Holidays and Celebrations
One small thing : dates in the UK are written 'day, month', so January 3rd '01 would be written 03.01.01 . It makes more sense chronologically, if you think about it...
Small Note : I once had an American ask when our Independence Day was. (well, the French have Bastille Day, so I suppose they weren't to know) When the frantic coughing had died down, I was able to reply "We don't have an independence day. Everyone else is independent from *us*."
1st. Jan
New Year's Day | Do not expect anyone to be able to communicate with you sensibly on this day. |
| Bank Holidays | These are three day weekends scattered throughout the year, and as the name indicates, are mondays when the banks and most other shops are closed. Most people take the opportunity to go and do something on these, or just relax and enjoy it. Visiting relatives or going to the seaside/getting out of town are the favourite. There's one around May 1st (May Day), the beginning of June, and the end of August. There are others but I can't remember when they are. |
17th March
St. Patrick's | Yes, we know this is Irish, but it's also become National Guinness day across England. Guinness actually target their adverts to this. You go out to your local Irish or fake Irish pub and drink. Lots. You also support your local Irish teams if they're playing. |
23rd April
St. George's | Er. The English Patron Saint. Except very few people, if asked, could tell you the date of his day. Or who he was. (stems from a myth of dragon-killing or something in Russia) Nothing is done on this day, and it usually passes without comment. The flag you see people waving during football and rugby matches - red cross on a white background - is the flag of St. George, which is about all the acknowledgement he gets. During the World Cup (football, you heathens) you see this *everywhere* - painted on faces, on t-shirts, fingernails, flags, you name it. |
| Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) | Day before Ash Wednesday in the run-up to Lent. The only reason it's observed by everyone (and this includes the atheists) is the pancakes. You are given licence to consume crêpe-style pancakes. It is positively encouraged. (basically it was a quick way to use up the the fat, flour and eggs pre-Lent) People in the living space you share get pouty if it's forgotten. Supermarkets devote whole sections to the trappings for pancake batter and the [re-made stuff, lemons, sugar and similar. (lemon and sugar are the traditional toppings, but see the food section for others) If you miss it, be prepared to be forced to make them on the Wednesday. There will also be pancake races held, especially in schools. The pancake race goes thus : One frying pan per person, with a cold pre-cooked pancake in it. Race to the other end holding said frying pan out in front of you. Don't drop the pancake. You have to toss or flip the pancake at least once in the race. The origins of this are said to be a housewife in the middle of cooking when she heard the bells for church and dashed out of the house still holding the frying pan, tossing the pancake so it wouldn't burn. Frankly, we don't especially care since it means we have licence to be silly. |
| August Bank Holiday | Slightly more important than the other ones, or at least more observed with official events. Marks the end of summer, takes place on the last full weekend of August. Also marked by Reading Festival - three day music festival under canvas, biased towards rock and the longest running festival of its kind. And the Notting Hill Carnival, three day street party with a Caribbean bent. |
31st Oct.
Hallowe'en | Not a big deal. It almost died out a while ago. Trick or Treating is not that common - you have the sweets in preparation, but you'll only get a couple of kids at the door, and it is perfectly acceptable to pretend you're not in. Hallowe'en parties happen, but they're more like going clubbing dressed up. Oh, and one thing : Your costume must be horror-themed. Going as a member of the Addams Family is fine, but Fairy Princesses are not allowed unless they're zombie fairy princesses. Or dead ones. Or vampire victims. It is also traditional, if clubbing, and someone isn't making the effort (normally the slappers) to just stick a pair of horns on and wear red and black. Feh. |
5th Nov.
Guy Fawkes Night / Fireworks Night | Some Catholics decided to try to blow up Parliament, and got caught before the gunpowder could go off and thus kill James I. They were executed. So, in honour of this, we build a massive great bonfire, let off lots of fireworks, play with sparklers, throw a stuffed effigy called a Guy on the bonfire, and eat badly barbecued food. Impossible to commercialise. (unless it's by buying bigger and better fireworks) Results in lots of scarring and the Casualty and burns departments of hospitals to fill up every year. When watching the fireworks, it is traditional to go 'Ooooo' and 'Ahhhh'. The barbecue food shall be burnt on one side and raw on the other, and watched over by the beady eye of someone who refuses to let anyone else touch the tongs. Dodgy mulled wine may be drank. Everyone huddles around the fire near the end, trying to make it last as long as possible. In recent years the celebration has extended to the days around the 5th as well, as well as having big celebrations in the local park, where the fireworks shall be truly spectacular. Apparently our fireworks are what are termed professional fireworks in the US, (we sure as hell don't follow the instructions - what is this 10m away you speak of?) though even we bow before Chinese fireworks, and constantly get warned not to use them. |
11th Nov.
Armistice / Remembrance Day, Remembrance Sunday | Not exactly a holiday - most people work unless you're involved in it - but it is an observance. It's the day for remembering all those who died in the wars. Originally started after the First World War, on this day because it was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month when the peace treaty was signed, now encompasses all wars fought by the British. Two minutes silence when the clock strikes 11 o'clock. Cannons normally fired as well, and brass bands strike up when the two minutes has ended. Remembrance Sunday is the day all the survivors and the queen do a parade, closest one to the 11th.
The Royal Legion sell stiff paper poppies for charity to be pinned on your lapel. Poppies because that's what grows on the fields where all the trench warfare was fought. You also see wreaths of them and little balsa crosses with poppies and a name on placed at the local war memorial and church. *Every* tiny village and hamlet has one, because every single settlement had sons that died in the first and second world wars. Names engraved on the sides, but only of the two world wars. |
26th Dec.
Boxing Day | Comes from the tradition of big houses with servants making boxes of goods and leaving them for the servants on the day after Christmas. This has since transferred to leaving money in envelopes for people like the milkman, paper boy, dustmen, etc. It is also traditionally the day when you go to visit the relatives if you haven't already gone up there for Christmas. Sit around, drink, watch tv and gab until dinner. Simple. Also a tradition of football matches (professional and local) on this day. |
| Jubilee | 25-year anniversaries of monarchs. Apparently a cause for celebration. In 2002, we had one 'cause it was the 50th year of Elizabeth II being on the throne. |
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