Holidays in Great Britain.

   There are fewer public holidays in G.B. than in other countries. They are: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday. Public holidays in Britain are called bank holidays, because the bank as well as most of the offices and shops are closed.

   The most popular holiday is Christmas. Every year the people of Norway give the city of London a present. It's a big Christmas tree and it stands in Trafalgar Square. Central streets are beautifully decorated.

   Before Christmas, groups of singers go from house to house. They collect money for charity and sing carols, traditional Christmas song.

   The fun starts the night before,on the 24^th of December. Traditionally this is the day when people decorated their trees. Children hang stockings at the end of their beds, hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and fill them with toys and sweets.

   Christmas is a family holiday. Relatives usually meet for the big Christmas dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding. And everyone gives and receives presents. The 26^th December? Boxing Day, is an extra holiday after Christmas Day. This is the time to visit friends and relatives or perhaps sit at home and watch football.

   New Year's Day is less popular in Britain than Christmas. But in Scotland is the biggest festival of the year.

   Besides public holidays there are some special festival in G.B. One of them takes place on the 5^th of November. On that day in 1605, Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the House of Parliament and kill King James I. He didn't succeed. The king's men found the bomb, took Guy Fawkes to the Tower and cut off his head. 

   Since that day the British celebrated the 5^th of November. They burn a dummy, made of straw and old clothes, on the bonfire and let off fireworks.