3 сочинения на новогоднюю тему (english)

Holidays CHRIJesus Christ.But although Christmas is undoubtedly a Christian celebration, it is also trueto say that it is an unusual combination of pagan and Christian festivities. A Christmas tree stands in everybody s living room atChristmas, shining its good cheer around the room.

Sitting on the very top ofthe tree is a silver star surrounded by tiny lights. All the branches are hungwith silver bells, tinsel and sparkling lights. Around the base of the tree liethe gifts and toys wrapped up in bright colourful paper. The Christmas tree has spread its influence around theworld. In fact America adopted it before it found its way to

England early inQueen Victoria s reign. Now every Christmas British people are sent a huge firtree from Norway which stands in Trafalgar Square, in the centre of London,shining down on all the people who gather on Christmas Eve. In pre-Christian times evergreens, trees that remaingreen throughout the year. were worshiped in Northern Europe as symbols ofeternal life. Mistletoe, hung up as a

Christmas decoration is a symbol of loveand reconciliation. Holly, a well-known Christmas decoration today, hasChristian associations. In Norwegian, Swedish and Danish, holly is known as Christ s thorns , the legend being that Christ wore a crown of hollythorns before his death. Some people have seen associations between the word holly and holy .

Giving presents goes back to Roman Saturnalia when goodluck gifts of fruit, pastry or gold were given to friends on New Year s Day. InBritain the traditional day to give presents until relatively recently wasDecember 26th and not as it is today, Christmas Day. December 26th is now knownas Boxing Day, for it was then that the priests of the Middle Ages opened almsboxes to give to the poor. Not all

Christian customs and traditions are of ancientorigin. Although various people have claimed to have designed the firstChristmas card. William Egley, an English artist, seems to have the best claim.In 1842 he designed his own card and sent it to one hundred of his friends.Today three billion are sent annually in the United

States alone. HAPPY NEW YEAR Atmidnight on 31st December bells will ring out around the world to welcome theNew Year. Although certain countries and religions calculate time by othercalendars most countries in the world now number their years according to theGregorian calendar introduced in the 16th century by Pope Gregory XIII. Thiscalendar was intended to overcome the confusion caused by calculating timeaccording to the moon s phases. Bell ringing is one way of celebrating the arrival of anew year which is common

to all countries welcoming it at this time but it isthe differences in their celebrations and customs which are intriguing. In Europe traditions vary considerably, but most ofthem involve a meal or special food. Swiss housewives bake special bread, richin butter, eggs and raisins. They also cook roast goose. Children go from houseto house greeting the occupants and receiving invitations to come inside.People in Italy hold all-night parties, where salt pork lentils are included onthe menu.

Lentils are supposed to be lucky and bring money - perhaps becausethey look like small piles of gold coins. There is a practical reason for mealsfeaturing in these new year festivities. Most people stay up all night, or atleast until midnight to see the New Year in , so sustenance isessential. Also there is common superstition that if the new year begins wellit will continue like that. So great efforts are made to provide an atmosphere ofgoodwill and plenty.

Parties are arranged a drink flow freely. In Spain it is acustom to eat , grapes at midnight and toast the new year in champagne. atfamily gatherings. Groups of friends visit restaurants in Turkey intending tospend the night in celebrations which include present giving. So a people inGreece play cards, hoping that a win will bring them luck for a whole year. NEW YEAR S DAY IN ENGLAND The celebration of New Year s day varies according tothe district.

In the south of England, the festival of Christmas, lasting 12days from December 25th, runs on well into the New Year. The decorations ofcoloured streamers and holly, put up round the walls, and of course thefir-tree, with its candles or lights, are not packed away until January 5th.On the evening of December 31st, people gather in one another s homes, inclubs, in pubs, in restaurants, and hotels, in dance halls and institutes, to see the

New Year in . There is usually a supper of some kind, and acabaret, or light entertainment. The bells chime at midnight. The people joincrossed hands, and sing Auld lang syne , a song of remembrance. On New Year s day all English schoolchildren make NewYear resolutions. They make up lists of shortcomings which they intend tocorrect. The chil dren. their mothers and fathers, and their friends laugh andhave a good time when

they read them The children promise to keep them. In the north, and in Scotland, particularly, the Yearknown as Hogmanay, is very well kept up. The ceremonies are similar, but theyhave an added called first foot . This means opening your door toanyone who knocks it after midnight, and who will then enter the house,carrying a piece of coal or wood, or bread. The visitor is entertained withcakes and ale.

At the Jolly parties on New Year s eve and also onBurn s night, when they commemorate their national poet Jan. 25th , theScottish people enjoy eating their famous Haggis. This is a pudding, made fromthe heart, liver and lungs of sheep or calf, minced suet, onions, oatmeal andseasoning, and cooked in the animal s stomach. It is brought into thebanqueting-hall or dining room to the accompaniment of the bagpipes.

Considerable quantities of good Scotch whiskey are consumed during thesecelebrations. QUESTIONS1. What holidays do you and your family celebrate? 2. What holiday is your favourite one? 3. Do you celebrate Christmas, New Year, Easter? 4. Do you know anything of the old traditions to celebratethese holidays? 5. When do people celebrate Christmas? 6. When do

Russian people celebrate Christmas? 7. What do you know about the New Year s Day in England? 8. How is the Christmas tree decorated? Is it a holysymbol 9. What country sends a huge Christmas tree to England tostand in Trafalgar Square in the centre of London? 10. Whatis the greatest Christian festival of the year?

11. Whatdo people joyously observe either in March or April? 12. Whatdo you know about other holidays the Victory Day, Women s Day, etc. What isyour personal attitude to them? 13. Arethere any veterans of the Great Patriotic war among your relatives? 14. Whyis the Victory Day so significant in 1995? 15.

Whatpresents do you give your mother, grandmother your sister on the 8th of March? 16. Doyou like to receive presents? 17. Whatdo you like more to give presents or to receive them? 18. Doyou celebrate your birthday? Do you like to do it? 19. Doyou invite your friends for your birthday party? 20. What other holidays are celebrated in Britainand the

USA?