HOLIDAYS

IN GREAT BRITAIN

(Part II)
 Public Holidays
Public holiday Countries 2016 2017

New Year's Day UK Fri. January 1  Sun. January 1st.

Substitute day (for New Year's Day) England, Wales, Northern Ireland Mon. January 4 Mon. January 2nd

January 2nd  Scotland Sat. January 2 Mon. January 2nd

Substitute day (for 2nd January or New

Scotland  Mon. January 4 Tue. January 3rd
Year's Day)

St. Patricks Day Northern Ireland Thu. March 17  Fri. March 17th

Good Friday UK Fri. March 25 Fri. April 14th

Easter monday UK, except Scotland Mon. March 28 Mon. April 17th

Early May Bank Holiday UK Mon. May 2 Mon. May 1st.

Spring Bank Holiday UK Mon. May 30 Mon. May 29th.

Battle of the Boyne Northern Ireland Tue. July 12 Wed. July 12th

Summer Bank Holiday Scotland Mon. August 1 Mon. August 7th.

Summer Bank Holiday UK, except Scotland Mon. August 29 Mon. August 28th.

St. Andrews Day Scotland Wed. November 30 Thu. November 30th.

Christmas Day Holiday UK Sun. December 25 Mon. December 25th.

Boxing Day UK Mon. December 26 Tue. December 26th.

Christmas Day (Substitute Day) UK Tue. December 27

 People with romantic feelings for a
particular person may send person
cards, gifts and text messages on
Valentine's Day. Popular gifts
include chocolates and flowers.
Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and
religious holiday. It is named after
Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), one of
the most commonly recognized
patron saints of Ireland.
 1April
A day of jokes and tricks. You have
to play a joke before 12 o’clock
midday, otherwise someone plays a
joke on you. No one really knows
when this custom began but it has
been kept for hundreds of years.
Mothering Sunday, sometimes
known as Mother's Day, is held
on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It is
exactly three weeks before Easter
Sunday and usually falls in the
second half of March or the
beginning of April.
 Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary)
was born on 21 April, 1926 at 17 Bruton
Street, London. Her birthday is officially
celebrated in Britain on the second Saturday of
June each year.
The official birthday of Queen
Elizabeth II is marked by a military
parade known as Trooping the
Colour (Carrying of the Flag). Each
June, the Queen and other members
of the Royal Family attend the
ceremony.
 The first Monday of May is a bank holiday in the United
Kingdom. It is called May Day in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland and is known as the Early May Bank
Holiday in Scotland. It probably originated as a Roman
festival honoring the beginning of the summer season. In
more recent times, it has been a day to campaign for
workers' rights.
The last Monday in May is a bank holiday,
too. Many organizations, businesses and
schools are closed. Some people choose
to take a short trip or vacation. Others use
the time to walk in the country, catch up
with family and friends, visit garden
centers or do home maintenance.
 In England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
the summer bank holiday is on the last
Monday of August. In Scotland it is on
the first Monday of August. This day
marks the end of summer holidays for
many people who return to work or
school in autumn.
 From the 19th Century to the present day, 31st
October has increasingly known as a night when
ghost, witches and fairies are especially active.
Halloween celebrations include costume parties
where people dress as witches, ghosts and animal
figures associated with Halloween.

Skyline

Auckland Waterfront
 ‘Guy Fawkes Night’ is also known as
‘Bonfire Night’ or ‘Firework Night’. On
the 5th of November children traditionally
take their home-made Guys out onto the
streets of their town or village and ask
passers-by for ‘a penny for the Guy’. This
money is supposedly used as a contribution
towards their fireworks.
 Remembrance Day is on 11 November. It
is a special day to remember all those men
and women who were killed during the
two World Wars and other conflicts. At
11am on each Remembrance Sunday a
two minute silence is observed at war
memorials and other public spaces across
the UK.

Town Centre

View of Town