UK Holidays - 2003

New Year in France is better known as Jour des Étrennes.It is celebrated on January 1 (according to the Gregorian Calendar) with great pomp and show. Jour des Etrennes is one of the oldest festivals celebrated all over France. People are highly excited to bid goodbye to the old year and to welcome the coming year. The New Year holidays in France ends on January 6 with the ceremonial cutting of a special type of festive cake called la galette des rois.One of the famous New Year parades take place in Paris. It is not to be missed 2-day festival. Thousands of performers - singers, dancers and entertainers steal the show. The parade marches through various streets.

Easter celebrated in France much as it is in America, with various religious ceremonies commemorating the rebirth of Jesus, and cultural customs having to do with rabbits, chocolates and eggs.Easter celebrations in France are marked by a slight difference as the church bells remain silent from Good Friday until Easter Sunday as a token of mourning for the crucified Christ.In preparation for the period of Easter, a special day is Mardi Gras. It actually means 'fat Tuesday' and it is known as Shrove Tuesday in English.Easter is the first holiday of the spring season and is associated with the reawakening of the earth after a long winter.

May Day in France is a public holiday to campaign for and celebrate workers rights. Post offices, banks, stores and other businesses are closed. It is also an occasion to present lily-of-the-valley or dog rose flowers to loved ones.On May 1, 1561 King Charles IX of France received a lily of the valley as a lucky charm. He decided to offer a lily of the valley each year to the Ladies of the Court. At the beginning of the 20th Century it became the custom on the 1st of May to give someone a sprig of lily of the valley, a symbol of Springtime.

Victory in Europe Day (V-E Day or VE Day) commemorates May 8, 1945, the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich.It marks the official end of World War II, and the end of Nazi Germany.In France, Victory in Europe Day is celebrated with parades and ceremonies.

Ascension Day (Ascension) marks the day that Jesus ascended to heaven following his crucifixion and resurrection, according to Christian belief.It is a public holiday in France.Some Christians in France attend special church services to mark the ascension of Jesus to heaven.Ascension Day is an opportunity to spend time with family and friends or to enjoy the spring weather.

One of the most important feasts in the Christian liturgical year is the Pentecost. It is celebrated 7 weeks (50 days to be exact) following Easter and falls on the tenth day following Ascension Thursday. Pentecost is also called by other names, such as "Whitsun", "Whit Sunday", or ""Whitsuntide", depending on which country one is in.People attend special church services or spend the day with family or friends.

Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday (also known as Monday of the Holy Spirit) is the holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost, a movable feast in the Christian calendar. It is movable because it is determined by the date of Easter.Many people spend Pentecost Monday quietly in the company of family or close friends. Many people also enjoy a picnic lunch in a park or the countryside. Local sporting or cultural events are held in some small towns and villages.

Bastille Day is the French national holiday which is celebrated on 14 July each year.The medieval fortress and prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the center of Paris. While the prison only contained seven prisoners at the time of its storming, its fall was the flashpoint of the French Revolution, and it subsequently became an icon of the French Republic. French military parade held on the morning of 14 July each year in Paris since 1880.

In Roman Catholic doctrine, the Assumption means that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken (assumed) bodily into heavenly glory when she died. It is the principal feast day of the Virgin Mother. Many Catholics in France attend church services to mark the Assumption of Mary on August 15 each year. Many churches are dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and hold special celebrations on this date. Village festivals are held in rural areas. These festivals may consist of sports events, parades, markets or communal meals.Assumption Day is public holiday in France.

All Saints Day is when the Church commemorates all saints, known and unknown. Many Christians visit special church services on All Saints' Day. They also visit cemeteries and place flowers on the graves of deceased family members and close friends.All Saints' Day is also an opportunity for many people to spend time with family members and close friends. This holiday falls during the autumn (fall) school holidays, it is a popular time for families to take a short vacation or to visit relatives living in other areas.

This day celebrate to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically the First World War. It is observed on 11 November to recall the end of World War I.Armistice Day is one the most important military celebrations in France, since it was the last major French victory and the French paid a heavy price in blood to achieve it.Military parades to war memorials and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris are also organized. Public figures, including France's president, lay wreaths and flowers at war memorials. Many people wear black or dark clothes.

Unique and delightful Christmas traditions are followed in France. The centre of attraction in all homes is the Nativity scene or crèche that is decorated with cute little clay figures called 'Santons' or 'Little Saints'.The Christmas tree not so popular in France.Christmas traditions in France vary from province to province. Some states celebrate it on December 25th while for others Christmas celebrations begin on January 6.