May Day in Great Britain

Содержание (Maintenance)

Введение (Introduction)

*The reason why I chosen this theme

* Great Britain

* Traditions and holidays of Great Britain

I. History of May Day

* A bit of history

* Celebration around the world

II. May Day in Great Britain

III. May Spring Festival

* Заключение (Final)

* Список литературы (List literatures)

Introduction

Great Britain is situated on the British Isles. It consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and is one thirtieth the size of Europe. Great Britain is surrounded by seas on all sides and is separated from the continent by the North Sea and the English Channel.

There are many rivers in Britain. They are not long but some of them are deep. The longest river is the Severn. There are many mountains in the north of England and in Scotland but they are not very high. The highest mountain in Great Britain is Ben Nevis. There are many lakes in Scotland. The most beautiful is Loch Lomond.

Great Britain has a very good position as it lies on the crossways of the sea routes from Europe to the other parts of the world. There are many countries which are connected with Great Britain by sea. Thanks to Gulf Stream the climate of Great Britain is mild. It is often foggy and rainy. The summer is not very hot and the winter is not very cold.

Great Britain is a highly developed industrial country. It lives by manufacture and trade. Its agriculture provides only half the food it needs, the other half of its food has to be imported. Britain is one of the most highly industrialized countries in the world: for every person employed in agriculture, eleven are employed in mining, manufacturing and building. The main branches of British economy are engineering, mining, ship-building, motor vehicle manufacturing, textile, chemistry, electronics, fishing and food processing. The industrial centers of Great Britain are London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield and others.

As to its political system it is a constitutional monarchy. The power of the Queen (now Elizabeth) is limited by Parliament which includes two Houses -- the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Prime Minister is usually the head of the party which is in power. There are the following parties there: the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Party.

Great Britain is a country of strong attraction for tourists, especially in spring and summer. The charm of it lies in its variety of scenery: the finest combination of sea and high land, the valleys of South Wales, the smiling or-chards of Kent, the sea lakes of Scotland, its fields and woodland parks -- everything is quiet and green.

Traditions and holidays of Great Britain:

Every nation and every country has its own traditions and customs. Traditions make a nation special. Some of them are old-fashioned and many people remember them, others are part of people's life. Some British customs and traditions are known all the world.

From Scotland to Cornwall, Britain is full of customs and traditions. A lot of them have very long histories. Some are funny and some are strange. But they are all interesting. There is the long menu of traditional British food. There are many royal occasions. There are songs, saying and superstitions. They are all part of the British way of life.

You cannot really imagine Britain without all its traditions, this integral feature of social and private life of the people living on the British Isles that has always been an important part of their life and work.

English traditions can classified into several groups: traditions concerning the Englishmen's private life (child's birth, wedding, marriage, wedding anniversary); which are connected with families incomes; state traditions; national holidays, religious holidays, public festival, traditional ceremonies.

The major holidays in Great Britain are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Labour Day (May 1), Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Public holidays are called Bank Holidays, because on these days banks, most of the shops and offices are closed. The Bank Holidays were appointed by the Act of Parliament in 1871.

Christmas is the festival that everyone celebrates on December 25. On Christmas people usually stay with their families. On Christmas Eve children hang stockings at the ends of their beds for Father Christmas to fill them with toys. Boxing Day, marked on December 26, is the day on which boxes of presents are given to the people who have given service during a year. New Year is marked in accordance with the family tradition and personal taste.

Easter Peace Marches have become the feature of the epoch. They are held during Easter Holidays. The first Easter Peace March was held in 1958. The peak of the Easter Peace Marches was reached in the 1960s. These Marches bring together the people who are concerned with the global problems of the future of our planet. In Britain May Day, the day of the workers struggle and solidarity, is observed with marches and rallies. It marks a new stage in workers' efforts to win a better life.

I. History of May Day

A bit of history

In the 20th century the first victories of May Day began to be won with workers in different countries getting an eight-hour working day.

In 1836, after winning the ten-hour day in Philadelphia, the National Laborer declared: "We have no desire to perpetuate the ten-hour system, for we believe that eight hours' daily labor is more than enough for any man to perform". In 1872, a hundred thousand workers in New York City struck and won the eight-hour day, mostly for building trades workers.

The movement for the eight-hour day was wedded to the date of May 1 at an 1884 convention of the three-year-old Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada. George Edmonston, founder of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, introduced a resolution designed to crystallize labor's support for the eight-hour day: "Resolved ... that eight hours shall constitute a legal day's labor from and after May 1, 1886, and that we recommend to labor organizations throughout this district that they so direct their laws so as to conform to this resolution by the time named".

In 1917 the Russian workers succeeded in breaking out of the grip of war and setting up a new society. The new state, the Soviet Union, became the hope of workers everywhere and May Day demonstrations in other countries pledged friendship and support.

Revolutions around the world, in Russia, China, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, and others, showed that capitalist rule was not secure.

Celebrations around the world

The demonstrations maintain the tradition launched 112 years ago by the International Socialist Congress that the first day of May should be a day of working class struggle and solidarity all over the world. On May 1 the world working class displays its strength in demonstrations and strikes.

A few years ago in Russia thousands of people participated in demonstrations and walked along the city streets with flowers and ballons. Subbotniki were organized in schools and offices. Nowadays May 1 is a fine opportunity for people to organize a picnic, spend some time in the open air or go to their country house.

In Oxford (Great Britain) on May Morning many pubs are open from sunrise, and some of the college bars are open all night. Madrigals are still sung from the roof of the Tower of Magdalene College, with thousands gathering on Magdalene Bridge to listen. Traditionally, revelers have jumped from the bridge into the River Cherwell below as part of the celebrations. About one hundred people did this in 2005. The river, however, was then only three feet deep in places and more than half of those who jumped needed medical treatment.

In today's Germany May Day is of political importance, with labor unions and parties using this day for political campaigns and activities. However, May Day 2005 in Berlin was the most peaceful in nearly 23 years.

Since 2001, Euro May Day has become part of the celebration of the First of May, aiming to update the political content of the traditional May Day. Euro Mayday aims to create visible opposition against precarization of labour and life. Euro May Day was originated in Milan, Italy, from where it first spread to Barcelona in 2004 and then to over a dozen cities all over Europe in 2005. In 2005, approximately 200.000 people took part in the Europe-wide Euro May Day.

In the United States Labor Day, dedicated to the social and economic achievements of the country, is celebrated on the first Monday in September.

May, the 1^st

May Day occurs on May 1 and refers to any of several public holidays.[1] In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. As a day of celebration the holiday has ancient origins, and it can relate to many customs that have survived into modern times. Many of these customs are due to May Day being a cross-quarter day, meaning that (in the Northern Hemisphere where it is almost exclusively celebrated) it falls approximately halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice.

The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian Europe, as in the Celtic celebration of Beltane, and the Walpurgis Night of the Germanic countries. Many pre-Christian indigenous celebrations were eventually banned or Christianized during the process of Christianization in Europe. As a result, a more secular version of the holiday continued to be observed in the schools and churches of Europe well into the 20th century. In this form, May Day may be best known for its tradition of dancing the Maypole and crowning of the Queen of the May. Today various Neopagan groups celebrate reconstructed (to varying degrees) versions of these custom.

The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of Spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps.

International Workers' Day

May Day can refer to various labour celebrations conducted on May 1 that commemorate the fight for the eight hour day. May Day in this regard is called International Workers' Day, or Labour Day. The choice of May 1st was a commemoration by the Second International for the people involved in the 1886 Haymarket affair. The Haymarket incident occurred during the course of a three-day general strike in Chicago, Illinois that involved common laborers, artisans, merchants, and immigrants.[4] Following an incident in which police opened fire and killed four strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. plant, a rally was called for the following day at Haymarket Square. The event remained peaceful, yet towards the end of the rally, as police moved in to disperse the event, an unknown assailant threw a bomb into the crowd of police. The bomb and resulting police riot left at least a dozen people dead, including seven policemen. A sensational show trial ensued in which eight defendants were openly tried for their political beliefs, and not necessarily for any involvement in the bombing. The trial lead to the eventual public hanging of four anarchists. The Haymarket incident was a source of outrage from people around the globe. In the following years, memory of the "Haymarket martyrs" was remembered with various May Day job actions and demonstrations.

As such, May Day has become an international celebration of the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. Although May Day received its inspiration from the United States, the U.S. Congress designated May 1 as Loyalty Day in 1958 due to the day's appropriation by the Soviet Union. Alternatively Labor Day traditionally occurs sometime in September in the United States. Some view this as an effort to isolate American workers from the worldwide community. People often use May Day as a day for political protest, such as the million people who demonstrated against far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen in France, or as a day for protest against government actions, such as pro-immigrant rallies across the United States.

Traditional May Day celebrations

May Day marks the end of the uncomfortable winter half of the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it has traditionally been an occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations, regardless of the locally prevalent political or religious establishment.

As Europe became Christianized the pagan holidays lost their religious character, They either morphed into popular secular celebrations, as with May Day, or were replaced by new Christian holidays as with Christmas, Easter, and All Saint's Day. In the start of the twenty-first century, many neopagans began reconstructing the old traditions and celebrating May Day as a pagan religious festival again.

England

Traditional English May Day rites and celebrations include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen and celebrations involving a Maypole. Much of this tradition derives from the pagan Anglo-Saxon customs held during "Юrimilci-mфnaю"[14] (the Old English name for the month of May meaning Month of Three Milkings).

May Day has been a traditional day of festivities throughout the centuries. With Christianity came agricultural feasts like Plough Sunday (the first Sunday in January),Rogationtide, Harvest Festival and May Day. It is most associated with towns and villages celebrating springtime fertility and revelry with village fetes and community gatherings.Since May 1st is the Feast of St Philip & St James, they became the patron Saints of workers. Seeding has been completed by this date and it was convenient to give farm labourers a day off. Perhaps the most significant of the traditions is the Maypole, around which traditional dancers circle with ribbons.

The May Day Bank Holiday was traditionally the only one to affect the state school calendar, although new arrangements in some areas to even out the length of school terms mean that the Good Friday and Easter Monday Bank Holidays, which vary from year to year, may also fall during term time.

Also, 1 May 1707 was the day the Act of Union came into effect, joining England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In Oxford, it is traditional for revellers to gather below Magdalen College tower to listen to the college's choir for what is called May Morning. It is then thought to be traditional for some students to jump off Magdalen Bridge into the River Cherwell. However this has actually only been fashionable since the 1970s. In recent years the bridge has been closed on 1 May to prevent people from jumping, as the water under the bridge is only 2 feet (61 cm) deep and jumping from the bridge has resulted in serious injury in the past yet there are still students who insist on climb the barriers and leaping into the water, causing injury.

May Day run

May Day run is an annual event held in England among countries that celebrate their bank holidays on the first Monday in May. It is also referred to as "May Day Run" or "May Day Run". The event involves thousands of motorbikes taking a 55-mile (89 km) trip from the south of London (Locks bottom, Farnborough, Kent) to Hastings Seafront (Hastings, East Sussex). The event has been taking place for almost 30 years now and has grown in interest from around the country, both commercially and publicly. The event is not officially organized; the police only manage the traffic, while volunteers manage the parking.

Hastings fills up with tourists and bikes by about 11 AM, and the A21 from Kent to East Sussex is the road the bikers travel. However, this road should be avoided if traveling in a car.

A good example of more traditional May Day festivities is still witnessed in Whit stable, Kent where the Jack in the Green festival was revived in 1976 and continues to lead an annual procession of morris dancers through the town on the May Bank Holiday. A separate revival occurred in Hastings in 1983 and has become a major event in the town calendar. Padstow also holds its annual 'Obby 'Oss festival. A traditional Sweeps Festival is performed over the May bank holiday in Rochester, Kent where the Jack In the Green is woken at dawn on the 1st of May by Morris dancers.

Cornwall

Padstow in Cornwall holds its annual 'Obby-Oss' day of festivities. This is believed to be one of the oldest fertility rites in the UK; revelers dance with the Oss through the streets of the town and even through the private gardens of the citizens, accompanied by accordion players and followers dressed in white with red or blue sashes who sing the traditional 'May Day' song. The whole town is decorated with springtime greenery, and every year thousands of onlookers attend. Prior to the 19th century distinctive May day celebrations were widespread throughout West Cornwall and have recently been revived in St. Ives and in 2008 will be revived in Penzance.

Kingsland, Cawsand and Millbrook in Cornwall celebrate Black Prince Day on the May Day bank holiday. A model of the ship The Black Prince is covered in flowers and is taken in procession from the Quay at Millbrook to the beach at Cawsand where it is cast adrift. The houses in the villages are decorated with flowers and people traditionally wear red and white clothes. There are further celebrations in Cawsand Square with Morris dancing and May pole dancing.

Scotland

St Andrews has a similar student tradition -- some of the students gather on the beach late on April 30 and run into the North Sea at sunrise on the 1st, occasionally naked. This is accompanied by torchlight processions and much elated celebration.

Both Edinburgh and Glasgow organize Mayday festivals and rallies. In Edinburgh, the Beltane Fire Festival is held on the evening of May eve and into the early hours of May Day on the city's Calton Hill.

France

On May 1st, 1561, French 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 custom on the 1st of May, to give a sprig of lily of the valley, a symbol of springtime. The government permits individuals and workers' organizations to sell them free of taxation. It is also traditional for the lady receiving the spray of lilly of valley to give a kiss in return.

Germany

A stamp from East Germany celebrating its 100 year anniversary on the 1st of May from 1990.

In rural regions of Germany, especially the Harz Mountains, Walpurgisnacht celebrations of Pagan origin are traditionally held on the night before May Day, including bonfires and the wrapping of maypoles, and young people use this opportunity to party, while the day itself is used by many families to get some fresh air. Motto: "Tanz in den Mai!" ("Dance into May!"). In the Rhineland, a region in the western part of Germany, May 1 is also celebrated by the delivery of a tree covered in streamers to the house of a girl the night before. The tree is typically from a love interest, though a tree wrapped only in white streamers is a sign of dislike. On leap years, it is the responsibility of the females to place the maypole, though the males are still allowed and encouraged to do so.

Berlin

Berlin with a population of 9 million people is a collection of mostly socially and politically liberal groups. These groups use Mayday to protest and bring attention to social, political and environmental causes. These groups clash with the conservative groups on Mayday.

"Mayday, a celebration of spring and all that is free in life for the rural peasantry, was transformed through persistent repression into a symbol of class struggle and revolutionary aspirations for the proletariat. Despite the historical change of perspective, Mayday is still premised, whether industrial or rural, carnival or resistance, in the same notions - namely, a refusal to work, disobedience and the spirit of anarchy. Mayday in Berlin is this, and more. Tales from the burning barricades, and a Bacchanalian song!" http://www.struggle.ws/anarchism/writers/ramor/berlinMAYDAY.html

Pacific

In Hawaii, May Day is also known as Lei Day, and is normally set aside as a day to celebrate island culture in general and native Hawaiian culture in particular. While it was invented by a poet and a local newspaper columnist in the 1920s, it has since been adopted by state and local government as well as by the residents, and has taken on a sense of general spring celebration there. The first Lei Day was proposed in 1927 in Honolulu. Leonard "Red" and Ruth Hawk composed "May Day is Lei Day in Hawai'i," the traditional holiday song. Originally it was a contemporary fox trot, later rearranged as the Hawaiian hula song performed today.

Americas

May Day was also celebrated by some early European settlers of the American continent. In some parts of the United States, May Baskets are made. These baskets are small and usually filled with flowers or treats and left at someone's doorstep. When you ring the bell, you are supposed to run away. The person receiving the basket would try to catch the person running away. If they caught the person, a kiss was to be exchanged.

Modern May Day ceremonies in the U.S. vary greatly from region to region and many unite both the holiday's "Green Root" (pagan) and "Red Root" (labor) traditions[16]. Among the largest is the May Day Parade and Pageant created by In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, an event that has happened every year since 1974 in Minneapolis and now attracts some 35,000 people.

May 1, popularly known as 'Workers' Day' worldwide, seems to have lost its relevance at present. With the privatisation and liberalisation of economy, unionism in the present era has been pushed to the back-burner.

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Computerization and privatization seem to have eclipsed the relevance and importance of May 1 as 'Workers' Day' across the globe. The unionism in the present era is also pushed to the back-burner, as the computer savvy professionals seem to be less dependent on the workforce, believing that the present day machines function more accurately with remotes than hands and further don't create organizational problems for the employers and the management.

Few decades back, this was not the situation. Instances have been that employees would resort to agitational path to press for their rights. The government-run factories and public sector undertakings were, at times, to be locked either by the employees or by the management itself. But with the privatization and liberalization of economy, unionism or incidents of locking the factory doors hardly take place. Even if the government employees this time go on agitation, the same is not viewed seriously. In private sector, which has become the order of the day, the employees and employers are more aware of policy of 'hire and fire' and not unionism. Even bollywood has also dropped this plot, while producing feature films. Few decades back, May Day's relevance and unionism were the centre-plots of most of the feature films!

With America already opposed to this day, is the May Day then losing its relevance, particularly after the breaking of Soviet Union? This International Workers' Day, in fact, has its own rich history and commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world except in America, Canada and South Africa.

It was in 1884 when the Federation of Organised Traders and Labour Unions passed a resolution, stating that eight hours would constitute a legal day's work. The resolution had called for a general strike to achieve the goal, since the legislative methods had already failed. With workers being forced to work for 10, 12 and 14 hours, the rank and file support for the eight hour movement grew rapidly, despite the indifference and hostility of many union leaders. By April 1886, over 2, 50,000 workers were involved in May Day movement. The heart of the movement was in Chicago. Police had to resort to firing, to disperse the protesting workers, fighting for their rights. Some got killed in police firing, prompting the workers to celebrate May Day as Workers' Day, in memory of those who sacrificed for the cause.

But then May Day is not merely associated with workforce and has been celebrated all these years as the International Workers' Day. America used to celebrate May 1 as 'Law Day'--devoid of any significance. In the United Kingdom, political events have sometimes split into two camps. The mainstream workers' movement celebrated May Day on the first Monday after May 1, which is the national Spring Bank Holiday and may or may not actually occur on May 1. Political parties hold small-scale rallies.

In present day Germany, the May Day is still of political importance, with labour unions and parties using this day for political campaigns and activities. In recent years, neo-Nazis and other groups have also used the day to schedule public demonstrations, often leading to clashes with left-wing protesters, which turned violent in the historical city of Leipzig in 1998 and 2005.

Since 2001, the Euro May Day has become the part of the celebration of the First of May, aiming at updating the political content of the traditional May Day. Euro May Day was originated in Milan, Italy, from where it first spread to Barcelona in 2004 and then to over a dozen cities all over the Europe in 2005.

In 1955, the Roman Catholic Church Christianized May 1 as the Day of 'Saint Joseph, the Worker'. Traditional English May Day rites and celebrations include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen, celebrating Green Man Day and dancing around a Maypole. In Oxford, on May morning, many pubs are open from sunrise and some of the college bars are open all night.

Adding to the list of May Day celebrations-- this day, of late, is now celebrated as 'Global Love Day'. It was in 2004 that Love Foundation came into existence that began to celebrate the day. The Czech Republic too celebrates the day as 'National Love Day', as couples tend to flock to the memorial of a poet in Prague and kiss.

May Day has not remained confined to labour struggle or spring fun. May Day has become an emergency code, used internationally as distress signal. Some people say that it was derived from the French Venez m'aider (come help me).

May Day is a fictional character too in the James Bond film-- 'A view to kill', played by actress Grace Jones. This film was released in 1985. There have also been many phrases associated with May Day across the globe. May Day mystery, May Flower, May Fly and May Day Stadium are few terms often used by linguists.

The May Day might have lost its relevance as a Workers' Day, but the fact is that this day will continue to be the 121st day of the year in Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). It was on this day in 1045 that Gregory VI was appointed as Pope. In 1707, the Act of Unions joined England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.

In 1790, on May 1, America completed its first census. In 1930, this day, the planet Pluto was officially named. On May 1 in 1940, the Summer Olympics were cancelled due to war. In 1948, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) was established, with Kim IL Sung elected as President.

Jones Salk, who developed polio vaccine, made the same available to the public on May 1. In 1978, Japan's Naomi Uemura, travelling by a dog sled, became the first person to reach North Pole on this Day. It was again in 2004, when May 1 became the part of the history when Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joined the European Union.

II. May Day in Great Britain

The May garland is a symbol of the coming summer. To do a garland one must pick a lot of beautiful spring flowers that bloom in the fields and valleys. On May Day one can see beautiful garlands of flowers and greenery carried by children. Those who carry the garland are called garland-carriers. The most skillful garlands makers can make a pyramid of hoops of different sizes. Each hoop in the pyramid is wreathed with flowers and greenery. May garlands may be also decorated with ribbons. Garlands-parties are usually accompanied by musicians and Morris dancers. The word Morris comes from the French Moresque or the Spanish Moriska. Morris dance, or Moorish dance, was brought to England from Spain and become a traditional English ceremonial dance for men. It is performed by a team of 6 dancers decked with rubbons, rosettesand flowers. Morris is often danced round the Maypole, which is another important feature of May Day celebrations. The Maypole is an ancient fertility emblem. Originally it was a tree that was brought from the woods and set up on the village green. The tree was richly decorated with flowers and ribbons. But later people decided that it was easier to have a permanent Maypole of a wooden shaft. such Maypoles remained in position all the year round, but they were annually refreshed with new paints and decorated with keaves, flowers and ribbons before the holiday. Pernament poles were usually very tall. There are still in Britain now, and most schools have them. The May Queen is the central figure in May Day celebrations. She is crowned with a crown of flowers. Everybody is to obey her orders. Being elected the May Queen was the great honour for a girl. This becomes clear from Alfred Tennyson's famous poem The May Queen.

As May 1^st is not a public holiday in Great Britain, May Day celebrations are traditionally held on the Sunday following it, unless, of course, the 1^st of May falls on a Sunday. On May Sunday workers march through the streets and hold meetings to voice their own demands and the demands of other progressive forces of the country. The issues involved may include demands for higher wages and better working conditions, protests against rising unemployment, demands for a change in the Government's policy, etc.

III. May Spring Festival

The 1st of May has also to some extent retained its old significance -- that of а pagan spring festival. In ancient times it used to be celebrated with garlands and flowers, dancing and games on the village green. А Maypole was erected -- a tall pole wreathed with flowers, to which in later times ribbons were attached and held by the dancers. The girls put on their best summer frocks, plaited flowers in their hair and round their waists and eagerly awaited the crowning of the May Queen. The most beautiful girl was crowned with а garland of flowers. After this great event Веге was dancing, often Morris dancing, with the dancers dressed in fancy costume, usually representing characters in the Robin Hood legend. May-Day games and sports were followed by refreshments in the open.

This festival was disliked by the Puritans and suppressed during the Commonwealth, 1649 -- 60. After the Restoration it was revived but has gradually almost died out. However, the Queen of May is still chosen in most counties, and in mаnу villages school Maypoles are erected around which the children dance. The famous ceremony of the meeting of the 1st of May still survives at Oxford, in Magdalen College. At 6 o'clock in the morning the college choir gathers in the upper gallery of the college tower to greet the coming of the new day with song.

Final

May Day is the name given to their first day or May, which for centuries has been celebrated among the Latin and Germanic peoples. May Day is celebrated as a festival or children marking the reappearance of flowers during the spring. May Day is also celebrated in many European countries as a labour holiday. It is celebrated as the First Day of Summer. It is a merry folk holiday known for many traditional customs. The First Day of Summer is very important. It means that people need not be afraid of cold any longer. They are looking forward for warm sunny weather.

May Birching is one of the folk customs May Day is known for. It is observed on May Eve. A group of young men called May Birchers go to the wood and cut the branches of many different trees to bring them home. They put these branches on the doors of their neighbours' houses, this is always done secretly. The branches express the May Birchers' opinion about those who live in the house. A branch of hawthorn or lime means a compliment. A branch of a briar may snow that a liar lives in the house. A willow branch means affection, while nettle and thistle express quite the opposite emotion. They mean that May Birchers are displeased with the owners of the house. Girls like to get up early on May Day. In rural areas they come out early in the morning to search for May-Dew. It is considered good to gather dew in early morning and wash one's face witnit. Dew is collected from the grass and the bushes. It is believed May-Dew makes ladies' faces rosy and pretty. In ancient times May-Dew was also supposed to de a good medicine for the sick. People believed in its magic powers.

Каждая нация и каждая страна имеют ее собственные традиции и таможню(обычаи). Традиции делают нацию специальной. Некоторые из них старомодны, и много людей помнят их, другие - часть жизни людей. Некоторая британская таможня(обычаи) и традиции известны весь мир.

От Шотландии до Корнуолла, Великобритания полна таможни(обычаев) и традиций. Многие из них имеют очень длинные хронологии. Некоторые забавны, и некоторые странны. Но они весь интересны. Есть длинное меню традиционного британского продовольствия. Есть много королевских случаев. Есть песни, говоря и суеверие. Они - вся часть британского образа жизни.

Вы не можете действительно воображать Великобританию безо всех ее традиций, эта интегральная особенность социальной и частной жизни людей, живущих на Британских островах, который всегда был важной частью их жизни и работы.

Английские традиции могут секретный в несколько групп: традиции относительно частной жизни Англичан (рождение ребенка, свадьба, брак, свадебная годовщина); которые подключены(связаны) с доходами семейств; государственные традиции; национальные праздники, религиозный отпуск, общественный фестиваль, традиционные церемонии.

Главный отпуск в Великобритании - Новогодний День, Хорошая пятница, Пасха в понедельник, День труда (1 мая), Рождество, и День подарков. Выходные дни называют Выходными днями, потому что на этих банках дней, большинство вычислительных центров и офисов закрыто. Выходные дни были назначены в соответствии с Парламентским актом в 1871.

Рождество - фестиваль, который каждый празднует 25 декабря. На Рождественских людях обычно остаются с их семействами. На дочерних записях Сочельника приводят к зависанию чулков в концы их лож для Рождества Отца, чтобы заполнить их игрушками. День подарков, отмеченный 26 декабря, является днем, в который поля подарков даются людям, которые дали обслуживание(службу) в течение года. Новый Год отмечен в соответствии с традицией семейства и личным вкусом.

Пасхальные Марши мира стали особенностью эпохи. Они проведены(поддержаны) в течение Пасхального Отпуска. Первый Пасхальный Марш мира был проведен(поддержан) в 1958. Пик Пасхальных Маршей мира был достигнут в 1960-ых. Эти Марши примиряют людей, которые заинтересованы(обеспокоены) глобальными проблемами будущего нашей планеты. В Британском Первом Мае, день борьбы рабочих и солидарности, соблюден с маршами и собраниями. Это отмечает новую стадию в усилиях рабочих выиграть лучшую жизнь.

I. Хронология Первого Мая

Немного хронологии

В 20-ом столетии первые победы Первого Мая начали быть выигранными с рабочими в различных странах, получающих восьмичасовой рабочий день.

В 1836, после победы(завоевания) десятичасового дня в Филадельфии, национальный Чернорабочий объявлял: "Мы не имеем никакого желания увековечить десятичасовую систему, поскольку мы полагаем, что восемь часов ежедневно рабочая сила - более чем достаточно для любого человека(мужчины), чтобы исполнить". В 1872, сто тысяч рабочих в Нью-Йорке, нажатом и выигранном восьмичасовой день, главным образом для рабочих строительной промышленности.

Движение в течение восьмичасового дня было предано дате от 1 мая при 1884 соглашении трехлетней Федерации Организованных Отраслей и Профсоюзов Соединенных Штатов и Канады. Джордж Эдмонстон, основатель Братства Плотников и Столяров, вводил разрешающую способность, разработанную(предназначенную), чтобы кристаллизовать поддержку рабочей силы в течение восьмичасового дня: "Решенный ..., что восемь часов должны составить рабочую силу юридического(законного) дня от и после 1 мая 1886, и что мы рекомендуем к трудовым организациям всюду по этому району что они настолько прямой их законы, чтобы соответствовать этой разрешающей способности ко времени, названному".

В 1917 российские рабочие преуспели убегающий из власти(захвата) войны и устанавливающий новое общество. Новое государство(состояние), Советский Союз, стало надеждой на рабочих всюду, и демонстрации Первого Мая в других странах заверяли дружбу и поддержку.

Революции во всем мире, в России, Китае, Корее, Вьетнаме, Кубе, и других, показали, что капиталистическое правило(правление) не было безопасно.

Празднования во всем мире

Демонстрации поддерживают(обслуживают) традицию, начал(запустил) 112 лет назад международным Социалистическим Конгрессом, что первый день Мая должен быть днем борьбы рабочего класса и солидарности во всем мире. 1 мая мировой рабочий класс отображает его силу на демонстрациях и ударах.

Несколько лет назад в России тысячи людей участвовали на демонстрациях и шли по городским проходам с цветами и баллонами. Subbotniki были организованы в школах и офисах. В настоящее время 1 мая - прекрасная возможность людей, чтобы организовать пикник, тратить(проводить) некоторое время под открытым небом или идти в их загородный дом.

В Оксфорде (Великобритания) Утром Мая много пабов являются открытыми от восхода солнца, и некоторые из областей колледжа являются открытыми всю ночь. Мадригалы все еще поются от крыши Башни Колледжа Магдалин, с тысячами сбора на Магдалин Брайддж, чтобы слушать. Традиционно, revelers спрыгнул с моста в Реку Cherwell ниже как часть празднований. Приблизительно сто человек сделали это в 2005. Река, однако, была тогда только три фута глубиной в местах и больше чем половине из тех, кто перешел необходимое лечение.

В сегодняшнем Первом Мае Германии имеет политическое значение, с профсоюзами и сторонами(партиями), использующими этот день для политических кампаний и действий. Однако, Первый Май 2005 в Берлине был наиболее мирным почти через 23 года.

С 2001, Первый Май Евро стал частью празднования от первого мая, стремясь модифицировать политическое содержание традиционного Первого Мая. Сигнал бедствия Евро стремится создавать видимую оппозицию(возражение) против precarization труда и жизни. Первый Май Евро был порожден в Милане, Италии, от того, где это сначала распространялось к Барселоне в 2004 и затем к более чем дюжине городов на всем протяжении Европы в 2005. В 2005, приблизительно 200.000 человека приняли участие в Первом Мае Евро Всей Европы.

В День Рабочей силы Соединенных Штатов, специализированный(выделенный) социально-экономическим достижениям страны, празднован в первый понедельник в сентябре.

Май, 1-ый

Первый Май происходит 1 мая и обращается(относится) к любому из нескольких выходных дней. [1] Во многих странах, Первый Май синонимичен со Днем международных Рабочих, или Днем труда, который празднует социально-экономические достижения рабочего движения. Как день празднования праздник(отпуск) имеет древние начала координат, и это может коснуться многой таможни(обычаев), которая выжила в современные времена. Многие из этой таможни(обычаев) происходят из-за Первого Мая, являющегося днем перекрестной четверти(перекрестного квартала), означая что (в Северном Полушарии, где это почти исключительно праздновано), это падает приблизительно на полпути между весенним равноденствием и летним солнцестоянием.

Самые ранние празднования Первого Мая появились в предхристианской Европе, как в кельтском праздновании праздника костров, и Walpurgis Ночи Германских стран. Много предхристианских местных празднований были в конечном счете запрещены или Обращены в христианство в течение процесса Christianization в Европе. В результате, более светская версия праздника(отпуска) продолжала быть соблюденной в школах и церквях Европы хорошо в 20-ое столетие. В этой форме, Первый Май может быть самым известным за его традицию танца Майского дерева(Агавы) и венчающим из Королевы Мая. Сегодня различные группы Neopagan празднуют восстановленный (к различным степеням) версии этой таможни(обычаев) 1 мая.

День был традиционным летним праздником(отпуском) во многих предхристианских европейских языческих культурах. В то время как 1 февраля был первый день Весны, 1 мая был первый день лета; следовательно, летним солнцестоянием 25 июня (теперь 21 июня) был Разгар лета. В Римско-католической традиции, Май соблюден как месяц Мэри, и в этих кругах Первый Май - обычно празднование Девы Марии. На этом подключении(связи), на произведениях искусства, школьных пародиях, и т.д, головка Мэри будет часто украшаться цветами. Постепенно появляясь популярность, так как конец 20-ого столетия - предоставление, "Может корзины, " маленькие корзины конфет и/или цветов, обычно левых анонимно на порогах соседей.

День международных Рабочих

Первый Май может обратиться(отнестись) к различным трудовым празднованиям, провел 1 мая, которые празднуют борьбу в течение дня восьми часов. Первый Май в этом отношении называют Днем международных Рабочих, или Днем труда. Выбор от 1-ого мая был ознаменованием к Секунде, международной для людей, вовлеченных в 1886 Haymarket дело. Haymarket инцидент произошел в течение трехдневной всеобщей забастовки в Чикаго, Штат Иллинойс, который вовлекал общих(обычных) чернорабочих, ремесленников, торговцев, и иммигрантов. [4] После инцидента, в котором полиция открылась, огонь(пожар) и уничтожил четырех забастовщиков в предприятии McCormick Harvesting Machine Co., собрание называли(вызывали) в течение следующего дня в Haymarket Квадрате(Площади). Случай оставался мирным, все же к концу собрания, поскольку полиция приближалась, чтобы рассредоточить случай, неизвестный противник бросил бомбу в толпу(уплотнение) полиции. Бомба и заканчивающийся полицейский бунт оставили по крайней мере дюжину человек мертвой, включая семь полицейских. Сенсационное испытание показа последовало, в котором восемь ответчиков открыто судили за их политические верования, и не обязательно для любой причастности(вовлечения) в бомбежке. Испытательный вывод к возможному(конечному) зависанию публики четырех анархистов. Haymarket инцидент был источником произвола от людей вокруг земного шара(глобуса). В следующих годах, память о "Haymarket мученики" помнили с различными забастовками Первого Мая и демонстрациями.

Также, Первый Май стал международным празднованием социально-экономических достижений рабочего движения. Хотя Первый Май получил его вдохновение от Соединенных Штатов, американский Конгресс, определяемый 1 мая как День Лояльности в 1958 из-за ассигнования дня Советским Союзом. Альтернативно Трудовой День традиционно происходит когда-нибудь в сентябре в Соединенных Штатах. Некоторое представление(вид) это как усилие изолировать американских рабочих от всемирного семейства. Люди часто используют Первый Май как день для политического протеста, типа миллиона людей, которые демонстрировали против крайне правого кандидата хлопчатобумажной-ткани-Мэри Ле Пена во Франции, или как день для протеста против правительственных действий, типа проиммигрантских(проиммигрирующих) собраний поперек Соединенных Штатов.

Традиционные празднования Первого Мая

Первый Май отмечает конец неудобной зимней половины года в Северном полушарии, и это традиционно был случай для популярных и часто хриплых празднований, независимо от в местном масштабе распространенного политического или религиозного учреждения(влиятельных кругов).

Поскольку Европа стала Обращенной в христианство, языческий отпуск потерял их религиозный символ, Их или morphed в популярные светские празднования, как с Первым Маем, или был заменен новым христианским отпуском как с Рождеством, Пасхой, и Днем Всего Святого. В начале двадцать первого столетия, много neopagans начали восстанавливать старые традиции и праздновать Первый Май как языческий религиозный фестиваль снова.

Англия

Традиционные английские обряды Первого Мая и празднования включают танец Морриса, венчающий Королева Мая и празднования, вовлекающие Майское дерево(Агаву). Большая часть этой традиции происходит от языческой Англо-саксонской таможни(обычаев), проведенной(поддержанной) в течение "Юrimilci-mфnaю" [14] (Старое английское название(имя) в течение месяца Мая, означающего Месяц Трех Откачек).

Первый Май был традиционным днем празднеств в течение столетий. С Христианством прибыл, сельскохозяйственные банкеты подобно Пашут в воскресенье (первое воскресенье в январе), Rogationtide, Собирают Фестиваль и Первый Май. Это больше всего связано с городами и деревнями, празднующими изобилие весенней поры и кутеж с деревенскими праздниками и сборами семейства. С 1-ого мая - Банкет C-Филипа и C-Джеймса, они стали Святыми патрона рабочих. Отбор был закончен этой датой, и было удобно дать свободный день чернорабочих фермы Возможно наиболее значительный из традиций - Майское дерево(Агава), вокруг которого традиционные балерины двигаются по кругу с лентами.

Выходной день Первого Мая был традиционно единственным, чтобы затронуть государственный школьный календарь, хотя новые размещения в некоторых областях, чтобы выровнять длину школьных сроков (терминов, условий) подразумевают, что Хорошая пятница и Пасха в понедельник Выходные дни, которые изменяются из года в год, могут также падать в течение времени срока(термина).

Также, 1 мая 1707 был день, Действие Объединения вошло в силу, присоединяясь к Англии и Шотландии, чтобы формировать Королевство Великобритании.

В Оксфорде, это традиционно для гуляк собраться ниже Magdalen башни Колледжа, чтобы слушать хор колледжа для того, что называют(вызывают), может Утро. Это, как думают, является традиционным для некоторых студентов спрыгнуть из Моста Magdalen в Реку Cherwell. Однако это фактически только было фешенебельное с 1970-ых. В последние годы мост был закрыт 1 мая, чтобы препятствовать людям переходить, поскольку вода под мостом - только 2 фута (61 см) глубоко, и спрыгивание с моста привело к серьезной ране в прошлом все же есть все еще студенты, которые настаивают на подъеме барьеры и прыгающий(подскакивающий) в воду, причиняя рану.

Первый Май работает

Выполненный Первый Май - ежегодный случай, проведенный(поддержанный) в Англии среди стран, которые празднуют их выходные дни в первый понедельник в мае. Это упоминается также как "Первый Май Выполненный" или "Выполненный Первый Май". Случай вовлекает тысячи мотоциклов, берущих 55-мильную (89-километровую) поездку с юга Лондона (основание Блокировок, Farnborough, Кент) к Набережной Гастингса (Гастингс, Восточный Суссекс). Случай имел место в течение почти 30 лет теперь и рос в интересе от по всей стране, и коммерчески и публично. Случай официально не организован; полиция только управляет трафиком, в то время как добровольцы управляют закреплением.

Гастингс заполняется туристами и велосипедами примерно до 11 AM, и A21 от Кента до Восточного Суссекса - дорога путешествие велосипедистов. Однако, этой дороги нужно избежать при путешествии в автомобиле.

Хороший пример более традиционных празднеств Первого Мая все еще засвидетельствуется в Йоте, устойчивой, Кентской, где Джек на Зеленом фестивале был восстановлен в 1976 и продолжает вести ежегодную процессию балерин Морриса через город на Выходном дне Мая. Отдельное возрождение произошло в Гастингсе в 1983 и стало главным случаем в городском календаре. Padstow также держит его ежегодный 'Obby' фестиваль Oss. Традиционный Фестиваль Проекций выполнен по выходному дню Мая в Рочестере, Кент, где Джек В Зеленом пробужден на рассвете 1-ого мая балеринами Морриса.

Корнуолл

Padstow в Корнуолле держит день его ежегодного 'Obby-Oss' празднеств. Это, как полагают, является одним из самых старых обрядов изобилия в Великобритании; revelers танцуют с Oss через проходы города и даже через частные сады граждан, сопровождаемых игроками аккордеона и повторителями, одетыми в белом от красных или синих поясов, кто поет традиционную песню 'Первого Мая'. Целый город украшен растительностью весенней поры, и каждый год тысячи зрителей следят. До 19-ого столетия отличительные празднования Первого Мая были широко распространены всюду по Западному Корнуоллу и были недавно восстановлены в C-. Ives и в 2008 будет восстановлен в Penzance.

Kingsland, Cawsand и Millbrook в Корнуолле празднуют Черный День Принца на выходном дне Первого Мая. Модель судна Черный Принц закрыт(охвачен) в цветах и взят(предпринят) в процессии от Причала в Millbrook к пляжу в Cawsand, где это приведено по течению. Здания в деревнях украшены цветами, и люди традиционно носят красную и белую одежду. Есть дальнейшие празднования в Cawsand Квадрате(Площади) с танцем Морриса, и Может танец полюса.

Шотландия

C-Андрюс имеет подобную студенческую традицию -- некоторые из студентов собираются на берегу(пляже) поздно 30 апреля и сталкиваются с Северным морем в восходе солнца на 1-ом, иногда явном. Это сопровождается процессиями света факела(сумерок) и большим ликующим празднованием.

И Эдинбург и Глазго организовывают фестивали Сигнала бедствия и собрания. В Эдинбурге, Фестиваль Огня(Пожара) праздника костров проведен(поддержан) вечером кануна Мая и в ранние часы Первого Мая на Calton Холме города.