Birthdays
A birthday celebrates the date a person was born. On birthdays,
family and friends celebrate by giving cards and gifts.
Sometimes, a party is held to celebrate. A party for children may
include games such as 'musical chairs' and 'pass the parcel'.
The birthday cake is decorated with candles and everyone sings
'Happy Birthday'. The birthday person blows out the candles and
makes a birthday wish.
Party food is eaten, which may include:
sausage rolls
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fairy bread
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cakes | |
fruit |
Weddings
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A wedding is celebrated when two people are married. Family and
friends are present when the bride (woman) and groom (man) make
a promise to each other. Sometimes they may give each other a
wedding ring to show that they are will now spend their lives
together.
Weddings can take place almost anywhere the couple feels is special
to them. Some couples may marry in a church, others may marry in
a park, on the beach or in a government office called a Registry
Office.
A special meal is enjoyed by all the guests - this is called the 'wedding
breakfast'.
Speeches are made and everyone takes home a piece of the wedding
cake.
The bride may wear " something old, something new, something
borrowed and something blue".
After the couple are married, rice or confetti ( coloured bits of paper)
are thrown over the couple for good luck!
In European countries, the bride may wear a white dress, but in some
Asian countries, she may wear a red dress as this is thought to be
lucky.
At Greek weddings, everyone dances the 'kalamantiano'. Plates are
smashed for good luck!
The couple may have a holiday after the wedding and this is called a
"honeymoon". This word may have come from the honeyed wine that
was drunk for the first month after marriage.
Mother's Day
Celebrated on the second Sunday in May, Mother's Day began in
Britain in the 1600's and was called
"Mothering Sunday". It began as a day that allowed servants
the day off to visit their mothers. By the 1800's it was
forgotten, but began again after 1945.
Both Mother's and Father's Day are times when children may
thank their parents by making a card or doing something
special for them. The may make breakfast, do some
housework, clean the car or give them a gift.
Father's Day
An idea came to Sonora Dodd in Washington, USA in 1909 as she was
listening to a talk on Mother's Day. She wanted to do something
special for her father who raised six children on his own. So in 1910
on June 19 ( her father's birthday month), she held the first Father's
Day celebration.
Although this date ( the third Sunday in June) is celebrated in many
countries, it is held on the first Sunday in September in Australia, and
in March in Italy and Spain.
Bibliograhy
"Mother's Day" Wikipedia:the free encyclopedia http://www.en.wikipedia.ord/ 1/10/06
Hilvert-Bruce, Zita Family Celebrations Macmillan Library, Sth Yarra, 2006