Festivals
around the world
Warming up
Spring
Festival
Spring Festival is the traditional Chinese New Year’s Day. It usually falls in early February. And the celebration lasts from the first day to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
when
Why?
In ancient time, a demon(怪物） called “Nian” that lived under the sea world hurt people once a year on the new year eve.

It jumped out from the sea, attacked villages, devoured（吞食） people, animals and plants.

Demon Nian
The villagers gathered to discuss how to deal with “Nian” .Some people said that the demon was afraid of loud noises, red color and flames.
Origin
So they lighted firecrackers, put on red couplets on their gates, beat gongs (锣）and drums to drive “Nian” away. Since then, the custom and tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival were born.
Origin
Write and paste couplets on doors
What?
Set off firecracks
It is said that the evil spirits can be frightened to run away.
Receive Gift Money
Children get money in red paper or envelop from their parents or relatives.
Greet each other
恭喜发财！红包拿来！
watch the Spring Featival Gala /programme
have the family dinner
watch fireworks
Do you know the food in the Spring Festival?
Dumplings
It means in Chinese the beginning of the new year.
年年有余：
Having more than need every year
吉祥如意：
Everything goes well.
Be good! / All the best.
The Spring Festival may take place in February. It is on lunar 1st of January.
At the Spring Festival, people have plenty of food and fruit, and may give children lucky money in red paper.
People studying or working in other cities and countries will look forward to seeing their relatives and friends, so that they will come back and have fun with them.
People ,especially children ,will dress up during the Spring Festival.
On New Year’s Eve, people will have a dinner , watch the Spring Festival programme\Gala, watch fireworks, set off firecrackers
New Year’s Day
Lantern Festival
Women’s Day
May Day
Children’s Day
Dragon Boat Festival
Mid-autumn Festival
National Day
Army Day
Chinese festivals
and holidays
Qiqiao Festival
on the fifteenth day of the new year ( 15th, in the lunar calendar)
lanterns: symbols of good fortune, happiness and health.
“dragon” and “lion ” dances
Lantern Festival
Time:
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month
Lantern show
Lion dancing
Guessing riddles
Dumpling ball
Mid-autumn Festival
Time: on the 15th day of August lunar month
The beauty of the full moon，harvest， time with family and friends
Admire the moon and eat moon cakes
Dragon Boat Festival
On the 5th day of May lunar month
In memory of the beloved poet QuYuan who died in 278 BC
Eat rice dumplings/ zongzi and watch dragon boat races
Ching Ming Festival\ Tomb sweeping Day
In April

The day we remember our dead relatives

Clean graves
October 1
The founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949
Have a short holiday; travel to visit family or to see other parts of China; go shopping
National day
What festivals of foreign countries do you know?
Brainstorming
Christmas
Fool’s Day
Valentine’s Day
Easter
Thanksgiving Day
Mother’s Day
Father’s Day
Halloween
carnival
Mother’s Day
Time: the second Sunday in May
We give flowers and presents to our mothers.
Father’s day
Time: the third Sunday in June
Read the following descriptions about western festivals and guess which festival they tell?
It is one of the most important festivals in western countries.
People usually celebrate it together with their family members.
People send cards or gifts to others.
A kind-hearted old man put the gifts in the stockings for children secretly at night.
Christmas Day
On December 25th
It is the birthday of Jesus Christ
Go to the parties and churches , give cards and presents to our friends and relatives
圣诞节只是基督徒庆祝其信仰的耶稣基督（jīdū）诞生的庆祝日。西方人以红、绿、白三色为圣诞色，圣诞节来临时家家户户都要用圣诞色来装饰。红色的有圣诞花和圣诞蜡烛。绿色的是圣诞树。它是圣诞节的主要装饰品，用砍伐来的杉、柏一类呈塔形的常青树装饰而成。上面悬挂着五颜六色的彩灯、礼物和纸花，还点燃着圣诞蜡烛。 
　　红色与白色相映成趣的是圣诞老人Santa Claus，他是圣诞节活动中最受欢迎的人物。西方儿童在圣诞夜临睡之前，要在壁炉前或枕头旁放上一只袜子，等候圣诞老人在他们入睡后把礼物放在袜子内。在西方，扮演圣诞老人也是一种习俗。
圣诞夜（silent Night / Christmas Eve），又称平安夜，即圣诞前夕（12月24日），在大部份基督教社会圣诞节是重要节日之一。但现在，由于中西文化的融合，已成为世界性的一个节日。
　　圣诞夜传统上是摆设圣诞树的日子，但随著圣诞节的庆祝活动提早开始进行，例如美国在感恩节后，不少圣诞树早在圣诞节前数星期已被摆设。 届时，千千万万的欧美人风尘仆仆地赶回家中团聚。圣诞之夜必不可少的庆祝活动就是聚会。大多数欧美家庭成员团聚在家中，共进丰盛的晚餐，然后围坐在熊熊燃烧的火炉旁，弹琴唱歌，共叙天伦之乐；或者举办一个别开生面的化妆舞会，通宵达旦地庆祝圣诞夜是一个幸福、祥和、狂欢的平安夜、团圆夜。圣诞之夜，父母们会悄悄地给孩子们准备礼物放在长统袜里。
Santa Claus
Read the following descriptions about western festivals and guess which festival they tell?
This festival happens at the beginning of the spring.
Usually most young people are happy on this day.
They send flowers and chocolate or some other gifts to the one they love.
Valentine’s
Day
Valentine’s Day
On February 14th

People send chocolates, roses and cards to the people they love.
Read the following descriptions about western festivals and guess which festival they tell?
This festival happens in winter.
Every family has a feast on this day.
Turkey is the most important food on this day.
People celebrate it to thank God for a harvest in 1620.
Thanksgiving Day
Time: the fourth Thursday in November
parades
Read the following descriptions about western festivals and guess which festival they tell?
This festival happens in spring.
On this day most people are happy.
People can tell lies and play tricks on others without being blamed.
Some people may be fooled but they can not be angry.
April Fool’s Day
Time: on April 1st
Read the following descriptions about western festivals and guess which festival they tell?
Most children are excited on this day.
They would like to dress up as frightening and ugly ghosts or witches.
They wear black costumes or masks.
They would like to knock others’ doors and say, “trick or treat”.
Halloween
Time: October 31st
Carved Pumpkin Lantern
Jack-o’-lantern
在每年的10月31日是西方传统的“鬼节”——万圣节。10月31日是万圣节前夕.通常叫做万圣节前夜.不过这一天的气氛却远不像它的名称那样让人听上去就“毛骨悚然”。每当万圣节到来，孩子们都会迫不及待地穿上五颜六色的化妆服，戴上千奇百怪的面具，提着一盏“杰克灯”走家窜户，向大人们索要节日的礼物。万圣节最广为人知的象征也正是这两样——奇异的“杰克灯”和不请吃就捣乱（不给糖吃就捣乱）——Trick or treat
Halloween Parade(游行）
Halloween is the holiday celebrated on the eve of . It is said that on this eve the would come back in search of to possess for the next year. People will dress in different and parade on the street. Children will knock their neighbors’ door and yelled “trick or treat”. If the hostess don’t give candies, they will rush into the house and .
Fill in the blanks with the information you get.
31st October
spirit
living bodies
costumes
make trouble
In April
It is the time when Jesus Christ died and came back to life.
Eat chocolate eggs
Easter
Easter
on a ______between March 22 and April 25 /
Easter bunnies (rabbits) 复活节兔
Easter eggs (复活节蛋)
Sunday
The first Sunday after the
full moon following a spring
equinox（春分）
White lily
-- purity(纯洁)
Easter is an important religious and social festival in Christian countries.
It celebrates the return of Jesus for Christians and the coming of spring.
Egg hunts
Easter bunny
Easter egg
usually in February
Crazy activities ,
dancing and singing in the street ,parade, colorfulclothing
Carnivals
,
What is the right attitude towards Chinese traditional festivals and western holidays?
Which festival do you like best? Why?
Discuss: