Culture, Leisure, Entertainment

Burns night. Annual festivals of music and drama are very popular in Britain. Some of them are famous not only in Britain, but all over the world. Burns night. January 25, is the birthday of Scotland’s greatest poet Robert Burns. There are hundreds of Burns clubs not only in Britain, but also throughout the world, and on the 25th of January they all hold Burns Night celebrations. In banquet halls of Edinburgh, in workers’ clubs of Glasgow, in cottages of Scottish villages, thousands of people drink a toast to the immortal memory of Robert Burns.

Shakespeare’s Birthday. Every year the anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare is celebrated in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he was born on April 23, 1564. Flags are hung in the main street, people wear sprigs of rosemary in their button-holes.

In London, Aldwych Theatre, which has close ties with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, holds international Shakespeare festivals, during which famous companies from abroad perform Shakespeare’s plays.

The Edinburgh International Festival. The Edinburgh International Festival is hold annually during three weeks in late August and early September. The Festival is international in its character, as it gives a varied representation of artistic production from many countries. Leading musicians of the world and world-famous theatre companies always take part in it.

The idea of the Festival originated in the first post-war year. The first festival was hold in 1947. And since that time the Edinburgh International Festival has firmly established its reputation as one of the most important events of its kind in the world.

The weekend. People in Britain work five days a week, from Monday to Friday. From Friday evening till Monday morning they are usually free. Leaving work on Friday, people usually say to each other “Have a nice weekend”, and on Monday morning they ask “Did you have a nice weekday?”

Saturday morning is a very busy time for shopping, as this is the only day when people who are at work, can shop without hurrying. On Saturday afternoon the most important sporting events of the week take place: football, rugby, horse-racing, car and motor-cycle racing and other sports. A lot of people go and watch sports events, others stay at home and watch sports programmes on TV.

Saturday evening is the best time for parties, dances, going to the cinema or theatre.

Having gone to bed late the night before, many people don’t hurry to get up on Saturday morning, so they usually have a late breakfast. Some people like to have breakfast in bed. While having breakfast, people start reading Saturday papers.

Sunday dinner (some people call it Sunday lunch), which is at 1 o’clock or at 1.30, is traditionally the most important family meal of the week.

The 5 o’clock tea is a traditional meal, during which they don’t just drink tea, but also eat sandwiches, sometimes cold meat and salad, fruit and cream, bread, butter and jam, and cakes.

As to Sunday evening, some people spend it quietly at home, others go to see friends, go to a concert or film, or go out for a drink.

Answer the questions.

1. What entertainment is very popular in Britain?

2. When was Robert Burns born?

3. What celebrations do the Burns clubs hold on this day?

4. How are the celebrations hold?

5. How is Shakespeare’s birthday celebrated in Stratford-upon-Avon?

6. How is his birthday marked by the Aldwych Theatre in London?

7. When is the Edinburgh International Festival hold?

8. When did the idea of this Festival originate?

9. How do people usually spend Saturday?

10. Why is Saturday evening the best time for going to the theatre or having parties?

11. What is the most important family meal of the week?

12. How do most people spend their Sunday evening?

Holidays.New Year. New Year is not such an important holiday in England as Christmas. Some people don’t celebrate it at all.

Many people have New Year parties. A party usually begins at about eight o’clock and goes on until early in the morning. At midnight people listen to the chimes of Big Ben and drink a toast to the New Year.

In London crowds of people usually gather round the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus and welcome the New Year.

St. Valentine’s Day. St. Valentine is considered to be a friend and patron of lovers. For centuries St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, has been a day for choosing sweethearts and exchanging Valentine cards. At first a Valentine card was hand-made, with little paintings of hearts and flowers, and a short verse composed by the sender. In the 19th century Valentine cards appeared in shops, brightly coloured and gilded. The tradition of sending Valentine cards is widespread all over the country, and lots of Valentine cards are posted and received every year on February 14.

Easter. Easter is a Christian holiday in March or April, when Christians remember the dearth of Christ and his return to life. The holiday is marked by going to church and then having a celebration dinner. Easter is connected in people’s minds with spring, with the coming to life of the earth after winter. The most popular emblem of Easter is the Easter egg: a hard-boiled egg painted in different colours.

Easter eggs are traditional Easter presents for children. Nowadays Easter eggs are usually made of chocolate.

May Spring Festival. May Spring Festival, which is celebrated on the 1st of May, has retained its old significance. It is celebrated mostly by children and young people in many schools in different parts of Britain. It is celebrated with garlands of flowers, dancing and game on the village green. The girls put on their best summer dresses, put flowers in their hair and round their waists and wait for the crowning of the May Queen. The most beautiful girl is crowned with a garland of flowers. After this great event there is dancing, and dancers wear fancy costumes representing characters from the Robin Hood legends.

Late Summer Bank Holiday.

It is another official public holiday, and it is celebrated on the last Monday in August. During the August Bank Holiday town folk usually go to the country and to the sea-coast. If the weather is fine, many families take a picnic lunch or tea with them and enjoy their meal in the open. Seaside towns near London are invaded by thousands of Londoners, who come in cars and trains or motor-cycles and bicycles.

The August Bank Holiday is also a time for big sports meetings at large stadiums, mainly all kinds of athletics. There are also horse races all over the country and, most traditional, there are large fairs.

Christmas. Christmas is the main public holiday in Britain, when people spend time at home with their families, eat special food and drink a lot.

Long before Christmas time shops become very busy, because a lot of people buy Christmas presents. A lot of money is spent on presents. People also buy Christmas cards to send their friends and relatives. The cards have the words Merry Christmas and pictures of the birth of Christ, Santa Claus, a Christmas tree. In churches people sing Christmas carols – special religious songs.

Houses are usually decorated with lights and branches of needle-leaf trees. Many people have a decorated Christmas tree in their homes.

Christmas is the day when people stay at home, open their presents and eat and drink together.

Answer the questions.

1. How do people celebrate the New Year?

2. What do people do at midnight?

3. What is St. Valentine’s Day? When is it celebrated?

4. What is a Valentine card?

5. How is Easter celebrated?

6. What is Easter connected with in people’s mind?

7. Who celebrates May Spring Festival?

8. Who is the May Queen?

9. What folk holiday do British people celebrate in August?

10. Where do people usually go to celebrate Bank holiday?

11. What is the main public holiday in Great Britain?

12. Why do many shops become busy long before Christmas?