Holidays and Christmas

1. Holidays and Christmas

2. Bank Holidays in the UK • Good Friday • Easter Monday • 1st Monday in May – Labour Day • Last Monday in May – Whit Monday • Last Monday in August – Summer Bank Holiday • Christmas Day • Boxing Day • New Years Day

3. Annual Holidays in the UK • Most UK working people are allowed a minimum of 4 weeks holiday per year • In some parts of the UK factories/businesses close down for two weeks each year and that is when everyone in the town normally take their annual vacation. • Glasgow – second half of July • Paisley – 1st two weeks of August • Schools normally close for: • 1 week in February, May and October (half term) • 2 weeks at Easter and Christmas • 6 weeks during the summer middle of July to the beginning of September (late June to middle of August in Scotland)

4. UK residents go on holiday to: • Around 60% of UK residents take their main holiday in July and August • Popular summer destinations in the UK are in the south and around coastal regions. The top destinations are: • Cornwall • Devon • Somerset • Dorset • South Coast • Lake District

5. UK residents go on holiday to: • Europe accounts for around 80% of visits abroad from the UK • The majority of summer overseas holidays are in Europe and mainly in Spain, France and Portugal • It is now more common for UK residents to take a winter holiday to sunshine destinations: • Canary Islands • Cyprus • Egypt • North Africa - Tunisia and Morocco • Goa • Gambia • Florida • Caribbean

6. Christmas From a Christian and secular perspective

7. What do you know about Christmas? In Groups list what you know about Christmas and how it is celebrated in the UK.

8. Christmas • draws on old customs • important to Christians, but now a secular mid-winter festival • opportunity to get in touch with family and friends • gives people an opportunity for a short holiday at home or away • There are different customs in different countries – for instance, in some countries Christmas Eve (24th) is more important than 25th, and there are many different food customs.

9. The Christmas Story Mary was a young girl. One day, an angel came to tell her that she was going to have a special baby who would be the son of God. Mary was engaged to Joseph. At first he was upset about her baby, but he married her after an angel spoke to him.

10. The Roman ruler told everyone that they had to pay taxes. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem as Joseph’s family had come from there. There is a tradition that Mary rode on a donkey, when they went to Bethlehem, as she was pregnant. Bethlehem was very crowded so there was nowhere to stay. Mary and Joseph had to spend the night in a stable.

11. That night, Mary’s baby was born. He was called Jesus. Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.

12. There were shepherds looking after sheep in the fields outside Bethlehem. Suddenly they were woken up by a bright light. An angel told the shepherds that Jesus had been born and that this was good news for everyone. Then many angels sang praises to God. The shepherds went to visit the stable. They were the first people to see Jesus, apart from Mary and Joseph.

13. Wise men, living far away, heard of a new king. They saw a star which showed them where to find Jesus. The wise men (sometimes also called kings) took Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. There is a tradition that there were three wise men.

14. Christmas Traditions in the UK

15. When is Christmas celebrated? • Christmas Day is on 25th December, but there are often concerts, parties and special services before then. • Schools close for two weeks and university students may have a four week break from lectures • Often people leave work early on 24th December. • There are three official holidays (25th, 26th December and 1st January) but most people take a few days holiday in addition to these. • People working in shops may have to work on 26th December and 1st January. • Christmas is the main festival in the UK, but is not the longest holiday for most people.

16. Father Christmas What do you know about Father Christmas?

17. The real Father Christmas • According to legend St Nicholas, who lived in Turkey in the fourth century, secretly gave some money to a poor man so that his daughters could marry. • Many countries celebrate his day on 6th December. • Sometimes he is known as Santa Claus.

18. Christmas stockings • Most children leave a stocking on the end of their bed, or hang up a stocking by a chimney, when they go to sleep on Christmas Eve. • According to folk-legend, Father Christmas travels by sleigh, drawn by reindeer, and visits each house, putting presents in children’s stockings.

19. What happens? • When the children are asleep their parents fill the stockings with small toys, chocolate money and an orange. • Children often wake early on Christmas Day and enjoy finding out what “Father Christmas” has given them. • Sometimes “Father Christmas” visits parties and you will also see him in shops just before Christmas.

20. Christmas Trees • The custom of decorating houses in mid-winter dates back to pre-Christian festivals. Usually evergreen branches were used. • The custom of having a special decorated evergreen tree inside the house developed in Europe, and seems to have be brought to the UK by Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria) in the 19th century.

21. Originally evergreen trees were used: nowadays plastic trees are more common. They are usually green, but sometimes white, gold or silver. In the past, candles were used as decorations. Nowadays electric lights are used, and other decorations are added: baubles (plastic or glass), tinsel (shiny). An angel or a star is placed at the top, and presents are placed underneath. Christmas Trees

23. Most of the house is decorated Other decorations are used around the house, including candles, holly, mistletoe and paper decorations.

24. Christmas cards • This custom has developed since the nineteenth century: cards are sent to friends and relatives, especially those you don’t see often. • Cards may have religious scenes on them (the nativity, an angel or a star) or non-religious Christmas symbols (a Christmas tree, a robin or a snow scene). • Some cards are sold to support charities; some people make their own cards. • Nowadays many people send e-cards or Christmas messages by e-mail.

25. Christmas Presents • Presents are given to family members on Christmas Day. Sometimes they are given to friends and employees, often before Christmas. • Children are given toys; older children may be given money, clothes or consumer goods such as mobile phones. • Adults may be given calendars, books, clothes, toiletries or something connected with hobbies. • Many people get into debt over Christmas. • Some people think that it is better to give time or money to a charity than to give expensive presents.

26. Christmas Food • The most important meal is Christmas Dinner, eaten on Christmas Day, any time between about 1pm and 7pm. • There may be a starter – often cold food such as smoked salmon. • The main dish is turkey (roast) served with roast potatoes, other vegetables such as brussel sprouts, stuffing, bread sauce and gravy. • This is followed by Christmas pudding served with brandy butter – sometimes money is hidden in the pudding; mince pies may also be served.

27. The table

28. The Turkey

29. Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies

30. A Christmas cake decorated with white icing may be eaten in the afternoon, or on another day.

31. There are often other special meals over the holiday – some left over food such as turkey meat may be used. • People may have meals and parties with friends and family members over the Christmas period, up to about 6th January.

32. Pantomimes • Pantomimes are put on – performances with music and comedy, based on folk tales such as Cinderella and Aladdin.

33. Carols • Christmas carols, special songs about Christmas, are sung in churches. • One tradition is that groups of people sing carols in public places, such as shopping centres and railway stations; people also go around from house to house, sometimes collecting money for charity.

34. Silent Night Silent night, holy night,All is calm, all is brightRound yon virgin mother and Child.Holy Infant, so tender and mild,Sleep in heavenly peace,Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night,Shepherds quake at the sight;Glories stream from heaven afar,Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!Christ the Savior is born,Christ the Savior is born! Silent night, holy night,Son of God, love’s pure light;Radiant beams Thy holy faceWith the dawn of redeeming grace,Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

35. Some children’s songs Head, shoulders, knees and toes (X2) And ears and eyes and mouth and nose, Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes

36. The Mulberry Bush Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we clean our teeth (wash our faces, put on our clothes, eat our breakfast, walk to school etc)