Figure 1.--.
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Figure 1.--. |
The various British holidays are celebrated at school in a variety of ways. Some holidays are celebrated at school. Some holidays take place on vacation, such as Christmas. But often there are celebrastions at school leading up to the actual holiday.
New Years is celebrated at home as the children are still out on their Christmas vacations. Often as a writing assignment, teachers will askehe children to make their New Year's resolutions.
This collection of resolves for Form Three one can only wish are being fulfilled.
1. To stop making holes in the garden with my hockey stick.
2. To stop firing caps in the house.
3. To look after our dog.
4. To look after my own things.
5. To try and help people.
6. To be kind and thoughtful.
7. To stop Dad smoking.
8. To cut the grass.
9. To stop breaking my rulers.
10. My new year's resolution is to save up for a brand new Scalextric. I have four pounds and only need another twenty pounds more.
11. To not knock over the roses when I play football in the garden.
12. To make my bed after I wake up.
13. To not be naughty and go straight to sleep.
14. To try not to be messy at the table when I am eating.
15. My new year's resolution is to keep my bedroom tidy.
16. My new year's resolution is to stop hiding behind doors.
17. I must stip biting my nails and I must stop getting into trouble.
I hope thast these resolutions on reflection. bring as much pleasure to those who made them (not to mention whether or not they kept them) as to their parents! I might add that several, such as No. 7, were repeated by two or sometimes three boys.
HNBB, The Wheasheaf (Pownall Hall), 1980.
I always thought of Haloween as a uniquely American holiday. We notice several British schools, however, celebrating Haloween with a party. There is is no trick-or-treating in Britain, but there are Haloween celebrations. We notice the same classroom decorations (pumkins, goblins, witches, and black cats). And some of the same games like bobbing for apples. We are not sure, however, if this is a traditional celebration or an merican import.
Guy Fawkes was a mercenary soldier. He returned home after fighting aborad. As a Catholic, he was disturbed by England's Protestant Government and conceived of what has come down in history to be the Gunpowder Plot (1605). He and his fellow plotters buried 36 barrels of gunpowder under the House of Parliament. He was going to blow up Parliament and overthrow King James I. The plot was uncovered and Fawkes and his group arrested, tirtured terribly, and executed. The event is still celebrated in England on November 5 with foreworks and a bonfire in which an effigy of Fawkes called a Guy is burned. It is a great favorite with British children. This is the origins of the English word "guy".
Rememrance Day honors the sacrifice of British servicemen in the two great World Wars. It was first celebrated after World war I when Britain and the other beligerant countries suffered enormous casualties. Many of the public schools have memorils of various kinds for their old boys who died in the wars. Remembrance day is celebrated on November 11, the day the World War I Armistice with Germany went into effect. Througout Britain there is taditionally 2 minutes of silence at the 11th hour of the 1th day of the 11th month. At first there was 1 minute of silence. The extra minute was added after World War II to honor the sacrifice of World War II service personnel. The main celebration, however, is on the second Sunday of November--Remembrance Sunday.
Of course no holiday is more important to children than Christmas. It is the most important holiday of the year. The younger children spend time preparing decorations for their classrroms. This is woven into the progam. There are a variety of events organized such as Christmas parties and carol servives. Most schools stage a Christmas pagent. Almost all of the schools has Christian religious affiliations. Thus the religious aspect of the Christmas story is explained to the children. Of course the children spend Christmas at home. The Autumn Term is structured so that it ends in time for the Christmas break.
