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I'd like to tell you a few words about holidays in Great Britain and in Russia.There are fewer public holidays in Britain than in other European countries.They are:Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday,Easter Monday,May Day,Spring Bank Holiday and Summer Bank Holiday.Public holidays in Britain are called bank holidays because the bank as well as most of the offices and shops are closed. The most popular holiday in the British Isles is Christmas.Every year the people of Norway give the city of London a present.It's a big Christms tree and it stands in Trafalgar square.Before Christmas,groups of singers go from house to house.They collect money for charity and sing carols,traditional Christmas songs.The fun starts the night before, on the 24th of December.Traditionally this is the day when people decorate their trees.Children hang stockings at the end of their beds,hoping that Father Christmas will come down the chimney during the night and fill them with toys and sweets.Christmas is a family holiday.Relatives usually meet for the big Christmas Dinner of turkey and Christmas pudding.And everyone gives and receives presents. The 26th of December,Boxing Day,is an extra holiday after Christmas Day. New Year's Day is less popular in Britain in contrast to Russia, where New Year's Day is the first holiday of the year.People see the new year in at midnight on the 31st of December.They greet the New Year with champagne and listen to the Kremlin chimes beating 12 o'clock.There are lots of New Year traditions in Russia.In every home there is a New Year tree glittering with coloured lights and decorations.Children always wait for Father Frost to come and give them a present.Many people consider New Year's Day to be a family holiday.But the young prefer to have New Year parties of their own. Besides New Year's Day there are some other major holidays in Russia:Women's Day,May Day,Victory Day and Independence Day.On the 8th of March we celebrate Women's Day when men are supposed to do everything about the house and cook all the meals.The greatest national holiday in our country is Victory Day.On the 9th of May 1945,the Soviet Army and its allies completely defeated the German fascists and the Second World War ended.Independence Day is a new holiday in our country.On the 12th of June,1992,the first President of Russia was elected. We also celebrate Day of the Defender of Motherland on the 23d of February,Easter,Day of Knowledge and lots of professional holidays which are not public holidays and banks,offices and schools do not close. That's all what I can tell you about holidays in these countries.
