world is obliged to
Germany tradition to decorate fur-trees. A
christmas table in Germany must be laid with a
snow-white cloth, decorate with the fur-tree
branches flavored by candles and puff cookies or
marzipan sweets. But New Year is less popular
holiday in Germany. The traditional New Year's
supper begins at 8 one o'clock in the evening,
and comes to an end at midnight.
8. In Austria in the New Year’s
Eve people try to guess their
fortune. They fuse (плавить)
wax figures, put it into water
and watch what the result will
be.
9. Young girls in Czechia and Slovakia wait for
Christmas and New Year's holidays with
special impatience as they can find out at this
time, whether they will have a marriage. It is
necessary to throw through a head a slipper. If
it falls durable to an exit, shortly the girl will
marry.
10. Cheerfully people meet New year in Bulgaria. When
everyone gather behind a holiday table, in all houses
for three minutes light is switched off. They called it
«minutes of New Year's kisses» .And in Romania for
New year it is accepted to bake various <souvenirs> in
pies: coins, ringlets, bitter pepper, etc. The ring or a
coin promises happiness.
11. One more custom came from
England: they decorate the
house with bouquets of omela.
Everyone can kiss under it.
For Englishmen special value is
represented with New Year's sales
which begin with December, 27. The
goods sell with discounts in 95 %.
And for Americans New year - the
superfluous occasion to have fun
and fool about: they have carnivals
and noisy parties.
12. Old unnecessary things are thrown away from
windows on the eve of New Year in Italy. And
they have their own Snow Maiden named La
Befana, she is not young but she gives presents
too.
13. Interestingly Eskimos who do not have
exact date of this holiday meet New
year. When the first snow covers the
land, New Year will come.
14. In Russia New Year was celebrated from the
times of Peter 1, but it was forbidden after the
revolution, and in 1936 started again. We
can’t imagine the holiday without
congratulation, Olivie salad and a bottle of "
the Soviet champagne”.
