Now we are going to talk about very popular winter holidays in Great Britain. They are Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Christmas starts on the 25th of December. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Some Christians go to church on the 24th or on the 25th of December. It is a public holiday. British people have a day off work. And children don’t go to school. There is a family dinner in every house. Usually it is a roast turkey, vegetables and pudding. People congratulate each other on that day. They send each other Christmas cards, give presents, decorate a house and a Christmas Tree. Small children believe that Santa Claus comes at night and leaves presents for them in special Christmas stockings. On the Eve of Christmas they put a stocking for Santa in the footing of their bed or near the fireplace. Some of the children think that he comes to the house through the chimney.

New Year’s Day is on the first of January. In is a start of the next year. People begin celebrating it on the night before, on the 31st of December. People in Scotland celebrate New Year for two days. The holiday is called Hogmanay. There is a custom of ‘first footing’. People think that a dark-haired man should be the first to set foot in the house after midnight. He should bring something: bread, salt, coal or money. And a family will be lucky in the coming year. Some people stay at home to see the New Year in, but others gather in the streets and squares. The most popular places to celebrate are Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square in London. People sing and dance, congratulate each other, shoot off fireworks. The biggest firework starts after Big Ben strikes twelve times. Usually it is in the area of London Eye.

And now, let’s remember some facts about Christmas and New Year in Great Britain.

А теперь, давайте запомним некоторые факты о праздновании Рождества и Нового Года в Великобритании.

1. Christmas starts on the 25th of December. – Рождествоначинается 25 декабря.

2. It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. – Это – празднованиеднярожденияИисусаХриста.

3. Some Christians go to church on the 24th or on the 25th of December. – Некоторыехристианеидутвцерковь 24-гоили 25-годекабря.

4. Itisapublicholiday. – Это государственный праздник.

5. There is a family dinner in every house. Usually it is a roast turkey, vegetables and pudding. – Вкаждомдоме – семейныйобед. Обычноэтозапеченнаяиндейка, овощиипудинг

6. People congratulate each other on that day. They send each other Christmas cards, give presents, decorate a house and a Christmas Tree. – Людипоздравляютдругдругавэтотдень. Они посылают друг другу рождественские открытки, дарят подарки, украшают дом и рождественское дерево.

7. SmallchildrenbelievethatSantaClauscomesatnightandleavespresentsfortheminspecialChristmasstockings. – Маленькие дети верят, что Санта Клаус приходит ночью и оставляет для них подарки в специальных рождественских чулках.

8. He comes to the house through the chimney. – Онприходитвдомчерездымоход.

9. New Year’s Day is on the first of January. – НовыйГодпервогоянваря.

10. In is a start of the next year. – Этоначалоновогогода.

11. People in Scotland celebrate New Year for two days. TheholidayiscalledHogmanay. – Люди в Шотландии празднуют Новый Год два дня. Он называется Хогменей.

12. There is a custom of ‘first footing’. – Существует обычай «первого новогоднего гостя.»

13. People think that a dark-haired man should be the first to set foot in the house after midnight. – Людидумают, чтопослеполуночипервымвойтивдомдолжентемноволосыймужчина.

14. He should bring something: bread, salt, coal or money. – Он должен что-то принести: хлеб, соль, уголь или деньги.

15. And a family will be lucky in the coming year. – Исемьябудетсчастливавследующемгоду.

16. Some people stay at home to see the New Year in, but others gather in the streets and squares. – Некоторые люди остаются дома встретить новый год, но другие собираются на улицах и площадях.

17. The most popular places to celebrate are Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square in London. - Наиболее популярные места – площадь Пикадилли и Трафальгарская площадь в Лондоне.

18. People sing and dance, congratulate each other, shoot off fireworks. – Людипоютитанцуют, поздравляютдругдруга, запускаютфейерверки.

19. The biggest firework starts after Big Ben strikes twelve times. – Самыйбольшойфейерверкначинается, когдаБигБенпробьет 12 раз.

20. Usually it is in the area of London Eye. – ОбычноонврайонеЛондонскогоГлаза.