There are eight public (bank) holidays a year in the UK. Originally they were the days on which banks were closed. The observance of these days is no longer limited to banks. Although most of the bank holidays are of religious origin, for the majority of people they are simply days off on which people eat, drink, relax and make merry. Queues at popular attractions are longer than usual.
Some businesses hold big, bank holiday sales events while others shut their doors. The only exceptions are Easter Sunday and Christmas Day when the law requires the large shops to close.
Find in the table below UK Public holidays through 2014. What days do Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday and May Bank Holiday fall on? Match the Holiday with its definition:
Holiday
New Year’s Day
Public Holiday
January 1
January 1
January 3
January 2
January 1
January 1
Good Friday
April 10
April 2
April 22
April 6
March 29
April 18
Easter Monday
April 13
April 5
April 25
April 9
April 1
April 21
Early May Bank Holiday
May 4
May 3
May 2
May 7
May 6
May 5
Spring Bank Holiday
May 25
May 31
May 30
May 28
May 27
May 26
Summer Bank Holiday
August 31
August 30
August 29
August 27
August 26
August 25
Christmas Public Holiday
Dec 25
Dec 27
Dec 27
Dec 25
Dec 25
Dec 25
Boxing Day
Dec 28
Dec 28
Dec 26
Dec 26
Dec 26
Dec 26
(the source: adapted from http://gouk.about.com/od/tripplanning/ig/UK-Public-Holiday-Calendars/England-Wales-Holiday-Calendar.htm )
1. Good Friday – a. the day after Easter Day. The Summer tourist season usually starts on this day
2. Boxing – b. on this day the Church marks the death of Christ
3. May Day – c. ‘Christmas boxes’, or gifts of money are presented to paperboys
4. Easter Monday – d. various outdoor events are held and traditionally May Queen is selected