英国宗教节日.doc

Paper

of

Major English-Speaking Countries: A Survey

Title : Religious festivals in Britain
Name : 吴霞君
Student number: 1315010413

Religious festivals in Britain
Abstract
Religion plays an important role in Britain life , especially in British festivals . There will be an introduction both in origin and customs of religious festivals in Britain.
Keywords : Festival ,Religion, Custom
Introduction The United Kingdom has a multinational and multi-ethnic society where its people have diverse origins in every continent of the world . It is traditionally a Christian state and people have the right to religious freedom , which is reflected in both people’s behaviors and traditional customs. However ,this typically focuses on British festivals.
1. Christmas
1.1Origin
Christmas Day,December 25,which celebrates the birth of Jesus  Christ, the founder of the Christian religion .Christmas is Britain's most popular holiday. Its traditions and early ceremonies were rooted in pagan beliefs and date back hundreds of years. They are still part of contemporary Christmas celebrations.
1.2 Christmas Cards
The custom of sending Christmas cards to friends and family originated in Britain. In 1843 John Callcott Horsley designed the first one for Sir Henry Cole. Thus began a real spread of sending Christmas cards and this practice soon became an established tradition. Favored designs were Christmas feasts, church bells, plum and turkey as well as religious themes.
1.3 Christmas Tree
Since 1840 the decorated and illuminated Christmas tree has gained popularity in England. Prince Albert brought this rite over from Germany. In 1848 the Illustrated London News published a picture of the Royal Family around one. The English families followed the Royal example and it can truly be called a Victorian innovation. Each year a giant Christmas tree is set up and decorated near the statue of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square.
1.4 Christmas Carols
On Christmas Eve carols are often sung by groups of singers walking from house to house, and children hang a stocking on the fireplace or at the foot of their bed for Father Christmas to fill. Caroling dates back to the Middle Ages when beggars were seeking for money, food or drink wandering the streets singing holiday songs.
1.5 Christmas Food
On Christmas Day gifts are opened in the morning. Later the family will gather for the traditional Christmas dinner consisting of Brussels sprouts, fried potatoes with roast turkey, roast beef or goose. Sweet mince pie or Christmas pudding is served for dessert. The pudding might contain coins or lucky charms for children. For afternoon tea Christmas cake is offered. It is rich baked fruit cake with marzipan and icing. A party favorite are Christmas crackers. There will be one to each plate on the Christmas dinner table. A Christmas cracker is a brightly colored paper tube, twisted on both ends and filled with a party hat, a riddle and a toy.
1.6 Other Activity
A traditional feature of Christmas afternoon is the Queen’s Christmas Message. At three O’clock in the afternoon, the Queen gives her Christmas Message to the nation which is broadcast on radio and television. In 1932 King George brought this custom into being.
2. Easter
2.1 Origin
In the UK Easter is one of the major Christian festivals of the year. It is full of customs, folklore and traditional food. However, Easter in Britain has its beginnings long before the arrival of Christianity. Many theologians believe Easter itself is named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn and spring – Eostre (The ancient goddess who symbolizes renascence).
In Britain Easter occurs at a different time each year. It is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. This means that the festival can occur on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25.
2.2 Easter Eggs
The first eggs given at Easter were birds eggs. These eggs were painted in bright colors to give them further meaning as a gift. As chocolate became more wide spread in the 20th Century, a chocolate version of the traditional painted egg was developed. The size of the chocolate egg has grown over the years and is now more likely to be the size of an ostrich egg rather than a small birds egg. In England, children rolled eggs down hills on Easter morning, a game which has been connected to the rolling away of the rock from Jesus Christ's tomb when he was resurrected. British settlers brought this custom to the New World. Small chocolate eggs are hidden for the children to find on the traditional Easter Egg Hunt. In recent years this game has been linked to the Easter Bunny, which only arrived in England relatively recently.
2.3The Easter Bunny
Rabbits, due to their fecund nature, have always been a symbol of fertility. The Easter bunny (rabbit) however may actually be an Easter hare. The hare was allegedly a companion of the ancient Moon goddess and of Eostre.
2.4Easter Food
Roast lamb, which is the main dish at Jewish Passover, is the traditional meat for the main meal on Easter Day. It is served with mint sauce and vegetables.
The traditional Easter pudding is custard tarts sprinkled with currants and flat Easter biscuits.
Simnel cake is baked for tea. The Simnel cake is a rich fruitcake covered with a thick layer of almond paste (marzipan). A layer of marzipan is also traditionally baked into the middle of the cake.
Eleven balls of marzipan are placed around the top to represent the eleven true disciples (excluding Judas).
2.5 Morris Dancing
Morris dancing is a traditional English form of folk dance which is also performed in other English-speaking countries such as the USA and Australia. The roots of morris dancing seem to be very old, probably dating back to the Middle Ages. In the dance men dress up in costumes with hats and ribbons and bells around their ankles. They dance through the streets and one man often carries an inflated pigs bladder on the end of a stick. He will run up to young women in the street and hit them over the head with the pigs bladder, this is supposed to be lucky (men)!
3.Other religious festivals
3.1All Saints' Day
The festival is traditionally celebrated with the hymn "For All the Saints" by Walsham How. The most familiar tune for this hymn is Sine Nomine by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Another hymn that is popularly sung during corporate worship on this day is "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God".
3.2 Halloween
Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals held around the end of October in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. People believed that, at this time of year, the spirits of dead people could come 'alive' and walk among the living. They thought that it was important to dress up in costumes when venturing outside, to avoid being harmed by the spirits.
Halloween celebrations in the United Kingdom include parties where guests are often expected to arrive in a costume to reflect the day's theme. Other people gather together to watch horror films, either at home or at a cinema. Some children go trick-or-treating.
3.3 Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. Christians remember it as the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist. In Britain, the Queen takes part in the Ceremony of the Royal Maundy, which dates back to EdwardⅠ. This involves the distribution of Maundy Money to deserving senior citizens, usually chosen for having done service to their community. They receive ceremonial red and white purses which contain coins made especially for the occasion.
3.4 Saint Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day ,according to legend , is celebrated to honor the love of Valentine (who was a Christian martyr) ,which cured his daughter ‘s eyes. On this day ,not only couples but also other common people give presents or cards to each other.
3.5 Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving falls on the forth Thursday in November, people celebrate it to thank the generous giving from God.