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American Customs and Traditions

Every nation has different customs and traditions, its own way of life.

The population of the United States is made up of people of many nationalities. Their predecessors came to America from different countries, and they brought their native celebrations with them. They all became Americans, but they kept up many traditions of those countries they had come from. That is why the number of holidays in different states of America is different. The so-called legal holidays include Christmas, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and others.

Christmas is a religious holiday celebrated on the 25^th of December. People start sending cards to their relatives and friends early in December. Going home for Christmas is another good tradition. In the morning children hurry to the Christmas tree to look for presents. They hang big colourful socks for Santa Claus to put presents inside. Everybody starts unwrapping presents and thanking each other.

New Year’s Day is celebrated on the 1^st of January but Americans begin celebrating it on the 31^st of December. There are parties and а lot of food. People watch TV programmes together and write New Year’s resolutions.

Martin Luther King Day is celebrated on the third Monday of January. Martin Luther King was a black man who won full civil rights for black Americans.

Memorial Day is on the last Monday of May. On this day Americans honour the memories of their dead relatives.

Independence Day is one of the most important holidays in America. It is celebrated on the 4^th of July. On this day in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia. Americans do not work: they have day-long picnics with their favourite food like hot-dogs, hamburgers, potato salad and others.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. American families gather and spend this day together. The traditional Thanksgiving food is roast turkey, pumpkin pies, cranberry jelly, ham, sweet potatoes, and other delicious food.

Halloween is a holiday celebrated mostly by children and the young. On the 31^st of October they dress as vampires, witches and ghosts and go from house to house saying “trick or treat”. They also carve out rounded eyes in pumpkins and put burning candles inside them to make them visible from far away. People should give them a treat otherwise the children will play a trick on them.

And, of course, no nation can exist without humour. As they themselves say, American must have one wife, two cars, three children, four pets, five suits, six acres, seven credit cards – and is lucky to have eight cents in his pocket.

1. What are the most popular American holidays?

2. When do people start sending Christmas cards?

3. American people write New Year’s resolutions, don’t they?

4. When is Martin Luther King Day celebrated?

5. Is Memorial Day on the first or last Monday of May?

6. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?

7. When is Thanksgiving Day celebrated?

8. How do American families celebrate Thanksgiving Day?

9. When do they celebrate Halloween?

10. In what way do Americans celebrate it?

11. Can Americans exist without humour?

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