CHRISTMAS and New Year in

different countries!!!

Колчина Ирина Алексеевнаучитель английского языка

МБОУ «Лингвистическая гимназия № 27»

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).

• 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.

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.

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.

The custom to exchange

congratulatory cards with a wish of

happiness and success came from England.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

• One more custom came from

England: they decorate the

house with bouquets of omela.

Everyone can kiss under it.

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.

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.

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”.