Traditions and Customs of

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Traditions and Customs of Great Britain
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Every country and every nation has its own
traditions and customs. Its very important to
know traditions of different people. It can help
you to know more about the history and the life
of these countries.
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We cant speak about England without studying its
way of life. Its very important for English
people. Englishmen are proud of their traditions
and carefully keep them up.
4
Match the words in English with their appropriate
words in Ukrainian.

• Country ????????
• Nation ????????
• Tradition ???????
• Custom ??????
• Important ??????
• be proud of ????????
• To keep up ?????

5
Fill in the missing letters.

• Kn n
• H lp
• H story
• L fe
• Engl sh
• V ry
• W - y

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Now we are going to tell you more about English
Holidays.As far as you remember all English
people celebrate Christmas or X-mas on the 25th
of December. Its the greatest holiday of all
English people.
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They give presents to each other and send
Christmas cards. Children find X-mas presents in
their stockings. In the morning the families go
to the church to take part in the holiday
service, they sing Christmas carols.
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After that they come back home and have nice
holiday dinner. They usually invite their
relatives. The traditional English dinner at
Christmas is a roast turkey and pudding and an
apple pie.
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But on Christmas Eve Londoners have a very
unusual custom to swim in lake Saprentine. This
lake is the largest and the oldest park in
London. It has been the Royal Park since 1536. of
course, not all the people swim in this lake.
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Only healthy and sporty men do it. In the
evening Londoners like walking in Trafalgar
Square, where a Christmas tree of over 50 feet
high (16 meters) is there. It is a present from
the people of Oslo, the capital of Norway.
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This tree is very colourful and beautiful,
because its decorated with big bright stars,
shining balls and toys.
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On December, 26 English people dont work as
well, theyve got a day off. In the morning they
unpack their presents and feel very happy. This
day is called Boxing day.
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In general, English people save money during the
whole year to buy nice presents for families and
friends. And in December the English nation
spends several thousand pounds for presents. Its
a good ideas.
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If to speak about the New Year, not all English
people celebrate it. Those who do it, celebrate
it on December, 31 in their own ways. Some have
a New Year Party, which usually starts at about 8
oclock in the evening.
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They cook a lot of tasty dishes. At midnight they
have a toast to the New Year. Then the party goes
on till early morning. Some people prefer walking
outdoors in parks and squares.
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Make up questions to these sentences.

• A lot of English families go to the church in the
  morning on December, 25. (Where?)
• Only healthy people swim in the lake in Hyde
  Park. (Who?)
• Hyde Park is the most popular and beautiful park
  in London. ( Is?)
• On December, 26 English people dont work. (Why?)
• Not all people in English celebrate the New Year.
  Who?)

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Another way of celebrating the New Year is to go
to a new Years dance. Some people stay at home
and watch TV programmes. There is one more
interesting New Year tradition in the North of
England and Scotland. Its an old custom of
First-Footing.
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In great Britain the first visitors who comes
into a house on New Years morning is called the
First Foot. This visitor is very and very
important because the English people believe that
the First Foot brings luck to the family for the
following twelve month.
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The First Foot comes very early, and as sooner he
comes, as better. He brings some symbolic
presents of foot (usually a piece of bread), a
piece of coal, a coin. That means that the family
will have good luck, will be happy and rich in
the coming year.
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The First Foot also brings an evergreen branch as
a promise of continuing life.
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Match two halves of the sentences.

• Children find very important.
• X-mas presents
• The first visitor is to a New Years
• dance.
• Its a present some symbolic
• presents.
• Some people go in their stockings.
• The First Foot from Oslo.
• brings

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No one should go outside, nothing must be taken
out of the house before the First Foot has come
and brought his presents. As the First foot is a
luck-bringer, he must be received kindly and
treated to tasty things.
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To be a true luck-bringer, this person must be
healthy, young and good-looking. He must have
dark or fair hair, but not red hair. And it must
not be a moman.
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Match the opposites.

• Young
• Dark
• Good-looking
• Healthy
• man

• Weak
• Woman
• Blonde
• Old
• ugly