El Salvador
In
The United Kingdom and Ireland

"Lewes Bonfire Night" in Lewes, Sussex, UK. Part of the Bonfire Night celebrations on the 5th November, the members of the Commercial Square Bonfire Society mostly wear smugglers colours in yellow and black

Bank Holidays are subject to change every year according to the day on which they "fall" on the calendar. "National Days" are not celebrated in the same extent as National Days are in a number of other countries. Only St Patrick's Day in Northern Ireland (and Ireland) and St Andrew's Day in Scotland are taken as an official holiday. All the other national days are normal working days. Workers in the United Kingdom are not automatically entitled to time off on a public holiday. Time off can be provided for in an employment agreement or by expending annual leave.

A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and also in Ireland.

There is no right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population not employed in essential services (e.g. utilities, fire, ambulance, police, health-care workers) receive them as holidays; those employed in essential services usually receive extra pay for working on these days. Bank holidays are so called because they are days upon which banks are shut and therefore (traditionally) no other businesses could operate. When an "bank holiday" falls on a weekend, the date of the bank holiday is postponed and declared for a following weekday. This new date is termed a 'bank holiday in lieu' of the actual anniversary day. In this way, public holidays are not 'lost' on years when they coincide with weekends (which will already be a day off for many people).

Legislation allows certain payments to be deferred to the next working day. To learn more about Bank Holidays please visit the following website : BERR

It is a time for looking forward and wishing for a good year ahead. In England and Scotland an extra round of football fixtures is played (unless New Year's Day falls on a Friday or Sunday).

Celebrated in honour of St David (Dewi Sant), the patron saint of Wales. He was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales.

The most famous story about Saint David tells how he was preaching to a huge crowd and the ground is said to have risen up, so that he was standing on a hill and everyone had a better chance of hearing him. St David's Day is commemorated by the wearing of daffodils or leeks. Both plants are traditionally regarded as national emblems.

Also on this day, some children in Wales dress in their national costume, which consists of a tall black hat, white frilled cap and long dress. The national flag of Wales, depicting a fiery red dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) against a green and white background, is also flown.

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Born in Britain, he was carried off by pirates and spent six years in slavery before escaping and training as a missionary. The most famous story about St. Patrick, is him driving the snakes from Ireland.

The St. Patrick's Day festivities take place from March 15 until March 18 (4 day period) and it is Ireland's biggest annual festival.The day is marked by the wearing of shamrocks (a clover-like plant), the national emblem of both Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Good Friday

On this day, Christians remember the day when Jesus was crucified on a cross. Many Churches hold services lasting three hours. They may celebrate the Stations of the Cross, or take part in Passion plays and dramatic readings. Some Christians take part in a procession of witness, carrying a cross through the streets and then into church. Churches are not decorated on Good Friday. In some churches, pictures and statues are covered over. It is seen as a time of mourning.

It is traditional to eat warm ¨Hot Cross Buns' on Good Friday. Hot Cross Buns with their combination of spicy, sweet and fruity flavours have long been an Easter tradition.

Easter Monday

It is traditionally celebrated on the Monday following "Easter Sunday".

Some of the secular customs celebrated on this day are:

Egg rolling

Egg rolling is very popular in England and is an Easter Monday sport. Hard-boiled eggs are rolled down a hill. Customs differ from place to place. The winner's egg may be the one that rolls the farthest, survives the most rolls, or is rolled between two pegs.

At Biddenden in Kent, the Biddenden Dole, in the form of bread, cheese, tea (formerly beer) and cake is distributed. The cake bears an image of two women said to be the founders of this charity, a pair of Siamese twins who were born in 1100 and died within a few hours of each other at the age of 34.

Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking

At Hallaton in Leicestershire, the Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking begins with the blessing of a pie (usually made with beef rather than hare), which is subsequently broken up and thrown to the assembled crowd. This is followed by an unruly football game between the village of Hallaton and Medbourne. Small wooden barrels filled with ail are used as rugby balls in the no-holds barrel contest, the object of which is to get each of the three casks to a touchline in either village.

It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November 1605 in which a number of Roman Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, England.

In the UK, there are several foods that are traditionally consumed on Guy Fawkes Night such as black treacle goods, bonfire toffee and parkin, toffee apples, baked potatoes, which are wrapped in foil and cooked in the bonfire or its embers, and black peas with vinegar.

In Sussex it is a major festival that centres on Lewes necessitating the closure of the town centre. The night also commemorates the Glorious Revolution and 17 local Protestant martyrs that were burnt at the stake during Marian Persecutions of the Catholic Queen Mary I. The night begins with torchlight processions in costume by a number of local bonfire societies and culminates in six separate bonfires where effigies of Guy Fawkes, Pope Paul V and topical personalities are destroyed by firework and flame.

Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November, which is usually the Sunday nearest to 11 November. It is a special day set aside to remember all those men and women who were killed during the two World Wars and other conflicts. Special services are held at war memorials and churches all over Britain.

It is a voluntary public holiday in Scotland and it is a celebration with a feast t St. Andrews.

In Edinburgh, it is celebrated with a 'Jig in the Gardens'. A weekend of events from 30 November - 2 December in West Princes St Gardens, kicking off with a night of musical entertainment and ceilidh-dancing.

And in Glasgow it is celebrated with a 'Shindig in the Square' at George Square with a ceilidh and traditional live musicians.

It is celebrated with family and a traditional dinner. People decorate Christmas trees, exchange presents and "Stockings" are filled.

There are several Culinary Christmas Traditions, such as:

In Wales: A leek and onion sauce is made in order to accompany the turkey. Leeks, onion, cloves, breadcrumbs, milk, nutmeg and bay leaves blended to create a thick and creamy alternative to ordinary bread sauce.

In Scotland: Rich tatties and neeps - a traditional dish made with mashed potatoes, Swede, carrots, onion and butter, garnished with chives and black pepper.

In Ireland: Turkey with whiskey glaze - whiskey and honey together with a splash of orange will give an impressive and great tasting twist to the traditional bird.

In England: Red cabbage with apple - combining English Bramley apples, red cabbage, cinnamon and brown sugar with a splash of Port or Madeira.

It is also a custom to eat "Christmas Pudding" (traditionally stirred from east to west in honour of the 3 wise men and each family member gives the pudding a stir and makes a secret wish) and "Mince Pies" (Mince pies were originally made from mince meat and were shaped like a crib and decorated into a tiny baby Jesus. Nowadays, mince pies are similar in shape but contain a sweet fruit filling.)

Boxing Day is the day when families get together. It is a day of watching sports and playing board games with the family. Many families will go on walks in the countryside together on this day. Also, it is traditionally a day for fox hunting. Horse riders dressed in red and white riding gear, accompanied by a number of dogs called foxhounds, chase the fox through the countryside in the hope of tiring it out.

People gather to celebrate last day of the year, and the beginning of a new one. In Scotland, people celebrate with a lively festival called ¨Hogmanay. All over Britain there are parties, fireworks, singing and dancing, to ring out the old year and ring in the new. As the clock - Big Ben - strikes midnight, people link arms and sing a song called ¨Auld Lang Syne. It reminds them of old and new friends.

Early May Bank Holiday

Spring Bank Holiday

Summer Bank Holiday