English Traditions

English Traditions. 

London has preserved its old traditions to a greater extern than any other city in England. Most of these traditions have been kept up without interruption since the thirteenth century.

Foreigners coming to London are impressed by quite a number of ceremonies, which seem to be incompatible with the modern trafficand technical conditions of a highly developed country. Uniforms are rather characteristic of this fact. When one sees the warders at the Tower of London with their funny hats and unusual dresses with royal monograms, one feels carried back to the age of Queen Elizabeth I.

Even in the unromantic everyday life of Enlish businessmen we can see the same formal traditions. In the city of London there may be seen a number of men in top-hats. These are the bank messenger who had to put on these hats according to traditions. The same traditions makes the Eton boys (the boys of Eton College which was founded in 1440 by Henry VI) put on a silk hat, a very short jacket and long trousers.

All of you, of course, have seen English films and noticed official black dresses and white wigs of judges and advocates, though wigs have not been used for nearly two hundred years in other countries.

One of the most impressive and popular ceremonies is “Changing the Guard”, which takes place at Buckingem Palaceevery day, including Sunday, at 11. 30. The uniform of the guards is extremely coloured- red tunics, blue trousers and bearskin caps, and they alwaysattract London sightseers.

Another formal display is the “Ceremony of Keys” which takes place every night at 9. 53 p. m. when the Chief Warder of the Tower of London lights a candle lantern and carrying the keys makes his way with the Escort to the gates of the Tower and locks them. This ceremony takes place every night without interruption. It is said that on the night of April 16, 1941 air bombing stopped the ceremony, knocking out members of the Escort. Despite this the duty was completed.

There is a very interesting custom in England. Maundy Thursday is the last Thursday before Easter. The Bible says that on this day Christ was had his pupils feet. In England this custom goes back to the 13 th centhury. At that time kings and queens gave money to poor people. Now on Maunday Thursday the Queen goes to Westminster Abbey and gives Maunday money to poor people. The number of people chosen depends on the Queens age. The Queen gives each person a red purse and a white purse. The white purse contains coins which have been specially made for the occasion. The red purse contains money for food. The people chosen are usually old and it is a great honoour to be present in the line when the Queen gives Maunday money.

Easter is the greates of all Christian holidays. It celebrates the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. The church is decorated with spring flowers. Favourite Easter dishes in England are: lamb, veal, chiken, pies, cheese, cakes. But the most famous emblem of the festival is the Easter egg. Easter egg is a symbol of new life, of spring. It was a tradition in old England to boil eggs in onion skins and after that to hide them some here for an egg hunt. Parents hide them some where in the house and in the morning children hunt for them. They believe that the Easter bunny brings the eggs to the house. Every day of the Holy week has its specific traditions and customs.