Learn ALL British English Holidays in 68 Minutes
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system right now hi everyone I’m Gina
I’m sure that everyone watching this
video know it’s about New Year’s Day and
celebrates it but do you know how we
celebrate in Great Britain in this
lesson you’re going to learn about the
British New Year which we celebrate on
the 1st of January
do you know how many people gather in
London to watch the New Year’s fireworks
will show you the answer at the end of
this video
New Year’s Eve is a big party night in
Britain people all over the country
celebrate with parties and fireworks to
ring in the New Year in Scotland
especially it is a big event known as
hog money when Big Ben chimes midnight
to signal the start of the new year we
join hands and sing the traditional song
auld lang syne a song about friends and
forgiveness a new year is seen as a new
beginning where we can say goodbye to
the year that has passed and welcomed
the year that is coming it is
traditional to choose a New Year’s
resolution and this is a goal or a
change that we want to make to ourselves
or our lives popular New Year’s
resolutions are to lose the extra pounds
put on over Christmas or to quit smoking
in Britain and especially Scotland there
is an old superstition and custom that
the first person to enter a house in the
new year will bring luck with them if
the first footer as they are called has
dark hair it is considered extremely
lucky
as New Year’s Eve is a party night it
means that New Year’s Day is a very slow
paced day public transport and store
hours are limited and most people choose
to stay home relax and nurse their
headaches and now I’ll give you the
answer to the earlier quiz do you know
how many people gather in London to
watch the New Year fireworks
about 250,000 people gather every year
along the River Thames to watch the
fireworks
the fireworks are set off from boats
along the river and also around the
London Eye how is this lesson did you
learn something interesting do you
remember the name of the song we sing to
welcome the new year leave us a comment
at English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson bye
hi everyone I’m Gina it’s getting cold
there are lights and decorated trees
everywhere you look that can only mean
that it’s nearly the 25th of December
and nearly Christmas Day in this lesson
you’re going to learn about how
Christmas is celebrated in Britain if we
think of Christmas we think of snow
scenes but do you know what the
definition of a white Christmas in the
UK is we’ll show you the answer at the
end of this video
one of the most famous Christmas
traditions and the one that causes the
most stress is exchanging gifts children
get excited to see what present Santa
Claus will leave for them under the
Christmas tree and leave brandy and the
mince pie out for him
on Christmas Eve for adults it means
braving busy stores to find the perfect
presents for those they love but always
remember it’s the thought that counts
christmas is a time for families to
gather together and central to this is
the Christmas dinner the whole family
sits down together to eat a heavy meal
of turkey and all of the trimmings
followed by Christmas pudding for
dessert often we pull Christmas crackers
and inside these are terrible jokes
cheap presents and paper Christmas hats
after lunch while everyone is waiting
for the food to digest many people
switch on the TV and watch the special
Christmas programs and movies that are
broadcast the most famous of these is
the Queen’s Christmas speech it’s
broadcast simultaneously on the two
biggest TV channels in the UK the BBC
and ITV at 3:00 p.m. and the Queen
reviews a year and gives us a Christmas
message that usually speaks of tolerance
and forgiveness
if you send the letter to Santa and
address it to the North Pole then it
will go to the North Pole if you address
it to Santa’s grotto then instead it
will be answered by his British elves
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz if we think of Christmas we
think of snow scenes but do you know
what the definition of a white Christmas
in the UK is a Christmas is considered a
white Christmas in the UK if a single
snowflake falls on the roof of the
weather center in London during
Christmas Day it doesn’t matter how much
snow the rest of the country gets it
only counts if it snows at the London
Weather Center how is this lesson did
you learn something interesting do you
remember the name of the most famous
Christmas program leave us a comment at
English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson bye
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina after Christmas the
second biggest religious event of the
year in the UK is Easter even for people
who don’t celebrate Easter as a
religious observance it is an important
time of the year the date changes every
year but it always coincides with the
start of spring in this lesson you’re
going to learn about Easter and how it
is celebrated
how many chocolate eggs are eaten in the
UK at Easter we’ll show you the answer
at the end of this video at Easter we
give each other eggs eggs symbolizes the
resurrection a new life of Jesus Christ
following his crucifixion when this
tradition started it was bird eggs
painted in bright colors that were given
now we give chocolate eggs to each other
and especially to children that often
have even more chocolate inside a
popular activity at Easter is to hold an
Easter egg hunt small eggs are given in
an area usually a garden or public place
such as a school and then people try to
find them the eggs can be real eggs that
have been hard-boiled and painted or
small chocolate eggs schools will hold
many events and competitions related to
Easter and one of the most famous is the
Easter bonnet parade for this hats are
decorated with Easter related
decorations such as eggs chicks and
rabbits there are egg rolling
competitions where hard-boiled eggs are
rolled down a slide or a hill and the
egg that travels the furthest without
breaking apart wins also there are egg
decorating competitions
at Christmas it has Santa Claus that
brings the presents but at Easter it is
the Easter Bunny that brings the eggs
chocolate figures in the shape of
bunnies are popular gifts at Easter
alongside the traditional eggs and now
I’ll give you the answer to the earlier
quiz
how many chocolate eggs are eaten in the
UK at Easter around 80 million eggs are
eaten by Brits at Easter
this is particularly impressive for a
country that has a population of only 63
million people how is this lesson did
you learn something interesting do you
have any games similar to the ones I
spoke about in your country leave us a
comment at English class 101.com and
we’ll see you in the next lesson bye
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina
a lot of countries celebrate Christmas
Day on the 25th of December but did you
know that in the UK there is another
public holiday on the 26th of December
called Boxing Day in this lesson you’re
going to learn about Boxing Day and why
it is a special day the 26th of December
is better known in many countries as a
Saints Day what is the name of the saint
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video the origin of the name Boxing
Day is not fully known and there are
many theories some say it is because the
poor boxers in church were opened on the
26th of December another theory is that
it is because tradesmen would collect
their Christmas box of presents and
gifts from their customers on the day
after Christmas Boxing Day has become
one of the busiest shopping days of the
year as it is a day when the big post
Christmas sales start eager shoppers
start queuing from the early hours of
the morning to grab bargains the sale at
the department store Harrods is
particularly famous as it will sell
unique one-off items for huge discounts
for these items it is first-come
first-served Boxing Day is also a day
for sport traditionally it was a day for
fox hunting but this practice was banned
in 2004 some hunt still go ahead despite
the ban but others are artificial hunts
when no foxes are chased or harmed it is
also a day for football fans as a full
program of football fixtures are held on
Boxing Day many people go to football
games or watch the matches from home
with so much food prepared for Christmas
day it is inevitable that some will be
left over so Boxing Day is for eating
leftovers turkey sandwiches turkey salad
anything that is left over gets eaten on
Boxing Day and now I’ll give you the
answer to the earlier quiz the 26th of
December is better known in many
countries as the Saints day what is the
name of the saint the 26th of December
is also st. Stephen’s Day although
within the UK it is almost exclusively
known as Boxing Day how is this lesson
did you learn something interesting do
you remember the theories as to why it
is called Boxing Day leave us a comment
at English class 101.com and we’ll see
you in the next lesson bye
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina remember remember
the fifth of November gunpowder treason
and plot if you live in the UK you all
know that rhyme and what it means if you
don’t then you soon well it refers to
Guy Fawkes Day an annual celebration on
the 5th of November in this lesson
you’re going to learn about what Guy
Fawkes Day is and how it is celebrated
why did people in the UK first start to
celebrate Guy Fawkes Day will show you
the answer at the end of this video
Guy Fawkes Day celebrates the failure of
Guy Fawkes and his accomplices in their
plot to kill King James are first in
1605 Fox and his friends planned to blow
up the houses of parliament with the
Protestant King inside and replace him
with a Catholic monarch however their
plot was discovered and they were
arrested and later executed for treason
we celebrate Guy Fawkes Day by lighting
large bonfires and setting our fireworks
the celebrations are also called bonfire
night people may go to organised
firework displays or have smaller
parties in their gardens
fireworks are a large part of the
celebrations and although the event is
on the 5th of November it isn’t unusual
to hear fireworks throughout October -
another way of marking the day is by the
making of a guy a guy is a homemade
dummy that is usually made to resemble
Guy Fawkes himself
it used to be commonplace to see
children with their guys asking for
money by shouting penny for the guy but
this tradition is not as popular in
recent years the guys are thrown under
the bonfires and burnt
the image of Guy Fawkes has become very
popular in recent years due to Guy
Fawkes masks being used in the film V
for Vendetta and also by the online
group Anonymous and now I’ll give you
the answer to the earlier quiz why did
people in the UK first start to
celebrate Guy Fawkes Day the
celebrations of Guy Fawkes Day began
because the government in 1605 enforced
a public day of celebration the public
had no choice but to light bonfires and
celebrate the failure of the plot how is
this lesson did you learn something
interesting do you have any offense or
festivals that you celebrate with
fireworks in your country leave us a
comment at English class when anyone
calm and we’ll see you in the next
lesson bye wanna speak real English from
your first lesson sign up for your free
lifetime account at English class
101.com
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina Pancake Day or
Shrove Tuesday to give it its proper
name it’s a Tuesday 7 weeks before
Easter it is the last day before a
period of abstinence Lent starts in this
lesson you’re going to learn about why
is commonly known as pancake day and why
it is a special day in Britain do you
know where the name Shrove Tuesday comes
from and what it means we’ll show you
the answer at the end of this video the
traditional meaning of Shrove Tuesday
comes from it being the day before Lent
begins it was the last chance for people
to eat whatever they chose before they
began to fast and was an opportunity for
them to eat whatever was left in their
pantry or kitchen we eat pancakes on the
Shrove Tuesday because they are easy to
make and can be filled with any topping
British pancakes are made from thin
batter only a few millimetres thick that
are cooked in a frying pan
brave chefs will flip their pancakes to
ensure they’re cooked on both sides but
others will use a spatula popular
toppings include plain lemon and sugar
and sweeter things such as chocolate and
fruit as well as cooking pancakes there
are many games and activities that are
held in Britain the most popular are
pancake racers in these races
competitors to run a short track maybe
only 100 meters or so while flipping a
pancake in their frying pan if you drop
the pancake you have to stop and pick it
up the winner is whoever completes a
race first with their pancake still
intact
there is a famous race held in only
participants must be housewives and
wearing apron the winner is the first to
complete a 375 meter course give their
pancake to the church bell ringer and
receive a kiss and now I’ll give you the
answer to the earlier quiz do you know
where the name Shrove Tuesday comes from
and what it means
Shrove comes from the word Shrieve and
this means to confess in the olden days
Shrove Tuesday would be a day of
confession for Christians before Lent
began how was this lesson did you learn
something interesting do you eat
pancakes in your country if so are they
the same as British pancakes leave us a
comment at English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson bye
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Jena Lent is a six and a
half week period that leads into Easter
it’s fate changes every year but it
always starts in either February or
March in this lesson you’re going to
learn about how Lent is observed in
Britain do you know why the date of
length changes every year we’ll show you
the answer at the end of this video
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on
Holy Saturday the day before Easter
Sunday
it’s classed as lasting forty days as
the Sundays within that period aren’t
included in that count during Lent
people who observe it for religious
reasons will choose to give up something
as a sacrifice blend is also a time for
improvement as well as sacrificing
material items or food Christians try to
improve themselves and live a better
life for those forty days for the
non-religious Lent falls within the
popular period for spring cleaning and
this is seen as a period of cleaning and
improving the home as well as themselves
the lens has become more than just a
religious event its position in the
calendar of being a couple of months
after Christmas and immediately before
Easter both big days for overeating and
eating too many sweets makes it perfect
for those on a diet too many people may
choose to give up chocolate or sweets
for Lent for dietary reasons more so
than religious reasons
some people that fast for Lent use the
Lenten calendar to track their progress
through the forty days these are often
handmade and colorful and can look more
like a board game than the traditional
calendar and now I’ll give you the
answer to the earlier quiz
do you know why the date of length
changes every year the date changes
because Lent
as well as Easter is tied into the lunar
calendar and not the regular solar
calendar this is based on lunar phases
and they are slightly shorter than a
month meaning that the lunar year
constantly changes when put against the
solar calendar how was this lesson did
you learn something interesting do you
observe Lent or have any period of
fasting in your country leave us a
comment at English class 101.com and
we’ll see you in the next lesson hi
everyone
I’m Gina Remembrance Day in the UK is
the 11th of November and this is a day
when we honor the memories of those who
died fighting for their country in this
lesson you’re going to learn about how
the war dead are commemorated in the UK
on the 11th of November at 11:00 a.m.
the UK joins together to mark the day
with one action what is that action
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video
Remembrance Day is the 11th of November
because the Anstis to mark the end of
World War 1 was signed by the Allies and
Germany at 11 a.m. on the 11th of
November 1918 originally it was called
arms this day but was later renamed
Remembrance Day after World War 2 to
mark Remembrance Day people in the UK
wear red poppies attached to their
clothes usually their coat due to
poppies being so interlinked with
Remembrance Day it is also sometimes
known as poppy Day the puppies are sold
by the Royal British Legion a charity
that helps and supports War veterans
throughout the country
poppy wreaths are laid at war memorials
and ceremonies are held the main
ceremony to mark Remembrance Day happens
at the centre path in Whitehall central
London and the Queen lays a wreath there
as well as wreaths people will place
small wooden crosses to honor their
family members
the chosen symbol is a poppy because
during World War one the fiercest
fighting happened in Flanders in the
western part of Belgium the Townsend
field sir were destroyed and no
plantations survived other than poppies
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz
on the 11th of November at 11 a.m. the
UK joins together to mark the day with
one action
what is that action it is a two-minute
silence sometimes even busy stores will
observe the silence by refraining from
serving customers for the two minutes
how was this lesson did you learn
something interesting do you have any
Days of Remembrance in your country
leave us a comment at English class
101.com and we’ll see you in the next
lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina Mayday is the first
day of May and it has been celebrated in
England for two millennia it is a day
that is steeped in tradition and
displays England less modern side in
this lesson you’re going to learn about
May Day celebrations
the first May Day celebrations were held
over 2,000 years ago but by what group
of people will show you the answer at
the end of this video
although May Day is the first of May
since 1978 it has been observed on the
first Monday of May this day is deemed a
bank holiday and the majority of people
in the UK have the day off from work or
school the purpose of May Day is to
celebrate the oncoming summer summer
doesn’t officially begin until June but
May Day celebrates the end of the colder
weather and hope for a nice summer May
Day celebrations are associated with
flowers as trees and plants begin to
blossom around this time May Day is
observed more keenly in the villages and
small towns of the UK their people will
dress in traditional clothes and take
part in activities such as dancing
around a maypole and will demonstrate
traditional dances such as morris
dancing also girls will compete for the
honor of being crowned the May Queen for
that year
in the 17th century mayday was banned by
the then Puritan government and
reinstated in 1660 with the restoration
of king charles ii charles later amended
all documents to show that he was
coronated in 1649 instead of 1660
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz the first May Day
celebrations were held over 2,000 years
ago but by what group of people it was
the Romans they celebrated the festival
of flora the Roman goddess of flowers
it was also celebrated in many Germanic
countries and developed into the Mayday
we celebrate today how has this lesson
as you learn something interesting do
you have any celebration similar to
Mayday in your country leave us a
comment at English fast 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina 14th of February is
Valentine’s Day and it is an opportunity
to show your loved ones how much you
care for them in this lesson you’re
going to learn about Valentine’s Day in
the UK roughly how much to the British
public spend on Valentine’s Day each
year we’ll show you the answer at the
end of this video
Valentine’s Day used to be a day to
admit to your love for someone with an
anonymous card instead of signing the
card with your name people would sign
with either a question mark or the words
from your secret admirer although this
still happens it is now more common to
be upfront with your feelings
Valentine’s Day comes from st. Valentine
who is widely thought to be a third
century Saint that died on the 14th of
February however it is possible that
there are two st. Valentine’s at a link
to this day the second st. Valentine
died in the second century and is also
said to have died on the 14th of
February as well as Valentine’s Day
cards people also buy gifts for their
loved ones popular gifts include
chocolates flowers of stuffed toys
holding Valentine’s Day hearts or
flowers anyone can give presents but
there is a higher expectation placed on
men to buy good gifts for their
girlfriends and vice versa on
Valentine’s Day
although Valentine’s Day is
traditionally a day for lovers it is
also a day to express your feelings to
anyone that you love parents may send
cards to their children and you can even
buy Valentine’s Day cards for your pets
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz roughly how much that the
British public spent on Valentine’s Day
each year in 2011 it was calculated that
the British public spend around five
hundred and three million pounds on
Valentine’s Day cards and gifts each
year that can buy a lot of chocolate and
flowers
how was this lesson did you learn
something interesting do you have a
special day for lovers in your country
leave us a comment at English class 101
calm and we’ll see you in the next
lesson wanna speak real English from
your first lesson sign up for your free
lifetime account at English class
101.com hi everyone I’m Gina the Queen’s
birthday is not her actual birthday but
is the official birthday of the British
sovereign who was the UK’s head of state
the highest ranked official in the
country the date changes every year but
is this always a Saturday in June in
this lesson you’re going to learn about
how the Monarchs official birthday is
celebrated Queen Elizabeth the second
official birthday is in June but when is
her actual birthday we’ll show you the
answer at the end of this video
the main celebration of the official
birthday is trooping the colour this is
a ceremony performed by many different
regiments of the British and
Commonwealth armies it takes place at
Horse Guards Parade and many soldiers
and marching bands parade in front of
the monarch the name trooping the colour
refers to the tradition of the colours
which are flags representing each
regiment being displayed to the soldiers
so that they could be recognized in
battle during trooping the colour the
regiment’s display bear colours and pay
tribute to the reigning monarch the
Queen’s birthday also marks a
publication of the Birthday Honours List
their honours list details all of the
people both famous and civilian that
will receive honors such as knighthoods
sea bees and other awards the list is
published in the London Gazette and also
newspapers across the Commonwealth
the official birthday has been
celebrated in UK since 1748 in 1908 it
was moved to june from november by the
then reigning monarch King Edward the
seventh in the hope of it being held
during good weather and now I’ll give
you the answer to the earlier quiz the
Queen’s official birthday is in June but
when is her actual birthday Queen
Elizabeth the seconds actual birthday is
a 21st of April she was born in 1926 in
Mayfair London the official birthday is
likely to remain in June in the future
even when other monarchs have been
crowned how was this lesson did you
learn something interesting do you have
a special day to celebrate your head of
state leave us the comments at English
class 101.com and we’ll see you in the
next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone i’m gina the month of
october contains the spookiest day of
the year as the 31st as halloween a day
of hauntings and fun in this lesson
you’re going to learn about Halloween
celebrations in the UK
what are the origins of the name
Halloween do you know why the day is
called that will show you the answer at
the end of this video the origins of
Halloween are not completely clear some
scholars think that it can be traced
back to the Celtic harvest festivals
such as Samhain being converted to a
festival for Christians to enjoy whereas
others believes that Halloween is purely
an original Christian festival Halloween
is now seen as a fun event for both
adults and children people of all ages
will dress in fancy dress for parties
and some workplaces such as stores and
officers will encourage their employees
to enter into the spirit of the day and
allow them to dress up to costumes tend
to be scary characters such as witches
or vampires but can be anything for
children Halloween is about dressing up
and eating sweets children will wear
costumes and go to the houses in the
neighborhood or they will knock on the
neighbors doors and say trick-or-treat
the householder might then give the
children a treat of some sweets
not everybody likes the trick-or-treat
tradition however as some houses will
display prohibition signs saying no
trick-or-treaters
our real children generally don’t play
tricks anymore when not given sweets
common tricks used to include throwing
eggs at windows and toilet paper at
trees thankfully children aren’t as
mischievous and are better supervised
now and now I’ll give you the answer to
the earlier quiz what are the origins of
the name Halloween do you know why the
day is called that the first of November
is All Hallows day so the 31st of
October is All Hallows Eve the name has
been contracted to Halloween how was
this lesson if you learned something
interesting you celebrate Halloween or
have any similar days in your country
leave us a comment at English class 101
calm and we’ll see you in the next
lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina st. George’s Day is
on the 23rd of April and this is a
special day in England because Saint
George is a patron state of the country
in this lesson you’re going to learn
about the meaning of st. George’s Day
st. George is represented on the flag of
the United Kingdom what part of the flag
comes from st. George we’ll show you the
answer at the end of this video
although st. George is a patron saint of
England he is not English he was born in
Turkey in the 3rd century and was a
Roman soldier he was a Christian serving
under a pagan Emperor and was persecuted
for his beliefs by being tortured and
eventually beheaded Saint George is most
famous for the legend of him slaying a
dragon the legend states that he
travelled to Libya to save a princess
from being sacrificed to a dragon that
was terrorizing a village this myth was
attributed to st. George in a 12th
century so long after his death st.
George’s Day is not a big occasion in
England it is not a public holiday and
any events that are held are usually
small community events such as fairs or
parties you might see the cross of st.
George displayed more frequently but
there are no big firework displays
despite this the legends of st. George
and the infamous dragon is well known
throughout England
one of the most popular pub names in
England is a George and Dragon the sign
on these pubs usually has a drawing of
George slaying the dragon often in full
medieval armor and now I’ll give you the
answer to the earlier quiz st. George is
represented on the flag of the United
Kingdom but what part of the flag comes
from st. George it is the Red Cross in
the middle this is st. George’s Cross
and it also makes up the flag of England
how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting what are the
origins of the design of your country’s
flag leave us a comment at English class
101.com and we’ll see you in the next
lesson
[Music]
hi everyone i’m gina in the UK the
twelfth night refers to the twelfth
night after christmas and falls on the
5th of january in this lesson you’re
going to learn why the state is of
importance do you know what the
traditional twelfth night drink
Wasel is made from will show you the
answer at the end of this video the
twelfth night is when christmas
decorations should be taken down if any
decorations remain after the fifth of
January then they should be left until
next year the superstition is that
taking them down after the twelfth night
will bring bad luck upon the house in
the olden days it was believed that
spirits lived in the greenery such as
Holly and Ivy that was used to decorate
the house this greenery was brought
inside during the mid winter to help the
spirits but after the twelfth night it
was time to release them back into the
countryside and their natural habitat if
they were not released the spirits would
cause havoc in the house now you may be
thinking that twelve days after
Christmas is actually the sixth of
January and not the fists and you would
be correct
however in olden days they started at
sunset and not at midnight also they
followed night and not vice versa
so by modern calendars the 12th day is
the sixth but to our ancestors it was
the fifth
Twelfth Night used to be a day for
practical jokes and plays it is believed
that Shakespeare named one of his plays
Twelfth Night for this reason and also
it was first performed on the Twelfth
Night and now I’ll give you the answer
to the earlier quiz do you know what the
traditional Twelfth Night drink
Wasel is made from it is a cider based
drink seasoned with various spices and
sometimes honey it is especially popular
in the South of England but most apples
for cider are grown how was this lesson
did you learn something interesting if
you decorate your house in your country
do you have any special ceremonies or
traditions for taking down the
decorations leave us a comment at
English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone and Gina very Sant as it’s
known in Welsh or Saint David it’s a
patron saint of Wales and st. David’s
Day is celebrated by the Welsh on the
1st of March in this lesson you’re going
to learn about st. David’s Day why isn’t
the Welsh flag represented on the flag
of the United Kingdom we’ll show you the
answer at the end of this video st.
David was the Celtic monk and bishop
that lived in the 6th century he helped
to spread the word of Christianity
across Wales it is claimed that he lived
for over a century and the day of his
death
was the 1st of March
st. Davids most famous miracle is that
while he was preaching to some followers
the ground was said to have risen up and
formed the hill beneath him so that he
could be seen and heard better he also
founded several monasteries in Wales
during his lifetime
st. Davids day is commemorated in Wales
by wearing daffodils and leeks these are
both national emblems of Wales and are
closely associated with the country they
are often worn attached to a coat or hat
some children wear the Welsh national
dress of a tall black hat and long dress
in red and white
Malik is national emblem because Saint
David was said to have advised the Welsh
to wear a leak in their caps when they
battled the Saxons so that they could
easily distinguish friend from foe in
battle
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz
why isn’t the Welsh flag represented on
the flag of the United Kingdom this is
because Wales
unlike England Scotland and Ireland was
never a kingdom when the UK was formed
Wales was already part of England and
was a principality instead
how has this lesson did you learn
something interesting
what is your country’s national emblem
leave us a comment at English class
101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
wanna speak real English from your first
lesson sign up for your free lifetime
account at English class 101.com hi
everyone I’m Gina the first of April is
April Fool’s Day a day to try and fool
your friends with jokes and a day to
have some light-hearted fun in this
lesson you’re going to learn about April
Fool’s Day in the UK there was a famous
April Fool’s story about penguins
published by the BBC what do you think
the story was we’ll show you the answer
at the end of this video it is commonly
thought that the reason why the 1st of
April is a day for tricks is due to the
changing of the calendar currently we
use the Gregorian calendar and in New
Year starts on the 1st of January
however previously the Julian calendar
was used and in this calendar a new year
starters on the 1st of April when the
change was made those who still
celebrated on the 1st of April
were mocked and called fools on the 1st
of April we play tricks on others and
tried to deceive the more gullible
amongst our friends the more outlandish
these tricks and deceptions are the
better
however this custom should only last
until midday after midday April Fool’s
Day is over and tricksters shouldn’t
play any more tricks April Fool’s Day
isn’t just an event held between friends
every year major multinational
corporations celebrities and media
outlets also tried to play tricks on the
public every year most major national
newspapers will carry a story or two and
the 1st of April that is a joke and the
game becomes trying to spot it
the Gregorian calendar was first
conceived in 1582 by Pope Gregory the
13th but was not adopted by the UK until
1752 delaying the change resulted in
eleven days being skipped so that the
calendar could run correctly and now
I’ll give you the answer to the earlier
quiz there was a famous April Fool’s
story about penguins published by the
BBC what do you think the story was the
BBC claimed that their cameras in the
Antarctic had captured footage of flying
penguins it was claimed these penguins
would migrate to South Africa every
summer how was this lesson did you learn
something interesting do you have a day
for fooling in your country leave us a
comment at English class 101.com and
we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone i’m gina in the northern
hemisphere summer begins in june and
this is also the case in the UK
midsummer stay follows a start of summer
and is marked on the 24th of june in
this lesson you’re going to learn about
what Midsummer’s day means in the UK a
play written by Shakespeare is based
around the midsummer time of year do you
know what it is called will show you the
answer at the end of this video back in
the 13th century Midsummer’s Day was
celebrated on the 23rd of June which is
known as st. John’s Eve it was followed
by celebrations on the 25th of June when
bonfires feasts and general merrymaking
would be held it was celebrated in this
manner until the Reformation when
England broke away from the Catholic
Church during the 16th century lighting
bonfires has become popular again in
some parts of Cornwall and Scotland the
significance behind lighting bonfires is
that they are in praise of the Sun the
Sun starts to become weaker and days
become shorter following Midsummer’s day
and bonfires are lit to support and
bolster the Sun these days the main
Midsummer’s day celebrations center on
Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric
monument in Wiltshire England and during
the summer solstice celebrations the
public are given additional access
through the Stonehenge site so that the
event can be celebrated thousands of
people gather to watch the Sun Rise on
the longest day
an old Midsummer’s superstition is that
any rose picked on Midsummer’s Eve will
stay fresh until Christmas
also if young girls pick a rose and
repeat a specific rhyme it is said that
their true love will visit them
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz a play written by
Shakespeare is based around the
midsummer time of year do you know what
it’s called
it is a midsummer night’s dream and it
is one of the most popular Shakespearean
comedies and plays the title of the play
reflects a dreamlike atmosphere of the
play how is this lesson did you learn
something interesting are there any
events to mark the Midsummer or the
longest day in your culture leave us a
comment at English class 101.com and
we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina in September we
harvest the crops that have grown
throughout the year and the harvest
festival is a celebration of the foods
that we have cultivated in the land in
this lesson you’re going to learn about
what the harvest festival means to the
UK the word harvest comes from the old
english word hair first
what does hair first mean we’ll show you
the answer at the end of this video
traditionally the harvest festival is
held on or near the sunday of the
Harvest Moon the Harvest Moon is a full
moon that is closest to the autumn or
equinox
two times out of three this falls within
September but on those rare occasions it
occurs in October in the UK the main
places that celebrate the harvest
festival are churches and schools
churches decorate with baskets of fruit
and other produce and say prayers and
sing hymns to give thanks for previous
successful harvests and hope for
continued success in the future it is
not a public holiday but is still an
important date in the calendar in the UK
schools may hold assemblies such as
similar to the church services but they
also asked students to bring food to the
school the food is then parceled up so
that it can be distributed to those less
fortunate as a harvest festival is also
about helping those in need as much as
possible
although harvest celebrations can be
traced back to pagan festivals the
modern harvest festival began in 1843
when parishioners in Cornwall were
invited to a Thanksgiving service by the
Reverend at that time and now I’ll give
you the answer to the earlier quiz the
word harvest comes from the old english
word hair fest what does her first mean
hair fest is the old english word for
autumn the meaning evolved however and
it came to mean the season for reaping
and gathering grain how is this lesson
did you learn something interesting if
you have any harvest festivals in your
country leave us a comment I’ve English
class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina st. Andrew is a
patron saint of Scotland and st.
Andrew’s Day is celebrated on the 30th
of November
it’s a Scotland’s national day in this
lesson you’re going to learn about st.
Andrew and how his day is marked the
30th of November is a public holiday in
Scotland but it was only recently made
so in what year did the Scottish
Parliament make it a bank holiday we’ll
show you the answer at the end of this
video st. Andrew was one of the twelve
disciples of Jesus Christ and one of the
closest to Christ st. Andrew is said to
have been present at the Last Supper
he’s the patron saint of Scotland
because legend states that some of his
remains were taken to Scotland during a
fourth century to a town now known as
st. Andrews the flag of Scotland is a
white cross on an X orientation on a
blue background
this cross brought us all tyre is known
as the cross of Saint Andrew because
when he was crucified he refused a
regular cross and was instead bound to
an x-shaped cross Scotland’s flag is
said to be the oldest most continuously
used flag design in the world but the
truth of that is open to debate and
difficult proof st. Andrew’s Day is the
celebration of all things Scottish in
the capital city Edinburgh there is a
week-long celebration with traditional
Kayle dancing Scottish food and bagpipe
playing Glasgow holds a big shindig or
party to mark the day schools have
special events and demonstrate things
such as dancing and poetry
the 30th of November is designated as an
official flag day in Scotland this means
that every building with a flagpole must
fly the flag of Scotland on that day and
now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz the 30th of November is the
public holiday in Scotland but it was
only recently made so in what year did
the D evolve Scottish Parliament make it
a bank holiday it was made a public
holiday in 2006
so those north of the border get a
public holiday for their patron state
but those south of the border in England
and Wales do not how is this lesson did
you learn something interesting does
your country have official flag days
leave us a comment at English class
101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina Advent is a period
that leads into Christmas it is an
important time of preparation and
expectant waiting in this lesson you’re
going to learn about what Advent means
in the UK Advent is an anglicisation of
the Latin word Adventists what this
Adventists mean will show you the answer
at the end of this video
Advent is the beginning of the
liturgical year or church year and
begins on the fourth Sunday before
Christmas so it always falls between the
27th of November and the 3rd of December
the religious meaning behind the Advent
period is to anticipate and prepare for
the second coming of Christ by
anticipating and preparing for Christmas
the lighting of an Advent wreath is a
common way to countdown to Christmas the
wreath is made of evergreen branches and
has four candles arranged around it the
candles represent the four Sunday’s of
Advent and one candle is lit on each
Sunday in Advent often there is a fifth
candle in the center and this last
candle is lit on Christmas Day Advent is
also a countdown to Christmas for the
non-religious as advent calendars are a
very popular form of confectionery these
are a type of calendar that have a door
for every day of Advent behind each door
is an item usually chocolate and people
use them as a countdown to Christmas the
chocolates are often molded into the
shape of Christmas icons such as
mistletoe and bells
Advent is a time when Christmas
preparations really move up a gear
presents are wrapped trees are decorated
and every town and city becomes
Christmassy thanks decorations and
illuminations and now I’ll give you the
answer to the earlier quiz Advent is an
anglicisation of the Latin word
Adventists what does Adventist mean it
means coming or arrival Advent is
literally the arrival of Christmas in
the past many loanwords were anglicized
to make them easier for English speakers
to understand how is this lesson did you
learn something interesting do you have
any countdown periods in your country
for any special days leave us a comment
at English class 101.com and we’ll see
you in the next lesson wanna speak real
English from your first lesson sign up
for your free lifetime account at
English class 101.com hi everyone I’m
Gina Mothering Sunday is a day where we
pay respect to our mothers it is more
commonly known as Mother’s Day in other
countries in this lesson you’re going to
learn about the history of Mothering
Sunday signal cake is traditionally
Mothering Sunday cake but what is it
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video
mothering Sunday is not a fixed day in
the UK it’s always the 4th Sunday of
Lent so much like Glen the date changes
every year
mothering Sunday was originally a
Christian holiday and is separate from
the Mother’s Day celebrated in other
countries but in the UK the two have
come to have a virtually identical
meaning and the two titles have become
interchangeable it is referred to as
both Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day
the origins of Mothering Sunday refer to
the custom of people returning to their
mother church the largest church in
their area
and it was said that they’ve gone
mothering it also referred to servants
at stately homes and mansions being
allowed one day each year to visit their
families and this would fall on
Mothering Sunday the servants would
return home with presents for their
mothers nowadays Mothering Sunday is
merely a day to pay respects to and show
our love for our mothers children the
matter their age will send cards and
flowers to their mothers they may help
out more with the household chores or
even repair breakfast in bed so that
their mothers can have an easier and
more relaxing day
it was in the 1950s when Mothering
Sunday and Mother’s Day became
integrated retailers and merchants saw
the opportunity to make some money and
relentlessly promoted Mother’s Day now a
lot of British people don’t know there
is a difference and now I’ll give you
the answer to the earlier quiz similar
cake is a traditional Mothering Sunday
cake but what is it it is a fruit cake
that is decorated with a layer of
marzipan on top of this layer eleven
miles up and balls are placed to
represent Christ 12 apostles - Judas who
betrayed Christ now it is sometimes
eaten at Easter - how is this lesson did
you learn something interesting
do you have Mothering Sunday or
something similar to pay respects to
your mother in your country leave us a
comment at English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina
unlike Mothering Sunday Father’s Day in
the UK follows the similar conventions
to Father’s Day in the rest of the world
it’s a day to celebrate and honor our
fathers in this lesson you’re going to
learn about Father’s Day in the UK when
did Father’s Day reach prominence in the
UK we’ll show you the answer at the end
of this video
Father’s Day is a regular event and is
always held on the third Sunday in June
it isn’t a public holiday but is a
special day for the family nonetheless
the day originated in the US and 1910 as
a complement to the American take on
Mother’s Day for Father’s Day children
give gifts to their fathers schools
especially primary schools may give
their pupils time to make a card or
small present during class time other
popular gifts are traditionally
masculine items such as neckties or
gadgets and boys toys British retailers
stock Father’s Day cards and gifts in
anticipation of the day as well as gifts
children might treat their fathers to a
day out or event many places have
Father’s Day specials so he can be
treated to a meal at the stadium of his
favorite football club taken to lunch on
a steam train or given a more practical
gift such as flying lessons or a spin
around a racetrack in a racing car
Father’s Day is always the third Sunday
in June but the major UK retailer listed
it as a fourth Sunday in their 2014
calendars in error all defective
calendars were recalled and replaced at
great expense to the retailer and now
I’ll give you the answer to the earlier
quiz when did Father’s Day reach
prominence in the UK Father’s Day is a
relatively new event as it only came
across a pond in the very late 60s and
only really took hold in the 70s heavy
promotion made it soar during the 90s
how is this lesson as you learn
something interesting do you celebrate
Father’s Day in your country if so is it
also on the third Sunday in June leave
us a comment at English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina the grand national
is one of the highlights of the sporting
calendar in the UK is an annual
steeplechase and the most prestigious
horse race in the country in this lesson
you’re going to learn about why the
Grand National is so important the Grand
National is held every year but what was
special and unique about the race in
1993 we’ll show you the answer at the
end of this video the Grand National is
a horse race held annually at Aintree
racecourse in Liverpool it has been
running since 1839 the course is four
miles long and has 30 fences making it
one of the toughest horse races in the
world and far tougher the more
conventional courses some of the fencers
such as Beecher’s Brook are almost as
famous as a race itself the Grand
National is the one day when even those
that don’t gamble may place a bet it is
popular amongst the general public and
it is the busiest day of the year for
bookies the Grand National is the most
valuable horse race in Europe and in
2013 it had a prize fund of just under a
million pounds it is watched by an
estimated 600 million people across 140
countries the race is however not
without controversy due to the harsh
demands of the course and the fencers
the horse mortality rate for the Grand
National is far higher than for other
races every year there are many protests
about the alleged cruelty of the race
and the race organisers have responded
to the criticism by modifying fences and
moving the start line
some of the winners of the race have
become famous in their own right in the
1970s a horse called Red Rum won the
race three times and his death in 1990
made the front page of the newspapers
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz
the Grand National is held every year
but what was special and unique about
race in 1993 it was unique because it
was the only time that the race has been
declared null and void the starting tape
became tangled around the jockeys on two
separate occasions and a false start was
declared some jockeys that were able to
start the race thought the officials
trying to stop them were protesters and
so carried on the race was considered
void and bets refunded how was this
lesson did you learn something
interesting do you know of any other
prestigious horse races leave us a
comment at English past 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina Wimbledon is the
most famous tennis tournament in the
world it takes place every June in a
suburb of London that is also called
Wimbledon in this lesson you’re going to
learn about why Wimbledon is so famous
and prestigious how long was the longest
ever match held at Wimbledon and how
many matches were played we’ll show you
the answer at the end of this video the
championships Wimbledon to give it its
full title is the oldest tennis
tournament in the world
and one of the four Grand Slam
tournaments that make up the yearly
tennis calender of these four majors
Wimbledon is the only one still played
on a grass court as is traditional when
Milton is the unique feature of the
tennis calendar and is different to the
other Grand Slams all players must
adhere to a strict dress code and wear
only white there are no advertising
hoardings around the court so it’s more
traditional and less commercialized than
other tournaments Wimbledon is also
celebrated by the spectators in the
unique fashion it is during the english
summer time when in theory at least
there will be warm and sunny it means
that tennis fans can watch the tennis
and also eat the popular English summer
delicacy
strawberries and cream there is usually
a royal presence at Wimbledon - as a
member of the royal family will be
present at some games of the tournament
Wimbledon’s most famous court is Centre
Court and this is only used during the
two weeks of Wimbledon it was fitted
with a retractable roof in 2009 so that
rain and hot weather won’t affect play
and now I’ll give you the answer to the
earlier quiz how long was the longest
ever match held at Wimbledon and how
many matches were played it was a
marathon of a match that lasted for five
hours and 12 minutes and 112 games were
played win or lose the competitors must
have needed a long soak to ease their
muscles
that they’ve finished how is this lesson
did you learn something interesting what
famous sporting events are held in your
country leave us a comment at English
class 101.com and we’ll see you in the
next lesson
[Music]
hi everyone I’m Gina the Notting Hill
Carnival happens every year in August in
the Notting Hill area of London it is a
colorful celebration and the biggest
carnival in Europe in this lesson you’re
going to learn about what happens during
a carnival and the history behind it
food is a big feature of the festival do
you know what the most popular foods are
we’ll show you the answer at the end of
this video the carnival in its current
form was first held in 1966 and runs
over three days the August bank holiday
Monday and the two days preceding it
over 1 million people attend the
festival and the main event a colorful
parade winds through 20 miles of London
streets the carnival began as a
small-scale local festival arranged by
the West Indian community from those
humble beginnings it has evolved into a
full-blooded Caribbean carnival
highlights of the weekend include a kids
day with a costume contest and the
parade where floats and thousands of
people walk through the streets
one of the key features of the carnival
is music steel bands line the streets
and play and their music can be heard
for miles
there are also displays of other types
of music such as Calypso and soccer and
in recent years professional and
international artists have begun to play
the carnival in increasing numbers
when the carnival first started it was
without approval from the authorities
it wasn’t until 1987 that the police
began to take a conciliatory approach
with the carnival instead of simply
trying to shut it down and now I’ll give
you the answer to the earlier quiz food
is a big feature of the festival do you
know what the most popular foods are
stalls at the festival so many types of
Caribbean food the most popular and
famous dishes are jerk chicken curried
goat and rice and peas how was this
lesson did you learn something
interesting
are there any festivals celebrating a
foreign culture in your country leave us
a comment at English class 101.com
and we’ll see you in the next lesson
you
you