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ACTIVITY 7B: CALENDAR OF FRENCH & ENGLISH CELEBRATIONS

  • May 2019 - FRENCH CALENDAR

    St Valentine's day

    St Valentine’s day is celebrated on 14th February worldwide.
    It’s the day when people express their love to their friends, lovers , family…
    People send Valentine’s cards, offer flowers, or confectionery.
    Traditionally, spring begins on Valentine’s day. On that day, birds choose their mates. In parts of Sussex Valentine’s day is called the birds wedding day.

    Hearts, Keys and Keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, « you unlock my heart !»
    By Margaux.P and Lola.L

    French National Day

    The French National Day is celebrated on July ,14th. It’s celebrated all over France.
    National Day first took place in 1880.
    It’s celebrated the storming of the Bastille in 1789 by the French people.
    Today, this National Day is celebrated with military parades in the morning and with fireworks in the evening in every single village in France !
    On this day, the mayors also organise balls and concerts in their cities.
    By Noah and Younes

    Carnival of Limoux

    The carnival of Limoux is the longest carnival in the world. It is celebrated from January, 27th to April, 7th. Limoux is a small town located 20 km away from Carcassonne.
    The Carnival of Limoux celebrates Mardi Gras
    with bands coming out on the square.
    The famous “Carnival of the World” is celebrated in Limoux too, with dressed-up bands coming from all over the world to play music and to parade in the streets of Limoux.
    by Laura and Léa

    Halloween

    Halloween is celebrated on October 31st. It is mostly celebrated in the USA. For Halloween, people cut faces in pumpkins and put candles on them. They light the candles at night. On this day, people remember their dead.
    Even in France, we celebrate Halloween. We dress up as monsters, skeletons, witches .. and we walk around our village to get candies. We also decorate our houses. There are many other legends with ghosts…
    by Valentine and Manon

    Thanksgiving

    Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.
    Thanksgiving is only celebrated in the U.S.A.
    It is a federal holiday, so schools, banks, post offices, and government offices are closed.
    In 1621 the first American Pilgrims invited the Indians to a three-day feast to celebrate the autumn harvest.
    Today families celebrate Thanksgiving by eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams, corn, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
    Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and National Football League football game are special Thanksgiving Day events.
    By Olivia

    Easter

    Easter is the celebration of the death and coming to life again of Jesus Christ.
    For Easter, children look for chocolate eggs everywhere in the garden.
    Easter was celebrated on 21th of April this year.
    By Eliès and Soukaïna

    Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes night :

    When is it celebrated ? Bonfire Night is celebrated on 5th November.
    Where is it celebrated ? Bonfire Night is celebrated in England.
    What is celebrated ? Catholics plotted to blow up the English Parliament and King James I. The catholics were angry because the king had treated them badly and they didn’t like it.
    How is it celebrated today ? Nowadays English people burn some «Guys»in a celebration known as « Bonfire Night ».
    by Clément M

    St Patrick 's Day

    Saint Patrick’s day is celebrated on March, 17th in Ireland and in the U.S.A.
    Saint Patrick was a priest who lived in Ireland. He died on March, 17th 493. When he was 16 years old, Saint Patrick was captured and became a slave. He has been a slave for six years .
    The three-leaf clovers are the symbols of St Patrick’s day (in reference to the Holy Trinity) . If you find a four-leaf clover, you will be lucky.
    More information :
    Saint Patrick’s Day is often celebrated with people dressed as Leprechauns : they are little elves who live in Irish forests .
    By Audrey and Clélya

    MAY DAY !

    May Day is celebrated on the first of May. It is celebrated in France and in England.

    May Day celebrates spring and May Queen: English people do Morris dancing. But what is Moriis Dancing : it is just a traditional dance around a maypole. On May day there are a lot of decorations as flowers, trees, pets…

    May Day in France is « Labor Day ». It's a day off work so workers can gather and demonstrate to save their working conditions. It's also a day without school ;)...
    We often offer mugget to our friends and parents :)
    by Camille and Kenza

    INDEPENDENCE DAY

    Independence Day is celebrated on the Fourth of July in USA .
    This day celebrates the declaration of Independence of the American colonies from the UK.
    Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence. The Congress adopted the Independence on July the Fourth, 1776. Today schools, banks, post offices are closed : The fourth of July is a federal holiday .
    By Chaima

    Christmas Traditions

    Christmas is celebrated on 25th December. Christmas is celebrated in many countries in the world.
    Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
    Families prepare delicious meals for Christmas and people offer presents to each other.
    By Gaëtan and Dylan

    Halloween

    Halloween is one of the best-known American traditions. In recent years it is becoming more and more popular in the countries outside the United States and Great Britain where the holiday comes from.

    Halloween takes place on the 31st of October, the day before All Saints’ Day. Its roots come from the Celtic festival Samhaim. People usually decorate their houses with jack-o’-lanterns made of carved pumpkin, spider webs, skeletons and everything connected to death. They dress up in costumes and visit their neighbours saying 'Trick or treat!'. Usually they get lots of sweets but if people don't give them some candy, they play tricks on them, for example by 'decorating' their houses and garden with toilet paper.

    By Clément D.