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List of British Holidays and

Celebrations
By Holiday Girl

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There are many kinds of celebrations in Britain - from royal to religious and from traditional to
more modern. This great country has been around for almost 1,000 years and has had
influences before that, all helping to make rich and vibrant celebrations that many enjoy every
year.

New Year's Day - January 1


Celebrates the new year by having a first footer step over the threshold.

Twelfth Night - January 5


Celebrated the night before Epiphany, it is tradition to take down your Christmas tree to avoid
having bad luck.

Candlemas Day - February 2


This day marks the middle of the winter season - from the shortest day of the year to the
Spring Equinox. This day also celebrates the cleansing of Mary.

Valentine's Day - February 14


This day is celebrated with the giving of gifts, as well as writing verses of love in newspapers
and magazines for your special someone.

St. David's Day (Wales) - March 1


St. David's day is to celebrate the man, Dewi Sant, who spread Christianity throughout Wales.

St. Patrick's Day - March 17


Though this is an Irish holiday, the English will also celebrate with parades and parties.

Pancake Day

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) - Day Before Lent - March/April


Many celebrate this day by eating pancakes, as the contain many ingredients that are
inappropriate for lent.

Lent - March/April
The first day of lent is 40 days before Easter. Many people give up something they enjoy
during lent.

Mothering Sunday - 4th Sunday of Lent - March/April


Mothering Sunday is a day where children generally honor their mothers by giving them a gift
and a card.

Maundy Thursday - Thursday Before Easter - March/April


Remembered as the day Jesus had his last supper.

Easter - March/April
Many people go to church on this sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. This day is
also celebrated by the giving of eggs.

April Fool's Day - April 1


Much like other countries with this holiday, it is a day where people play practical jokes on each
other.

St. George's Day (England's National Day) - April 23


Celebrating with parades, some people celebrate St. George who is said to have defeated a
dragon.

May Day - May 1


This day is celebrated beautifully with may poles and flowers.

Trooping the Colour

Trooping the Colours - Sometime in June


Trooping the Colours is celebrated every year with the British Army and the regiments of the
Commonwealth performing a ceremony.

Wimbledon Tennis Tournament - Sometime in June


People attend the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.

Swan Upping - Third Week of July


Many celebrate this day by going to the River Thames and watching a procession of swans
and traditional boats.

Notting Hill Carnival - Last Monday in August


On this day, there is a street festival that millions go to see and participate in every year.

Harvest Festival - On or Near the Sunday of the Harvest Moon


A day to celebrate the growth of crops on the land.

Halloween - October 31
A day where people dress up, bob for apples and have bonfires.

Burning Guy Fawkes

Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Day) - November 5


This day is in celebration of the failed gunpowder attempt to blow up the house of Parliament in
1605. It is celebrated with fireworks at night.

Remembrance Day - November 11


This day recognizes the end of WWI. Many people wear a poppy in their pocket in
remembrance.

St. Andrew's Day - November 30


This is the celebrated national day of Scotland.

Advent - December 1-24


On the first 24 days of December, Advent celebrates the coming of Jesus.

Christmas - December 25
This day is celebrated by friends and family by giving gifts and going to a special Sunday
service at church.

Boxing Day - December 26

Traditionally, this is the day that servants were able to celebrate Christmas, as they were
serving their masters the day before.

British Special Days January


2013
Holidays in the UK

Facts and Sayings about January | Interactive


Calendars
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Hogmanay
New year celebrations in Scotland.

1 Jan

New Years Day info


New Years Day
Bank Holiday / Public Holiday
Extra day when New Years Days falls at a
weekend.

1 Jan

The New Year's Day Parade London

1 Jan

More than 10,000 dancers,


acrobats, cheerleaders,
musicians and performers
assemble in the heart of
the city for a "celebration
of nations." Starting as Big
Ben strikes 12 Noon, the Parade takes the
following route:
Parliament Square, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square,
Pall Mall, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus and
then up to the junction of Berkeley Street on
Piccadilly.
Bank Holiday (Scotland Only)

2 Jan

Handsel Monday
The first Monday of the new year, when
handsels or presents were given to servants,
children, etc. Now replaced by Boxing Day.

7 Jan

Twelfth Night (Christian)


5 Jan
Christian observance of the close of
Christmastide. Christmas decorations are taken
down on 5th January (Twelfth Night)
Epiphany (Twelfth Day) (Christian Festival)

6 Jan

St David's Day (Patron Saint of


Wales)
Celebrated in Wales in honour of
Dewi Sant or St David, the patron
saint of Wales. Many Welsh people
wear a daffodil which is a national
emblem of Wales.

1 Mar

St Piran's Day Cornwall


All over Cornwall celebrations are
staged for St Piran's Day.

5 Mar

Commonwealth Day
People use the day to promote
understanding about global issues,
international co-operation and the
work of the modern
Commonwealth. Each year there is
a different theme. The Queen will
attend a special service in
Westminster Abbey.

11 Mar

Crufts
A famous annual British dog show
which started in 1928. It is held at
the NEC in Birmingham. The "Best
in Show" award is presented on the
final day (Sunday).
St Patrick's Day ( Patron Saint of
Ireland)
The church festival of St. Patrick, is
regarded as national day in
Northern Ireland.

17 Mar

Mothers Day / Mothering


Sunday (3 weeks before
Easter) A time for people

10 March

living in the UK to think about their


mothers. People often give flowers
or chocolates or organise a special
day out for their mothers at this
time, and send a special "Mother's
Day" card.
Simnel Sunday
The fourth Sunday in Lent when
Simnel cakes are eaten.

10 March

Spring begins
'Vernal (or spring) equinox' and
happens around 21 March.
Around March 20 or 21, the sun
shines directly on the equator and
the length of day and night are
nearly equal in all parts of the
world.

20 Mar

British Summer Time


Begins (daylight savings = clocks
go forward 1 hour)

24 Mar

April Fool's Day


A day of jokes and tricks. You have
to play the joke before 12 oclock
midday, otherwise the joke is on
you.

1 Apr

Palm Sunday ( Christian Festival)


Christian celebration of the entry of
Jesus into Jerusalem. The day
begins Holy Week. It is observed by
worship celebrations and parades
using palm branches.

24 Apr

Queen's Birthday (actual date and


a private celebration) It is

21 Apr

traditional for soldiers to fire


cannons to celebrate royal birthdays
or other national events. The Queen
has an "official" birthday in June
which is marked by the Trooping the
Colour ceremony.
St George's Day (Patron Saint of
England)

23 Apr

It is the church festival of St.


George, regarded as Englands
national day (although not an
official bank holiday). On this day
some patriotic English people wear
a rose pinned to their jackets.
May Day
1 May
Traditional English May Day celebrations
include Morris dancing, crowning a May
Queen and dancing around a Maypole.
Well Dressing May -Sept
Derbyshire
Wells are dressed with
large framed panels
decorated with elaborate
mosaic-like pictures made
of flower petals, seeds, grasses, leaves,
tree bark, berries and moss.
Early May Bank Holiday
(Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)

6 May

Rochester Sweeps Festival

4 - 6 May

The Rochester Sweeps festival


celebrates the traditional May Day
holiday that chimney sweeps used to
enjoy.
Ascension Day (Christian Festival)
Christian recognition of the departure of
Jesus from earth after the resurrection.
Pentecost\ Whitsuntide (Christian
Festival)
Christian observation of the day when
the God the Holy Spirit came to the
disciples in the forms of tongues of fire
and rushing wind. It is a traditional day
for baptism and confirmation of new
Christians.

19 May

Empire Day
24 May
Established after the South African War,
and held on Queen Victoria's birthday,
24 May, it was replaced
byCommonwealth Day in 1958.
Oak Apple Day (Pinch-Bum Day)
Also known as Royal Oak Day, 29 May,
the bithday of Charles II (who is said
to hav hidden in an oak tree after his
defeat at Worcester) and the day he
entered London at the 1660 Restoration
of the monarchy

Well Dressing - Derbyshire


May -Sept
Wells are dressed with large
framed panels decorated with
elaborate mosaic-like
pictures made of flower
petals, seeds, grasses,
leaves, tree bark, berries and
moss.
Coronation Day: gun salute
Gun salute to mark the anniversary of the
day when the Queen was crowned (in
1953). A 41-gun salute at 12 noon fired by
the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in
Hyde Park, London

2 Jun

Spring Bank Holiday

27 May

(UK- Whit Monday)


(Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Bank


Holiday
An extra bank holiday added on 5 June to
celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
The Queen's Official birthday (varies
each year in June)
Trooping the Colour (Royal Tradition)

The Queen's official birthday celebrations.


Royal Ascot

Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen


Anne in 1711. Each day begins with the
Royal Procession - the arrival of The Queen
and the Royal party in horse-drawn
landaus. The Royal Procession dates back
to the 1820s and the reign of King George
IV
Father's Day (3rd Sunday of June)

16 Jun

Summer Solstice (Northern


Hemisphere)
The longest day of the year,
when the Sun is at its most
northern point in the sky. Due to Britain's
northern location, the sun rises around
4:30 a.m. and doesn't set until 9:30 p.m.
on this day.

21 Jun

Wimbledon Tennis Championships


One of the four great world tennis
championships and the only one which is
played on grass.

24 June - 7
July

Midsummer's Day

Jun 24

Henley Royal Regatta


The River Thames and the town of Henley
on Thames are transformed into one large
sporting and social arena where the
world's best rowers compete.
Well Dressing - Derbyshire
Wells are dressed with large framed
panels decorated with elaborate
mosaic-like pictures made of flower
petals, seeds, grasses, leaves, tree
bark, berries and moss.

May -Sept

Henley Royal Regatta


The River Thames and the town of Henley on
Thames are transformed into one large sporting
and social arena where the world's best rowers
compete.
Tynwald Day
Tynwald Day is the national holiday of the Isle of
Man (Isle of Man: One of the British Isles in the
Irish Sea).

5 July

Orange Men's Day (Northern Ireland)


Protestant Irish march with drums and pipes to
commemorate the Battle of Boyne, which occurred
on Irelands east coast in 1690. In Northern
Ireland, it is a bank holiday. Schools and many
businesses and organizations are closed. Some
sops may be closed. Public transport services may
run on their regular or special holiday timetables

12 July

In 1690, William III of England defeated the exiled


Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne.
James, who had been in France, had invaded
Ireland with French troops.
Men wear orange sashes and black suits and bowler
hats. Orange Day marches also take place in
Birmingham and Liverpool, and in some parts of
Canada, for example."
This day is known as "Orangemen's Day", "Orange
Day", "the Glorious Twelfth" or just "the Twelfth".
The day falls on July 12. However, if July 12 is a
Saturday or Sunday, the bank holiday falls on
Monday, July 13 or 14.

Swan Upping
The census of swans takes place annually during
July on the River Thames in a ceremony known as
Swan Upping. Swans are counted and marked on a
70 mile, five day journey up the River Thames.

The Swan Upping event commences on the third


Monday at Sunbury and ending at Abingdon on the
Friday.
St. Swithun's Day (Also known as St Swithin's
Day) Saint Swithin was Englands Bishop of
Winchester.
40 days of bad weather will follow if it rains on this
day

15 July

London 2012 Olympic Games


Well Dressing - Derbyshire
Wells are dressed with large
framed panels decorated with
elaborate mosaic-like pictures
made of flower petals, seeds,
grasses, leaves, tree bark, berries
and moss.

May -Sept

Lammas Day
The traditional harvest festival when the first
bread was made from the new corn.

1 Aug

Yorkshire Day
Celebrates the historic English county of

1 Aug

Yorkshire, the largest region in England. Also


anniversary of the Battle of Minden which was in
1759.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts
festival in the world.

August

Edinburgh International Festival


The Edinburgh International Festival presents a
rich programme of classical music, theatre,
opera and dance in six major theatres and
concert halls and a number of smaller venues,
over a three-week period in late summer each
year.

Aug Sept

Reading Festival

August

The Glenn Miller Festival


Tthe largest swing, jazz and Jive music festival
in the UK, and is held at the historic RAF
Twinwood Airfield where
Glenn Miller (the WWII American band-leader)
took his last flight.

August

Notting Hill Carnival


Around a million people take to the streets of
Notting Hill in West London for the Notting Hill
Carnival - Europe's biggest carnival.

25 -26 Aug

Fabulous floats make a colourful circuit of the


area and sound systems blast out music all day.

Late Summer Bank Holiday.

26 Aug

(Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)


(last Monday in August, early August in Scotland)

Start of New School Year in England


and Wales

Sept

Sept

Blackpool Illuminations,
Blackpool
The seaside town of Blackpool is
decorated with lights along 6 miles
of the sea front.
Heritage Open Days, England,
Wales & Northern Ireland
Free entry is offered at many
National Trust properties across the
UK.
Last Night of the Proms
Famous classical music concert at
the Royal Albert Hall, London.
First Day of Autumn
This day is known as
the autumnal equinox.
On 22 or 23 September, the sun
shines directly on the equator and
the length of day and night are
nearly equal in all parts of the
world.
The Great River Race, London
Over 200 different rowing boats
race along the River Thames, from
Ham House (Richmond) to Island

23 Sept

23 Sept

Gardens (Isle of Dogs).


Sept/Oct

Sept/Oct

Harvest Festival
World Conker Championships,
Northamptonshire
Follow this link to find out more about this traditional game

The Pearly Kings and Queens


Harvest Festival at St Martin-inthe-Fields on Trafalgar Square. The
'Pearlies' were costermonger's (street
seller of fruit (apples, etc.) and their
distinctive costumes are said to have
sprung from the arrival of a big cargo of pearlbuttons from Japan in the 1860's.

Sept/Oct

Trafalgar Day

21 Oct

October Plenty, London


A harvest celebration held annually in
Southwark.Plenty mixes ancient seasonal
customs and theatre with contemporary
festivity.

Oct

Punky Night
Oct
On Punky Night in Hinton St George, Somerset,
local children join a procession through the village

streets, swinging their homemade lanterns and


going house to house, singing traditional punky
songs and sometimes getting a few pennies at
the front door.
British Summer Time Ends (daylight
savings = clocks go back 1 hour)
Greewich Mean Time Begins

27 Oct

Hallowe'en Night

31 Oct

All Saints Day (Christian)


Christian day for honouring saints, known and
unknown.

1 Nov

All Souls Day (Christian)


Christian day of prayers of intercession for the dead.

2 Nov

Mischief Night
The 4 November is known as Mischief Night in some
parts of the country. This was the night when all sorts
of naughty things were done - the main idea being to
put things in the wrong place.

4 Nov

Guy Fawkes Night (Bonfire Night)

5 Nov

400th anniversary of the Gun Powder Plot was in 2005

Tar Barrels, Ottery St Mary (Devon) An old


custom said to have originated in the 17th
century. The annual event involves people
racing through the streets of the town,
carrying flaming wooden barrels of burning
tar on their backs.

5 Nov

Lewes Bonfire Night, Lewes (East Sussex)

5 Nov

Remembrance Sunday
The Queen, the Prime Minister and
other dignitaries lay wreaths and
observe a minute's silence (at 11am)
at the Cenotaph to commemorate
those who gave their lives for their
country in both world wars.
Afterwards, the Bishop of London takes a short
service of remembrance.

10 Nov

Armistice Day
2 minutes silence at 11 a.m.

11 Nov

Lord Mayors Show & Fireworks Display (2nd


Saturday in November)

9 Nov

The first Lord Mayor's Show was held in 1215 and


since its conception only major events such as the
Black Death - and in 1852, the funeral of the Duke of
Wellington - have stopped the show.
The Prince of Wales's birthday: gun salute, Hyde
Park London

14 Nov

The State Opening of Parliament (the first day of


the new parliamentary session) The Queen's Speech
is delivered by the Queen from the Throne in the
House of Lords. (date)

Nov

BBC Children In Need, across the UK


An annual event to raise money for British children's
charities.
Stir-up Sunday
The last Sunday of the Christian Church
Year. A traditional day to make the
Christmas pudding

24 Nov

St Andrew's Day (Patron Saint of Scotland)


It is the church festival of the St. Andrew, regarded
as Scotlands national Day (although it is not an
official bank holiday).

30 No

Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park London


A Big Wheel and other rides, an ice rink and a
Christmas market
Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree lighting
ceremony, London
[usually performed on the first Thursday in December]

Dec

Advent Sunday - Start of Advent


Christian time of preparation for observing the birth of
Jesus Christ.

1 Dec

Great Christmas Pudding Race, London


Teams dressed in fancy clothes race around an obstacle
course in Covent Garden.

5 Dec

Royal Variety Performance, London

TBC

Carol singing in the Square, London


Winter Solstice
Shortest Day of the year, when the Sun is at its
most southern point

21
Dec

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Cambridge


At 3pm at King's College Chapel in Cambridge is a
traditional carol service called "A Festival of Nine
Lessons and Carols"

24
Dec

Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is not a public holiday in the UK. Public
transport services may finish earlier than usual.

24
Dec

Christmas Day

25
Dec

(Christian Festival)
(Bank Holiday / Public Holiday)

Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.


Observed by prayers, exchanging of gifts, and family
parties.
Boxing Day (Bank Holiday)

26
Dec

St Stephen's Day

26
Dec

Hogmanay (Scotland)

31
Dec

New Years Eve


At midnight everybody joins hands and sings
Auld Lang Syne.

31
Dec

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