Holidays in Great Britain.
There are fewer public holidays in Great Britain than in other European countries. They are: Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Spring Bank Holiday, May Day and Summer Bank Holiday. Public holidays in Britain are called bank holidays, because the banks as well as most of the offices and shops are closed.
The most popular holiday is Christmas. A big Christmas tree stands in Trafalgar Square. Central streets are beautifully decorated. Christmas is a family holiday. Relatives usually meet for the big Christmas dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding. And everyone gives and receives presents. The 26th of December, Boxing Day, is at home and watch football.
New Year's Day is less popular in Britain than Christmas. But in Scotland, Hogmanay is the biggest festival of the year.
Besides public holidays there are some special festivals in Great Britain. One of them takes place on the 5th of November. On that day, in 1605, Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. He didn't succeed. The King's men found the bomb, took Guy Fawkes to the Tower and cut off his head.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Holidays in Russia.
There are many national holidays in Russia. People all over the country do not work and have special celebrations.
The major holidays are: New Year's Day, Christmas, Day of the Defender of Motherland, Women's Day, May Day, Victory Day, Independence Day.
New Year's Day is the first holiday of the year. It is very popular. There is a New Year tree in every house and in the streets. People see the New Year in at midnight on the 31st of December. They greet the New Year with wine glasses of sparkling champagne and say toasts "Happy New Year". People consider New Year's Day to be a family holiday.
Christmas is a renewed holiday in our country. It's celebrated on the 7th of January. The holiday is connected with the wonderful birth of Jesus Christ.
Day of the defender of Motherland is celebrated on the 23rd of February. We congratulate our fathers, grandfathers and young men with little presents.
Women's Day is celebrated on the 8th of March. We congratulate all the girls, mothers and grandmothers with this holiday.
Victory Day is the greatest national holiday in our country. On the 9th of May 1945 the Soviet Army defeated the German fascists. We lost 30 million people during this war.
Independence Day is a new holiday in our country. On the 12th of June, 1992, the first President of Russia was elected.
