The document outlines key English festivals including St. Valentine's Day, Summer Solstice, Bonfire Night, and Poppy Day, describing their origins and significance. It highlights the Summer Solstice as a peace gathering at Stonehenge, Bonfire Night as a commemoration of Guy Fawkes' failed plot to kill King James I, and Poppy Day as a tribute to fallen soldiers. The document concludes with a task to create a similar presentation about American festivals.

1. ENGLISH FESTIVALS & FESTIVITIES WHAT DO ENGLISH CELEBRATE? Ana María García Fernández 10/05/09

2. MAIN ORIGINAL ENGLISH FESTIVALS AND FESTIVITIES St Valentine’s day 14th February Summer Solstice 21th June Hallowe’en 31st October Bonfire night 5th November Poppy Day 11th November

3. LET’S CHOOSE THREE SUMMER SOSLTICE POPPY DAY BONFIRE NIGHT

4. SUMMER SOSLTICE STONENGE HAS SOME OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE NEOLITHIC STONE FORMATIONS IN THE WORLD WE DO NOT KNOW THE PURPOSE OF THESE STRUCTURES. PERHAPS IT WAS A CEREMONIAL PLACE

5. SUMMER SOSLTICE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE ON JUNE 21 ST IS CELEBRATED BY PEOPLE OF MANY BELIEFS. ON THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR PEOPLE GATHER PEACEFULLY AT STONEHENGE TO CELEBRATE THE COMING OF SUMMER

6. BONFIRE NIGHT IN 1605 A MERCENARY CALLED GUY FAWKES TRIED TO KILL KING JAMES I BY BLOWING THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT WITH 36 BARRELS OF GUNPOWDER STORED IN A CELLAR JUST UNDER THE HOUSE OF LORDS. THE PLOT WAS DISCOVERED AND GUY FAWKES WAS CAPTURED, TORTURED AND EXECUTED ON NOVEMBER THE 5TH

7. BONFIRE NIGHT SINCE THEN EVERY 5TH OF NOVEMBER IS CELEBRATED WITH FIREWORKS AND BURNING EFFIGIES OF GUY FAWKES ON A BONFIRE

8. POPPY DAY THE ARMISTICE OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR WAS SIGNED ON NOVEMBER 11TH 1918. THIS IS THE DAY WHEN THE DEAD SOLDIERS OF THE TWO WORLD WARS ARE REMEMBERED IN THE UK

9. POPPY DAY THE POPPY WAS ADOPTED AS A SYMBOL BECAUSE THIS FLOWER WAS WIDESPREAD ON THE SITES OF THE BATTLEFIELDS OF EUROPE THIS DAY PAPER POPPIES ARE SOLD AND THE MONEY GOES TO THE VICTIMS OF ALL WARS

10. REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER… TRICK OR TREAT… DEAR ST VALENTINE’S…

11. TASK Prepare a similar presentation explaining some American festivals and festivities. Here you have some ideas: Thanksgiving Day, Independence Day, Halloween, Easter Egg Hunt, St. Valentine’s day.