A introduction to some UK Christmas traditions.
Happy Christmas
Advent Calendars
In the UK there are special calendars called Advent calendars that are used to count down the days to Christmas (クリスマスまでの期間に日数を数えるためのカレンダー). Advent = 待降節の期間 – キリストの降誕を待ち望む期間 Traditionally the Advent season begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas day (クリスマスの四つ前の日曜日) and
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween from Hankins English! Modern Halloween has its roots in the Gaelic (ゲール人の) festival of Samhein from Ireland and Scotland. It is festival that marks the end of the harvest season (収穫期) and the beginning of winter. Spirits (霊魂)
Summer in the UK
In the UK the school year ends in July and so the longest holiday of the year is in the summer time – usually about 6 weeks. Because of this many families go on holiday at this time. In the
Mother’s Day/Mothering Sunday
Mother’s Day (母の日) in Japan is celebrated on the same day as in America (the second Sunday in May – 5月の第2日曜日). It was started over 100 years ago as a national holiday to honour mothers (母を祝う). In the UK it
Easter
Wishing you a Happy Easter from Hankins English. Easter (復活祭) is a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus Christ returning from the dead. It is the most important Christian festival and many people who are not Christians also celebrate it as a
Setsubun
Setsubun can be explained in English as the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan or as a kind of New’s Year’s Eve for the old Lunar New Year (旧正月). It is also sometimes described in English as the
Happy New Year from Hankins English
I would like to wish everyone a belated (遅ればせながら) Happy New Year from Hankins English and welcome you to my new blog. New Year in the UK New Year’s Eve is not a public holiday (祝日) in the UK but