WesternFestivals&Holidays【Festivals?【Festivals?HolidaysTherearebigdifferencesbetweenfestivalsandholidaysthatyoumustknow.Festivalsareinternational,celebratedinallwesterncountries;whileholidaysarenationalcelebratedinindividualcountries.Festivalsarebasedonmajorreligiousevents,whileholidaysaredecidedbythegovernmentinanindividualcountry.Canyoutellmewhetherthefollowingsarefestivalsorholidays?ChristmasThanksgivingAprilFoolValentine'sDay[WesternfestivalsInthewest,thereareonlythreemajorfestivals.Halloween、Christmas、EasterHalloweenistheoldest.TheothertwoarebothChristianfestivals.TheycelebratethebirthanddeathofJesusChrist.第第頁(yè)vacation,beginningshortlybeforeChristmasandendingsoonafterNewYearDay.Manyfamiliesgoawayfortheholidaystovisitrelativesinanotherstate,skiinthemountains,orsunbatheonthebeachesintheSouth.SantaClausChristmasisanimportantfestivalintheUS,theUKandmanyotherpartsoftheworld.OnChristmasEve-thenightbeforeChristmasDay -childrenalloverBritainputastockingattheendoftheirbedsbeforetheygotosleep.TheirparentsusuallytellthemthatSantaClauswillcomeduringthenight.SantaClausisverykind-hearted.Helandsontopofeachhouseandclimbsdownthechimneyintothefireplace.HefillseachofthestockingswithChristmaspresents.Ofcourse,SantaClausisn ’treal.Intheirhouses, “SantaClaus”isrtheirfathers.Theirfathersdon ’tclimbdownthecThhimeynewya.ituntilthechildrenareasleep.Thentheygointotheirbedrooms,andfilltheirstockingswithsmallpresents.ChristmasTreeDecorationsAstaroranangelisoftenplacedatthetopofthetreereferringthestarofBethlehem（圣誕星）.Earlydecorationswerefruits,nutsandpaperflowersthatchildrenwereallowedtotakeasgiftsonChristmasDay.Waxcandles（蠟燭）appearedontreesinthe18thcentury.Electrictreelightswerefirstusedin1882.ThreetypicalBritishtraditionsonChristmasare:theChristmasPantomime（童話?。﹖heQueen’sspeechovertheTVandradiotheBoxingDay（節(jié)禮日）（ItisatypicalBritishtraditioncelebratedonthedayafterChristmas.PeopleusedtogiveChristmasgiftsormoneytotheirstafforservants（員工或仆人 ）onthisday.Andnowtheymostlydoshopping,payvisits,enjoyeatingorjustrelax.）GREETINGSMerryChristmasandBestWishesforaHappyNewYear!Mayhappinessfollowwhereveryougo.MaythejoyandpeaceofChristmasbewithyoutodayandalways.Maythelightoftheholidayseasonshinebrightlyinyourheart.WishingyouandthosearoundyouaverymerryChristmasandawonderfulNewYear.EasterThisfestivalisinthespring,whichcommemorates（紀(jì)念）thedeathofJesusChristandhisreturntolife.ItisthemostimportantChristianfestivalformanychurch-goers.It’sgenerallyonaSundaybetweenMarch22andApril25.TheFridaybeforeEasteriscalled "GoodFriday）.And（hiee受難日dayslatercomes “EasterSunday”.Symbol（標(biāo)志）ofEasterTheEasteregg,originallyaChristiansymbol（標(biāo)志）ofnewlife,isthemainsymbolofEasterformostpeople.Bunnies（兔子）andchicksarealsoanimalstraditionallyassociatedwithEaster.BesidesthereligiousaspectsofEaster,peoplealsocelebratespringorthesignsofnewlife.ChildrenreceiveEasterbasketsfilledwithcandy,Eastereggs,chocolatebunnies&jellybeans（軟糖）.Thedyeing（染色）ofeggswithfoodcolorisalsoanEastertraditioninmanyAmericanfamilies.WesternholidaysNewYear’sDayNewYear’sDayistheworldseolledbersatticon.TheAmericanshavefourimportanttraditions.Theyare:1.Bigparty1.BigpartyDrinkingalcohol（酒） 4.Makingresolutions（制定新年計(jì)劃）BigpartyThemostpopularwaytowelcomethenewyearintheUnitedStatesiswithabigparty.Thebiggest,noisiestNewYear ’spartyintheUnitedStatestakesplaceatTimesSquareinNewYorkCity.AuldLangSyneTheTime’sSquarecelebrationincludesanotherwell-knownAmericantradition.Since1929,thebandofmusicianGuyLombardohasgivenaconcertonNewYear’sEvenight,singingthesong,AuldLangSyne.ThanksgivingDayItiscelebratedintheUSonthe4thThursdayinNovember.FormanyAmericans,it’sthemostimportantholidayapartfromChristmas.Schools,offices&mostbusinessescloseforThanksgiving.Manypeoplemakethewholeweekendavacation.TheoriginIt’sassociatedwiththetimewhenEuropeansfirstcametoNorthAmerica（thenewworld）.In1620,theshiptheMayflowerarrivedhere,bringingabout100peoplewhotodayareusuallycalledPilgrims（最初的移民 ）.ThePilgrimslivedinwhatisnowthestateofMassachusetts.TheirfirstwinterintheNewWorldwasdifficult.Theyhadarrivedtoolatetogrowmanycrops,andwithoutfreshfood,halfofthemdiedfromdisease.ThenativeIndians（印第安人）taughtthemhowtogrowcorn （玉米）andhowtohuntandfish.Intheautumnof1621,theyhadabigharvest（ 豐收）.TheyplannedafestandinvitedthelocalIndianchief（酋長(zhǎng)）and90Indians.TheIndiansbroughtdeertoroastwiththeturkeys.TothisfirstThanksgiving,theIndianshadevenbroughtpopcorn（爆米花）.TodaypeoplecelebrateThanksgivingtoremembertheseearlydays.Thanksgivingisatimefortraditionandsharing.Eveniftheylivefaraway,familymembersgatherforareunionatthehouseofanolderrelative.Allgivethankstogetherforthegoodthingsthattheyhave.ThanksgivingisconsideredthebeginningoftheChristmasperiod.ThenextdaymanypeoplegoouttoshopforChristmaspresents.TurkeyPardoningOneachThanksgivingDay,averystrangethinghappensattheWhiteHouse.There,theUSPresidentwillpardon（ 赦免）aturkey!ThePresidentwillpatoneofthetwoturkeyspreparedonthehead.Thenitispardoned!P eoplewon ’teatitandit ’llflytoDisneyWorldandlivehappily!In2009,PresidentObamapardonedaturkeynamedCourage.Discussion:WhenitisThanksgivingDay,whodoyouwanttothank?Andwhy?Valentine’sDayItisonFeb.14thOnthisday,peopleinloveexpresstheiraffection（ 感情）toeachother.Mother’sDayItison2ndSundayinMay.It