Сборник материалов международной научной конференции студентов, магистрантов, аспирантов

М.В. Деревянко

Республика Беларусь, Брест, БрГУ имени А.С. Пушкина

Научный руководитель – Н.Н. Домбровская

BELARUSIAN AND BRITISH HOLIDAYS

Research results reveal that Belarusian and British cultures are very similar. However the difference is not little.

In Britain when a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the holiday is normally postponed to the next following working weekday, which is then referred to as a “substitute public holiday” or if the day is itself already a public holiday or a substitute public holiday, then it may be the following Tuesday. In this way, public holidays are not “lost” when they coincide with weekends.

The most famous holidays are New Year with a New Year tree, Christmas with plenty of delicious food to eat and Easter with red eggs and an Easter pie. The preparation for these holidays starts long before they come. Thus about a fortnight before the New Year streets are decorated with colorful lights. Shops are filled with people buying gifts. Christmas trees are decorated with colorful ornaments and twinkling lights. On New Year’s Eve we have a special dinner with lots of tasty food; we put on our best outfits or dress up.

In Britain many people stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. They see in the New Year with their friends and family. When the clock strikes 12 people join their hands and sing “Auld Lang Syne” written by Robert Burns. Lots of people watch a 10-minute fireworks display at the London Eye. Other people watch the fireworks on TV. In the north people follow the custom of the First Foot. People knock at their friends houses after midnight. It’s unlucky if a woman or a fair-haired man is the First Foot. It’s lucky if the First Foot is a tall dark-haired man. The First Foot brings a coin, bread, salt and coal for good luck. On New Year’s Day people make New Year’s Resolutions. They usually want to improve their health, finances, career, and education.

The only pagan holiday legalized by the Orthodox Church – Maslenitsa – is widely celebrated across the country. Each of the seven days entertainment and pancakes has its own name (“Meeting”, “Zaigryshi”, “Gourmand”).

During the celebrations groups of merry young boys and girls in smart clothes go from house to house in Belarusian villages and towns. Each person in the procession plays a role according to his character. One carries a star, others sing carols dressed up as Goats, Bears, Storks, Horses, Gypsies and Old Men. Hosts and hostesses usually treat them to delicious things and thank them for well-wishing and carol-singing.

Kupala holiday, which occurs on the day of summer solstice 7 July (the seventh of July) is one of the most poetic and mysterious holidays in Belarus.

Kupalle is one of the most loved and ancient holiday. It is celebrated in the night from July 6 to July 7. The holiday is dedicated to one of the most revered pagan gods – the God of lands fertility – Kupala. The central part of celebration was a fire. At first, young men prepared a place for the fire. It could be a bank of the river or a meadow. Then the youth started celebration which was connected with singing, dancing and jumping over the fire. It was believed that jumping over the fire would help people break free from diseases and evil eye.

On this holiday girls and boys weave flower wreaths and put them on the water and let the river carry them. The one that would come to the bank of the river or get entangled with another mean that there will be a marriage. Sometimes people keep these wreaths for the entire year, because they believe that it can helps them to protect themselves from disease.

The main event of this holiday is searching for a mythical Paparac'-kvetka. People believe if person find this flower on Kupalle near the midnight, this lucky person would live happily and would be able to foresee the future. It was believed that on Kupalle night rivers are glowing with a special light and the water of the river has healing power that will protect people from disease all year round.

There are two very special holidays in the country: the Eighth of March and the Ninth of March women are traditionally presented with flowers and gifts and words of love and respect are addressed to them. The Ninth of May is both a happy and a sad day. On this day we celebrate our victory over fascism in the Great Patriotic War and at the same time pay tribute to those who gave up their lives for the liberation of our motherland. Deep respect and warm gratitude are shown to war veterans. The day is made special by a military parade in the morning. Children wave flags and the people cheer. It is a moving occasion and everyone feels proud. There are grand fireworks at night.

In modern Belarus the Slavic holiday marking the end of the harvest turned into “Dozhinki” – the National Festival widely celebrated since 1996. The President takes part in the celebrations. Each year, the holiday is hosted by a different city.

The Britain Christmas is celebrated on the 25^th of December. During the weeks before Christmas Day people put up decorations inside and outside homes, churches and shops. Of course, they decorate Christmas trees, too. Traditional Christmas decorations are evergreens, because they are the symbol of life. This holiday is usually celebrated with family, relatives and close friends. The family had a Christmas dinner at midday; they talk, eat and drink, watch television and listen to the Queen’s speech. A traditional Christmas meal is roast turkey, chicken or goose. Father Christmas brings presents to British children. A pantomime is a traditional British Christmas play. One more British tradition is singing carols in the streets, churches and public places. On Christmas Day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus; many people go to local church services. It’s unlucky if you don’t take up your decorations before the 5^thof January

Belarus is an East European country where the traditional Christmas greeting is “Vyaselykh Kalyad”. Christmas in Belarus is in the middle of winter and therefore the people of Belarus have a traditional white Christmas.

Belarus' population has many descendants from the Eastern Slavic tribes and several Baltic tribes. So pagan beliefs and customs have their roots in Belarusian culture. Kaliady is a pagan festival celebrated at the end of the year. 

But the Orthodox and the Catholic churches have adopted the customs for Christmas celebrations. But the meaning of the eternal life returning is still difficult to explain. People dress as animals and other beasts carrying the sun and the goat’s head in their hands. The churches are well decorated inside and the services are magic. Christmas tree is decorated in a traditional manner and the various ornaments are gorgeous. Some of them are even hand crafted. Minsk and other cities are beautifully adorned with various Christmas lights and other ornaments. Christmas gift giving is not common; gifts are given on New Year.
В данной статье раскрываются черты культур Беларуси и Великобритании. Особое внимание уделено праздникам этих стран. В статье рассматриваются их истоки и особенности. Сравниваются праздники Великобритании и их белорусские аналоги.