Holidays make our life brighter and more interesting. They have different meanings and their own history. During our holidays we can have some fun and just relax. Since my childhood one of my favourite holidays has been New Year’s Day.
New Year’s Day is the best time for me to spend with my family in the magical and festive atmosphere, with delicious food. Schoolchildren love this time because it’s a great start оf their winter vacation. When I was a small child I wrote letters to Father Frost and asked him for some sweets and a toy as a present. I also painted New Year greeting cards and put them under my parents’ pillows.
We usually start getting ready for the New Year’s Day in advance: we prepare presents, buy muсh food and decorate our house and the New Year tree. We also go shopping to find some nice clothes because it’s a good tradition in our family to celebrate the New Year’s Day in new clothes.
My mother always holds a real feast: she makes lots of salads, meat dumplings, cooks chicken with vegetables and bakes fruit tarts. They all taste fantastic. We watch entertaining programmes on TV and set off firecrackers in the yard. Sometimes we go to the central square to watch colourful carnivals, concerts and fireworks. Adults also have a ten-days’ holiday and it gives them a chance to visit their relatives and friends and enjoy the time together. We also have enough time to travel, indulge in sports and other hobbies.
I really enjoy New Year’s Day and every year I look forward to celebrating it with my family.
he United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and above five thousand small islands. Their total area is over 315 000 square kilometers. The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively.
The British isles are separated from the European continent by the North Sea and the English Channel. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called Highlands, while the south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called Lowlands. The north and west of England are mountainous, but all the rest - east, center and southeast - is a vast plain. Mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain. (1343)
There are a lot of rivers in GB, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one.
The UK is one of the world’s smallest countries. The population of the country is over 87 million and about 80% of it is urban. The UK is highly developed industrial country. It’s known as one of world’s largest producers and exporters of machinery, electronics, textile, aircraft and navigation equipment. The UK is constitutional monarchy. In law, the Head of State is the Queen, but in practice, the Queen reigns, but does not rule. The country is ruled by the elected government with the Prime Minister at the head. The British Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
There are three main political parties in Great Britain: the Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal parties. The Liberal party is the ruling party nowadays.