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Christmas Day (Xmas), a Christian holy day held on December 25th in honour of the birth of Christ, is an official holiday. It is marked by special church services, gift-giving and feasting. Most churches have Christmas Eve services.
Christmas is a family holiday. Stores, post offices, banks and business houses close for the day. Schools and colleges close between Christmas and New Year's Day. The people stay at home and spend the time with their families.
People send cards or Christmas greetings to family and friends, away from home. They wish their friends "a merry Christmas" and "a happy New Year".
When the day before the vacation begins, schools have Christmas parties and programs. The children sing carols and recite Christmas poems. they decorate their Christmas tree with strings of coloured lights. they put glass ornaments on the tree. They throw little pieces of white paper over the tree. They put white paper or a white sheet around the foot of the tree to look like snow.
Little children believe that when they are asleep Santa Claus comes to visit them. He comes from the North Pole where he lives the year round and enters the house throught the chimney with a big bag of toys. If the children have been good, Santa fills their stockings with candy, fruits and toys. He also puts some toys under the tree. On Christmas morning the children look in their stockings. They open their Christmas packages and see their gifts.
Usually the whole family has a big Christmas dinner in the afternoon or evening.
Sometimes American families decorate trees outside their houses. They put electric lights in a tree growing near the door. At night, they turn on the lights. Many town have very large Christmas trees set up outdoors in the parks. The stores are decorated in red and green, the traditional Christmas colors. Dozens of Santa Clauses welcome the customers.
holy - священный, church services - церковные службы, gift-giving - дарение подарков, feasting - праздничное угощение, carols - рождественские песнопения, recite - декламировать, strings - гирлянды, glass ornaments - стеклянные украшения, stockings - чулки, candy - конфеты.
New Year's Day, January 1. It is customary for people to remain awake until after midnight on December 31st so that you may "watch the old year out and the new year in". Many parties are given on this night. The theaters, night clubs, and restaurants are crowded.
When midnight comes, everyone at a party stops whatever they are doing to greet the new year. The favorite song for a New Year's Eve party is "Auld Lang Syne". The people alsays sing part of is, usually these lines.
Shoud auld (=old) acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind!
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne.
The title of the song means "Time Long Past".
The traditional words of the song were written down by the eighteenth century Scottish poet Robert Burns.
The people gather in the streets of the big cities. They ring bells. They blow whistles and automobile horns. Some shoot off guns and firecrackers.
After celebrating the New Year's arrival, many people spend this day visiting friends.
it is customary - принято, to remain awaike - бодроствовать, watch the old year out and the new year in - провожать старый год и встречать новый, crowded - переполнены, Auld Lang Syne - традиционная шотландская песня, исполняемая в новогоднюю ночь, acquaintance - знакомство, days of auld lang syne - далекие дни, Rober Burns - известный шотландский поэт XVIII века, blow whistles - свистят, automobile horns - автомобильные клаксоны, shoot off guns - стрелять из ружей.
St Valentine Day, February 14, is not a legal or a national holiday, but it is widely celebrated among persons of all ages by the exchange of "valentines".
A valentine is sent to someone one loves, but usually without giving the name of the sender. Sometimes presents are exchanged or red roses given, as a sign of love.
Flowers and candy are favorite presents which sweethearts send to each other. Valentine candy is packed in red heart-shaped boxes and sold for this one day.
It is a favorite day for parties, especially by young people. The hosts decorate the hall with red and white paper and hearts.
St. Valentine is considered patron of sweethearts and lovers.
patron - покровитель
Washington's Birthday
George Washington (1732 - 1799), the first American President, was born in Virginia on February 22, 1732.
He let the American Army to victory in the War for Independence. Later he was elected President of the United States and was in office of 8 years (1789-1797).
All over the United States Americans have honoured George Washington by naming after him their national capital, a state and several communities.
Lincoln's Birthday
Another great American President, Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) was born on February 12, 1809.
Lincoln was President during the Civil War (1861 - 1865). In this critical period Lincoln led the fight to keep the nation together and to free the slaves.
His life ended tragically. He was killed at the theater during the performance soon after the victory of the North.
In honour of this great man a beautiful memorial has been built in Washington, D.C.
Easter comes on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Just before Easter, schools and colleges usually close. The students have a week or ten days of spring vacation.
Easter is a church holiday and many churches have an outdoor sunrise service.
Easter marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
There is a popular belief that wearing three new things on Easter will bring good luck throughout the year. A custom generally observed at Easter time is decoration of eggs and preparing baskets of eggs and candy eggs for the children. Eggs are the symbol of new life.
In Washington, the President opens the grounds of the White House so that children may roll eggs on the White House lawn. Rolling eggs or finding hidden eggs at Easter time is supposed to bring good luck.
Children believe that eggs at Easter time are laid by rabbits (an old Teutonic superstition).
Easter - Пасха, spring vacation - весенние каникулы, sunrise service - заутреня, candy eggs - шоколадные пасхальные яйца, grounds - участок земли, roll eggs - катать яйца, lawn - лужайка, hidden - спрятанный, are laid - несут (яйца), rabbits - кролики.
Memorial Day, May 30, is a national holiday. Schools, offices and banks close for the day. On that day, Americans honor the servicemen who gave their lives in past wars. Schools, clubs and churches decorate the cemeteries. They put up flags on the graves of army, navy and airmen. they hold memorial services in churches, halls, parks and cemeteries. They hang American flags on the main streets of the towns.
On that day, you may hear many patriotic songs, especially songs of the |civil War ("John Brown's body", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Dixie"). You may also hear a famous speech of that war, the Gettysburg Address. The speech is only ten sentences long. But the last sentence of it, "the government of the people, by the people, for the people", is known to all Americans.
honor - чествовать, past wars - минувшие войны, cemeteries - кладбища, graves - могилы, Civil War - Гражданская война, Gettysburg Address - Геттисбергское обращение Президента Линкольна на открытии солдатского кладбища в Геттисберге спустя 4 месяца после кровопролитного сражения при Геттисберге, в котором северяне одержали решаюшую победу над южанами, the government of the people, by the people, for the people - правительство народа, осуществляемое народом и в интересах народа.
Independence Day, July 4
The history of English settlement in America dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. The first settlers were followed by other groups of immigrants who came to the New World from the Old World.
From that time till the end of the 18th century America was a British colony.
At the end of the 18th century the American colonies won a victory over the British Army in the War for Independence.
It was on July 4, 1776, that the Declaration of Independence was signed, proclaiming the independence from Great Britain of 13 British colonies in America. These 13 colonies became the first 13 states of the thirteen stripes of red and white. The number of stars (which was originally 13) changed with the addition of new states. It has reached the number of 50.
The Fourth of July has been celebrated ever since as the most important American holiday. Years ago it was the custome everywhere to celebrate the day with big parades, fireworks and bonfires. but now the day is celebrated more quietly.
In towns and cities the Fourth of July is manifested by flag displays. Ocassionally there are parades, people go on picnics or take trips to the country.
Halloween, October, 31, dates back to a time when people believed in devils, witches and ghosts.
American children celebrate Beggar's Night as Irish children did in the 17th century. They dress up in Halloween costumes and go out on the streets to beg. They often wear masks over their faces. They go from house to house. They jump on the porch. When the people come to the door, the children say, "Trick or treat!", meaning "Give us a treat or we will play a trick on you".
Almost all the people treat the children. They give them candy, popcorn, cookies, apples. The children eat some of their food and carry the rest home.
The most common trick is soaping house and car windows. The children draw pictures or write on the windows with soap.
A favorite Halloween custom is to make a jack-o'-lantern. The children scrape out a pumpkin and cut the outlines of eyes, nose and mouth in its side.
They light a candle inside the pumpkin to scare their friends. This custom refers to a man named Jack who still wanders around the earth lighting his way with a pumpkin lantern.
Many games played at Halloween parties date back to the harvest festivals of very ancient times. The guests often ищи for apples floating in tubs of water or try to eat apples which hang by a string from the ceiling. Of course they must not use hands to catch or hold the apples. Sometimes the guests try to frighten one another by telling ghost stories around an open fire.
dates back - восходит, Beggar's Night - "Вечер нищих" (относится к части "Treat" - угощение, когда дети в костюмах стучатся в дома и получают сладости), porch - крыльцо, Trick or Treat - Розыгрыш или угощение, cookies - печенье, soaping house and car windows - писать мылом на окнах домов и машин, jack-o'lantern - фонарь из тыквы, scrape out a pumpkin - удалять внутренности из тыквы, cut the outlines - делать прорези, bob - нырять, float - плавать, tub - бадья, by a string - на веревке.
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday on the fourth Thursday in November. It was first celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrim fathers after their first harvest. Ever since the Pilgrims gave thanks for their survival in the new land in 1621, Americans have flocked to their churches, "to add their own prayers for their country". Most churches hold Thanksgiving services.
Thanksgiving is a family day, for it is customary for all members of the family to gather at home of their parents. the family eats a large traditional dinner which includes turkey with cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Many people go to football games. Some play games at home.
Pilgrim fathers - отцы-пилигримы (английские колонизаторы, поселившиеся в Америке в 1620), flock - стекаться толпами, turkey - индейка, cranberry sauce - клюквенный соус, pumpkin pie - тыквенный пирог.
Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11. On that day in 1918, World War I ended. On Veterans Day, the radio and television broadcast popular songs from both world wars. In the morning they broadcast services held at the National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. High officials come from Washington to attend these services. They place a wreath of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. All stand in silence for a few minutes at eleven o'clock to honor the memory of servicemen killed in wars.
High Officials - высокие официальные лица, attend services - присутствовать на службах, place a wreath - возлагать венки, tomb of the Unknown Soldier - могила Неизвестного Солдата.