Chapter 4: Customs and Traditions

Main Christian Festivals

Christmas Day -- 25 December

• Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ
• A public holiday throughout the UK
• Families gather for traditional meals featuring roast turkey, Christmas pudding, and mince pies
• Gift-giving, card-sending, and home decoration are customary
• Children await "Father Christmas" (also called "Santa Claus"), who delivers presents overnight
• Many families display decorated Christmas trees

Boxing Day -- 26 December

• The day after Christmas, also a public holiday

Easter

• Occurs in March or April
• Commemorates Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday
• Both Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays

Lent

• The 40-day period before Easter, involving reflection and preparation
• Traditionally, people fast or give up favourite foods during Lent

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day)

• The day before Lent begins
• People traditionally eat pancakes

Ash Wednesday

• The first day of Lent
• Church services mark foreheads with ash crosses

Easter Eggs

• Easter eggs symbolise new life
• Chocolate eggs are exchanged as gifts, even among non-religious people

Other Religious Festivals

Diwali (October or November, 5 days)

• Celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs
• Celebrates the victory of good over evil and the gaining of knowledge
• Leicester hosts a particularly renowned Diwali celebration

Hanukkah (November or December, 8 days)

• A Jewish festival commemorating the struggle for religious freedom
• Daily candle-lighting on a menorah recalls the miracle of oil burning for eight days

Eid al-Fitr

• Marks the end of Ramadan (the Islamic month of fasting)
• Muslims give thanks to Allah for the strength to complete the fast
• Celebrated with special prayers and meals

Eid ul-Adha

• Commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God
• Reinforces Muslims' commitment to God

Vaisakhi -- 14 April

• A Sikh festival celebrating the founding of the Sikh community (the Khalsa)
• Celebrated with parades, dancing, and singing

Other Celebrations

New Year -- 1 January

• A public holiday throughout the UK
• In Scotland, 31 December is called "Hogmanay"
• 2 January is also a holiday in Scotland

Valentine's Day -- 14 February

• Lovers exchange cards and gifts
• Cards are traditionally sent anonymously

April Fool's Day -- 1 April

• People play practical jokes on each other until midday
• Newspapers and media often join in with prank stories

Mothering Sunday (3 weeks before Easter)

• Children send cards or gifts to their mothers
• Sometimes called "Mother's Day"

Father's Day (3rd Sunday in June)

• Similar to Mothering Sunday, but for fathers

Halloween -- 31 October

• Rooted in ancient pagan traditions marking the beginning of winter
• Children dress up in costumes and go "trick or treating"
• People carve pumpkin lanterns with candles inside

Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night) -- 5 November

• Celebrates the failure of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, when Guy Fawkes and others attempted to blow up Parliament
• Marked with fireworks and bonfires

Remembrance Day -- 11 November

• Honours those who have died fighting for the UK and its allies
• Originates from the end of the First World War (11 November 1918)
• People wear poppies -- the red flower found on the battlefields of the First World War
• A two-minute silence is observed at 11 AM
• Wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London

Bank Holidays

Bank holidays are public holidays with no religious significance. They occur at:

• Early May
• Late May or early June
• Late August

Northern Ireland also observes the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in July.