Guy Fawkes Night

A typical British festival takes place on November 5th. It commemorates the discovery of the so-called Gunpowder Plot, and is widely celebrated all over the country. On that day in 1605 Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. The plot was discovered and the conspirator was executed. The historical meaning of the event is no longer important, but the children of Britain never forget Guy Fawkes.

November 5 is a day on which children are allowed, under proper supervision, to let off fireworks, to make a bonfire and to burn on it a guy made of old clothes, straw and — if possible — one of father's old hats. On the days before November 5, one may see groups of children going about the streets with their faces blackened and wearing some fancy clothes. Sometimes they have a little cart with a guy in it. They ask the passers-by to give them ‘a penny for the guy’. With this money they buy fireworks for the festival.

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*Gunpowder Plot - "Пороховой заговор" (неудавшийся заговор против английского короля Якова I и парламента 5 ноября 1605 г.)

*Guy Fawkes - Гай Фокс (наиболее активный участник "Порохового заговора"; его чучело сжигается 5-го ноября - в годовщину раскрытия заговора)

Remembrance Day

On 11 November people remember the millions of soldiers who died in the two World Wars and in other wars. At one time the day was known as Armistice Day and was renamed Remembrance Day after the Second World War. Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November, which is usually the Sunday nearest to 11 November. Special services are held at war memorials and churches all over Britain.

A national ceremony takes place at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London. The Queen lays the first wreath at the Cenotaph. Wreaths are laid beside war memorials by companies, clubs and societies. People also leave small wooden crosses by the memorials in remembrance of a family member who died in war.

At 11am on each Remembrance Sunday a two minute silence is observed at war memorials and other public spaces across the UK. The "Last Post" is traditionally played to introduce the two minute silence in Remembance Day ceremonies. It is usually played on a bugle.

Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day, because it is traditional to wear an artificial poppy. On that day poppies - a symbol of mourning, are traditionally sold in the streets everywhere, and people wear them in their buttonholes. They are sold by the Royal British Legion. The money collected in this way is used to help war veterans.

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*Remembrance Day - поминальное воскресенье (в Великобритании - день памяти погибших в Первую и Вторую мировые войны; отмечается в воскресенье, ближайшее к 11 ноября, дню заключения перемирия в 1918 г.)

*Second World War - Вторая мировая война (1939-1945 гг.)

*Cenotaph – [´senətɑ:f] 1) кенотаф (символическая могила, не содержащая тела умершего; сооружался в том случае, когда прах покойного оказывался недоступным для погребения) 2) памятник неизвестному солдату

*Whitehall - Уайтхолл (улица в Лондоне, на которой расположены правительственные учреждения); правительство Великобритании

*‘Last Post’ – воен. сигнал отбоя