British and American British and American HistoryHistory

Week 12Week 12

Schedule• Presentations– Halloween – Thanksgiving– Easter– Veteran’s Day– Independence Day

• Lecture• Holiday Games

New Year’s Day

• January 1• The first day of the Western calendar.• December 31 is called « New Year’s Eve »

(evening before)

New Year’s Traditions

• Have a party on New Year’s Eve• Staying awake until midnight• Having a countdown to midnight• Watching fireworks• Giving someone a kiss (for good luck) right at

midnight• Watching the party in Times Square on TV• Making New Year’s resolutions (goals to keep)

New Year’s Eve Party

Staying Awake till midnight

Having a countdown

Watching Fireworks

Times Square

New Year’s Resolutions

Holidays• http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTQyNjYyODcy.html

• Times Square New Year preparations

• http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-the-holidays-new-years-eve#history-of-the-holidays-new-years-eve

Valentine’s Day

• February 14• Celebrating love. (Historically,

based on a priest, Valentinus, who would secretly help people get married.)

• Traditions: buy roses/ chocolates/ gifts for your lover, go on a date. Children also give candy and cards.

Valentine’s Day

• http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-valentines-day#history-of-valentines-day

Presidents’ Day

• 3rd Monday in February.• Celebrating the birthdays of George

Washington (Feb. 22) and Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12). To celebrate all the presidents.

• Traditions: some business and schools have a day off.

Easter• Always on a Sunday in Spring, but

not based on the Western Calendar.

• A combination of 2 holidays:– The coming of Spring– The resurrection of

Jesus Christ

Easter Traditions

• http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-the-holidays-easter-video#history-of-the-holidays-easter-video

Easter Traditions• Dyeing (coloring) Easter eggs• Easter egg hunt (for children)• « The Easter Bunny »• Church meeting at sunrise• Singing Easter songs

Dyeing Eggs

Easter Bunny

Memorial Day

• Last Monday in May.• To honor the memory of

soldiers who have died in battle.

• Traditions: watch parades, military ceremonies, visit the graves of relatives who were soldiers, have a day off from work.

Independence Day (4th of July)

• July 4• Celebrating the signing of the Declaration of

Independence – « America’s birthday ».• Traditions: shooting off fireworks, having a

BBQ or picnic, watching parades, traveling.

Halloween

• Oct. 31• Originally « Hallow’s Evening »,

the night before a religious holiday, Nov. 1.

• Now, it’s just a celebration of scary things.

• Traditions: have a costume party, trick-or-treating (asking for candy), decorate a pumpkin.

• Carve a pumpkin

Costume Party

Carving a Pumpkinjack o'lantern

or decorate a pumpkin

Halloween

• http://www.history.com/videos/halloweens-origins#haunted-history-of-halloween

• http://www.history.com/videos/halloweens-origins#halloween-traditions

Veteran’s Day

• November 11• To honor former soldiers who

are still living. (Originally, this date was the official end of WW1)

• Traditions: watch parades, ceremonies to thank our veterans, have a day off work.

Thanksgiving Day

• 4th Thursday in November.• Celebrates the first harvest of the

Pilgrims in the New World.• They were thankful to God and to

the Indians for helping them survive their first year in America.

Thanksgiving Traditions

• Big family dinner (biggest feast of the year) with many traditional foods: turkey, pumpkin pie, etc.

• Playing American football/ watching the football on TV.

• Remembering things we are thankful for.

• Going shopping the Friday after.

Thanksgiving Meal

Playing Football or

Watching Football on TV

Black Friday

Thanksgiving

• http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday#history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday

• http://www.history.com/videos/history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday#thanksgiving-day-parade-tech

Christmas

• December 25• Celebrating the birth of

Jesus Christ.• America’s biggest holiday

(for Christians and for non-religious people).

Christmas Traditions

• Visiting family and having big family dinners.• Decorating Christmas tree, decorating house• Exchanging gifts (and shopping for them)• Singing Christmas songs, attending concerts• Story of Santa Claus, reindeer, etc…• Watching Christmas movies• http://www.history.com/topics/christmas/videos#birth-of-

a-holidayhttp://www.history.com/topics/christmas/videos#history-of-

christmashttp://www.history.com/topics/christmas/videos#history-of-

christmas

Stockings on the Fireplace

Christmas Cookies

Decorating the house for Christmas