Customs, traditions and festivals
Christmas Day, 25 December, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a public holiday. Many people decorate a tree and exchange presents. Children believe Father Christmas (Santa Claus) brings presents on Christmas Eve. Boxing Day, 26 December, is also a public holiday.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Good Friday marks his death. Lent is the 40 days before Easter; it begins on Ash Wednesday. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day).
Other religions have important festivals too: Diwali (Hindus and Sikhs, the festival of lights — a famous celebration happens in Leicester), Hannukah (Jews, eight days), Eid al-Fitr (Muslims, end of Ramadan), Eid ul Adha (Muslims, remembering that Ibrahim was willing to sacrifice his son), and Vaisakhi (Sikhs, the founding of the Sikh community, on 14 April).
New Year is celebrated on 31 December/1 January. In Scotland, 31 December is called Hogmanay, and 2 January is also a public holiday there.
Other days: Valentine’s Day (14 February), April Fool’s Day (1 April — jokes until midday), Mothering Sunday (three weeks before Easter), Father’s Day (third Sunday in June), Halloween (31 October, an ancient festival marking the beginning of winter), Bonfire Night (5 November) and Remembrance Day (11 November).
Bonfire Night remembers the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when a group of Catholics led by Guy Fawkes failed in a plot to kill the Protestant king with a bomb in the Houses of Parliament.
Remembrance Day commemorates those who died fighting for the UK and its allies. Many people wear red poppies, and there is a two-minute silence at 11.00 am.
Key facts
- 25 Dec — Christmas Day; 26 Dec — Boxing Day.
- Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) is the day before Lent starts.
- Hogmanay = New Year’s Eve in Scotland.
- 5 Nov — Bonfire Night (Gunpowder Plot, 1605).
- 11 Nov — Remembrance Day: poppies and a two-minute silence at 11 am.
- Bank holidays include New Year, Easter, May Day, a spring bank holiday and a summer bank holiday.
Important dates
| 1605 | The Gunpowder Plot |
| 14 Feb | Valentine’s Day |
| 1 Apr | April Fool’s Day |
| 31 Oct | Halloween |
| 5 Nov | Bonfire Night |
| 11 Nov | Remembrance Day |
Important people
- Guy Fawkes: Member of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
Memory tips
- “Remember, remember, the fifth of November” — Bonfire Night.
- Poppies: the red flower that grew on the battlefields of the First World War.
Practice questions
1. What does Christmas Day celebrate?
- The resurrection of Jesus Christ
- The birth of Jesus Christ
- The start of winter
- The Gunpowder Plot
Show answer
Christmas Day, 25 December, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
2. Which flower do people wear for Remembrance Day?
- A white rose
- A red poppy
- A daffodil
- A thistle
Show answer
People wear red poppies, which represent the poppies that grew on the battlefields of the First World War.
3. What does Easter celebrate?
- The birth of Jesus Christ
- The resurrection of Jesus Christ
- The end of Ramadan
- The start of Lent
Show answer
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Good Friday marks the day he was crucified.
4. What is Hogmanay?
- A Scottish dance
- New Year’s Eve in Scotland
- A Welsh festival of music
- A Northern Irish holiday in July
Show answer
In Scotland, 31 December is called Hogmanay. 2 January is also a public holiday in Scotland.
5. What does Bonfire Night commemorate?
- The end of the First World War
- The failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605
- The Battle of Hastings
- The Great Fire of London
Show answer
Bonfire Night (5 November) commemorates the failed plot by Guy Fawkes and others to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
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