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Why do we celebrate?Every country has special days called festivals or holidays. These days often remember important events or people. Traditions are the things people do every year on these days. For example, in the USA, people watch fireworks on Independence Day. In the UK, children say 'Trick or treat' on Halloween. Learning about these traditions helps us understand different cultures.
📖 Définition
Festival: a day or period of celebration, often for religious or cultural reasons.
📖 Définition
Tradition: a custom or belief passed down from generation to generation.
💡 À retenir : A festival is a special day of celebration, and traditions are the customs we follow.
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Autumn celebrationsHalloween is on October 31st. Children wear costumes and go trick-or-treating. They knock on doors and say 'Trick or treat!' to get sweets. People also carve pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns. Thanksgiving is an American holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Families share a big meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. They give thanks for the good things in their lives.
🔍 Exemple
Trick-or-treat: children visit houses, say 'Trick or treat!', and receive candies.
⭐ À retenir
Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday in November in the USA.
💡 À retenir : On Halloween, you say 'Trick or treat!', and on Thanksgiving, you eat turkey.
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Winter holidaysChristmas is on December 25th. Families decorate a Christmas tree and exchange presents. In the UK, children hang stockings for Father Christmas. In the USA, they wait for Santa Claus. On December 31st, people celebrate New Year's Eve. At midnight, they sing 'Auld Lang Syne' and watch fireworks. In Scotland, this night is called Hogmanay.
⭐ À retenir
'Merry Christmas!' and 'Happy New Year!' are the most common greetings.
💡 À retenir : Father Christmas in the UK and Santa Claus in the USA are the same person!
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Spring and summer celebrationsSt. Patrick's Day is on March 17th. People wear green and shamrocks, the symbol of Ireland. There are big parades in Dublin and New York. Guy Fawkes Night is on November 5th in the UK. People light bonfires and watch fireworks to remember the Gunpowder Plot. Independence Day is on July 4th in the USA. Americans have barbecues, watch fireworks, and celebrate freedom with red, white, and blue.
📖 Définition
A shamrock is a three-leaf clover, a symbol of Ireland.
💡 À retenir : On St. Patrick's Day, everything is green; on the 4th of July, everything is red, white, and blue.