Music in English-speaking countries

MUSIC
There are different styles of music in different countries where the English language is spoken.

English-speaking countries. USA

THANKSGIVING DAY

Thanksgiving is a holiday in the United States and Canada; it is closely related to European harvest festivals.

The first Thanksgiving was held in 1621. After a good harvest, the Pilgrim Fathers, who had travelled to America aboard the Mayflower, organised a great feast. They also invited their Indian friends, who had helped the Pilgrims through their first year in the New World.

After that first Thanksgiving, the holiday was not observed regularly and not usually in autumn. In 1863, however, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed an annual Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. In 1939, President Roosevelt changed the date to the penultimate Thursday of November to enlarge the Christmas shopping period, which starts after the Thanksgiving celebrations. Not all states followed Roosevelt’s declaration though, and so in 1941 the United States Congress finally decided to celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November (which sometimes is the last, sometimes the penultimate Thursday).

In the United States, Thanksgiving lasts four days now because most people also get the Friday off. The holiday is celebrated with family and friends, and a huge dinner is served in the early afternoon or evening. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner is a roasted turkey served with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans and various pies for dessert.

In Canada, the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1710. For about 200 years, it was held for example when a royal child was born or when a battle was won. It became an annual holiday in 1931 and is now celebrated on the second Monday of October.

English-speaking countries. UK

CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND

In English speaking countries, children don’t get their presents on Christmas Eve (24 December). Santa comes at night when everyone is asleep. Santa’s reindeer can fly and take him from house to house. They land on the roofs of the houses and then Santa climbs down the chimney to leave the presents under the Christmas tree.
In the morning of Christmas Day (25 December), children usually get up very early to unwrap their presents. Then they have plenty of time to play with their new toys.
Christmas dinner is served in the early afternoon. Most people eat turkey and sprouts and a Christmas pudding.
26 December is called Boxing Day. It hasn’t always been a holiday. People used to go back to work on that day where their bosses gave them little Christmas presents in small boxes. That’s why the day is called Boxing Day.