Culture / festivals and traditions in the Uk - Essay Example

They do not like the neighbors to intervene their lives. British prefer small houses for one family. Fireplace - the heart of the English home. While people in other countries go in the evening to a cafe or cocktail bars, the British prefer to gather in the living room and sit near the fireplace, discussing the events of the ending day. Even these days in many houses can be found fireplaces, sometimes with columns on the sides and a top shelf with clocks, mirrors or pictures. The same conservativeness may be found in the way they celebrate their holidays.

Still, New Year is celebrated on the 31st of December, may be spent not necessarily with the family members, but often in some places of entertainment. It is not common spread in England to give presents for the New Year. Still in some regions of UK, for example, in Scotland, the New Year even more important than Christmas (which is celebrated on 25th of December) and the main part of festivities is timed to this holiday. Nevertheless, Christmas is one of the most popular and anticipated holidays in Britain, which is considered to be one of the most traditional family celebrations (Cooper, n.d.).

One of the most favorite holidays for British is St. Valentines Day, mainly because UK is the place where the tradition of giving holiday cards was born. According to the tradition, on the eve of the holiday men should secretly bring gifts under the door of their beloved women. And the girls who have not met their soul mate yet on this day in the morning are trying to find out their fortune by sitting near the window and looking for their betrothed (it is considered that it is that one whom they would see first).

In England also the Pancake Week is celebrated, though in its own particular manner. It lasts only one day and its main action is running a race with pancakes. At a certain place a "pancake bell" starts to ring and all the mistresses who have turned eighteen years in aprons and