Contents

  I. Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

  II. Several kinds of the origin of festivals in English-speaking Countries--------1

  1. Religious and Customary-------------------------------------------------------------1

  1.1 Christmas----------------------------------------------------------------------------2

  1.2 Boxing Day--------------------------------------------------------------------------2

  1.3 Easter Sunday ----------------------------------------------------------------------2

  1.4 Halloween----------------------------------------------------------------------------3

  1.5 New Year's Day -------------------------------------------------------------------4

  1.6 All fool's day------------------------------------------------------------------------5

  1.7 Thanksgiving Day------------------------------------------------------------------5

  2. Memorial--------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

  2.1 For great peoples-------------------------------------------------------------------8

  2.2 For great events--------------------------------------------------------------------10

  3. Brought in by immigrant------------------------------------------------------------11

  Ⅲ.The festivals’ influence on people’s daily life in English-speaking countries.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12

  1.Activities on the festivals' day. ---------------------------------------------------12

  1.1 Christmas party, songs and Christmas Eve dinner --------------------------12

  1.2 Boxing Day sporting events-----------------------------------------------------13

  1.3 Lent during Easter Day ----------------------------------------------------------13

  1.4 Parties and religious observances on New Year's Day ----------------------14

  1.5 Activities associated with Halloween Day ------------------------------------14

  2. Various gifts on festivals -----------------------------------------------------------15

  3. Decorations on festivals ------------------------------------------------------------16

  4. Family gatherings and holiday meals--------------------------------------------17

  Ⅳ The western culture features from the point view of the festivals of English-speaking countries.--------------------------------------------------------------18

  1.The heavy influence on people’s daily life from religion.----------------------18

  2.The culture has an obvious special feature of city-originality-------------------18

  Ⅴ.Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------------------18