Customs and Traditions

There are many customs and traditions in England. And I would

like to tell you some of them. First tradition is called „Wrong

side of the bed“ When people are bad tempered we say that they

must have got out of bed on the wrong side. Originally, it was

meant quiet literally. People belive that the way they rose in

the morning affected their behaivor throughout the day. The wrong

side of the bed was the left side. The left always having been

linked with evil. Second custom is called „Blowing out the

candles“ The custom of having candles on birthday cakes goes back

to the ancient Greeks. Worshippers of Artemis, godess of the moon

and hunting, used to place honey cakes on the altars of her

temples on her birthday. The cakes were round like the full moon

and lit with tapers. This custom was next recorded in the middle

ages when German peasants lit tapers on birthday cakes, the

number lit indicating the person_s age, plus an extra one to

represent the light oof life. From earliest days burning tapers

had been endoued with mystical significance and it was belived

that when blown out they had the power to grant a secret wish and

ensure a happy year ahead. And the last tradition I would like tto

tell you is called „The 5th of November“ On the 5th of November

in almost every otwn and village in England you will see fire

burning, fireworks, cracking and lighting up the sky. You will

see too small groups of children pulling round in a home made

cart, a figure that looks something like a man but consists of an