English traditions and customs

Famous English traditions and customs are:
-St Valentine’s Day
February 14 is known as St Valentine’s Day. It is mainly observed by young people who on that day give symbolic gifts to people they love. They also send special greetings cards called Valentines. The contents of Valentines are usually poems or declarations of love, such as: "Roses are red, violets are blue, grass is green and I love you". It is also commonplace to give the beloved flowers or candy on that day. In Poland this day is also very famous and people make this same things.
- Halloween
It is the next well known day. Among the old Celts it was the last day of the year and the beginning of winter when witches and ghosts were supposed to celebrate their rites. A favourite custom is to make a jack-o-lantern from a pumpkin that is scraped out and in which eyes, a nose and a mounth are cut and then a candle is light inside. Children celebrate it by dressing up in Halloween customs with masks over their faces. Carrying bascets or bags they go to their friends’ and neighbors' houses and they knock at the door or ring the bell. When people come to the door, children say „Trick or treat" which means "Give us a treat or we will play a trick on you." Then people treat the children with sweets, fruit or money.
In Poland it is also very important holiday, but hardly anyone make so lot things.
- Christmas
Christmas is the most popular family holiday in England. On 24 December usually all preparations for Christmas are complete. Christmas greeting cards are exchanged, a Christmas tree is decorated and presents are purchased. In many work places the annual parties are held and shops and banks close earlier. Late in the evening some people go to church to attend the so called "midnight mass". Children do not forget about hanging up old socks at the heads of their beds as they believe that Santa Claus who arrives in a sledge drawn by reindeer visits each child's house and leaves wonderful presents.
Christmas Eve is followed by Christmas Day (25 December) which is the most important day of Christmas. Early in the morning children wake up and open their presents. At midday the whole family gathers at the Christmas table. Christmas dinner traditionally consists of roast turkey, mince pies and rich Christmas pudding decorated with holly and containing delicacies, dried fruit and spices. Everyone eats one's fill and children have much fun pulling "crackers" (cardboard tubes containing small presents, printed jokes and a paper hat and jokes are read. On this day the Queen deliviers an annual oration on television.
26 December, following Christmas Day, is called Boxing Day. It is celebrated as a bank holiday. On this day people give presents of money to paperboys or dustmen. They visit their friends or arrange parties. This is the last non-working day and the last day of the Christmas celebration. However, the Christmas season continues until the twelfth day after Christmas Day (6 January).
In Poland Christmas is also the most popular family holiday. But children in Poland open their presents on 24 December and presents are under Christmas tree. And in Poland are a lot of differences in eating.