COMENIUS PROJECT 2011-2013

FRIENDS AROUND

MELLISTE ALGKOOL-LASTEAED, TARTU, ESTONIA

ÉCOLES MATERNELLE ET ÉLÉMENTAIRE DE PONT, ÉCHENOZ LA MÉLINE, FRANCE

SZIVÁRVÁNY ÓVODA, SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR, HUNGARY

ISTITUTO COMPRENSIVO DI ATRI, ATRI,

SZKOŁA PODSTAWOWA nr 199 im. JULIANA TUWIMA, ŁÓDŹ,

ESCOLA PAЇSOS CATALANS LLEIDA, CATALONIA, SPAIN

LLANDOGO PRIMARY SCHOOL, WALES, UNITED KINGDOM

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

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MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2

International Music Day

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10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

Castanyada

1st October - International Music Day

The teachers perform songs to children. They sing the songs and play upon flute.

31st October - La castanyada

In Catalonia every autumn, we celebrate a traditional holiday named “LA CASTANYADA”( = The chesnut Day). A long time ago, on 31st October night, families gathered together by the fireplace and told dead people stories, because the All Saints‟ Eve. In this celebration we cook a kind of sweet little cakes (PANELLETS) and toast chesnuts and sweet potatoes. In our school we participate in a Panellets workshop, autumn crafts, and afternoon festival with dances and songs. There are others schools that also cook chesnuts.

This is our PANELLETS RECIPE. Ingredients: 1 kg almond flour 1 kg (or 900gr) sugar. 200 gr boiled potatoe (with the skin). 2-3 lemon (grated). Mix almond flour and sugar. Add the potatoe peeled and a bit hot. Mix again. Add grated lemon to flavour and mix. Make the little balls with your hands. Decorate them with a syrup cherry or almonds or coconut or pine nuts or melted chocolate. Bake them in the over 10minutes, 180° C. Let cool.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3 4 5 6

Guy Fawkes night 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Martinmas S.Martino

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Saint Catherine's day 28 29 30

Advent Andrzejki

5th November - Guy Fawkes Night It is also known as Night and Firework Night. Its history begins with the events of 5th November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Celebrating the fact that King James I had survived the attempt on his life, people lit around London, and months later the introduction of the Observance of 5th November of 5th November Act enforced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot‟s failure.

10th November - St. Martin’s Day (Martinmas) St. Martin‟s Day (Martinmas) is celebrated in Estonia on Nov. 10th. One of the most important and cherished days in Estonian folk calendar. It celebrates the end of the field work and beginning of winter period. On Martinmas Eve, Nov. 9th, children disguise themselves as men wearing dark clothing and masks and go from door to door in a similar way to Halloween trick-or- treating, singing songs, telling jokes and distributing good wishes. In return, they are given small gifts such as nuts, candies, apples, cookies and coins.

11 th November S.Martin In Italy 11th November there is a seasonal event in honour of Saint Martin Bishop of Tours. In the evening, after dinner, families have toasted or boiled chestnuts with some new wine so as so to see if it is ready to drink or not. This event signes also the coming of the winter; infact according to an old legend the last warm sunbites are those we can enjoy during 3 days before or after 11th November. In some little villages in the Abruzzo region, in the evening people gather all together in the centre of the village, usually a square, to cook chestnuts on a big and crackling fire singing and dancing old traditional songs accompanied by a typical instrument called “organetto”. In our Infant school on 11th November we had a typical “castagnata” (chestnut party). The children brought some chestnuts from home and the bus driver helped the teachers to cook them on the fire, in the school garden, while the children were singing some autumnal songs and they were saying some typical poems in Italian and in out dialect. This is our Taralli di San Martino receipe: 1 glass of white wine; 1 glass of olive oil; 1 glass of sugar; a certain amount of flour so as to have a soft mixture. Mix the ingredients all together in a bowl, and when the mixture is ready make some strips, then give them the shapes of big rings. Spread some sugar on and under the big rings. Cook them into the oven for 10 minutes at 180°. After that let them cool.

28th November – Advent

Emotional preparation for Christmas. The candle burns every week from 1 to 4. This period creates warm atmosphere - we beautify the kindergarten with children, and organize playhouse with parents this is handicraft afternoon. After the 4th candle the children get toys as present – this present is not personal this is for group, it will be stay in kindergarten.

29th November – Andrzejki

In autumn, on the eve of St. Andrew‟s Day (November 29th), we celebrate ANDRZEJKI (Andrews). In Poland we believe, that the night before St Andrew‟s Day is the night of magic. Young women can learn who their future husband is going to be, or, with a little help of magic, they can bind a husband to them. So, on the night of November 29th, young women put pieces of paper (on which they have written the name of the boys they like) under the pillow and first thing in the morning, they take one out. The boy whose name they take out on the morning of St.Andrew‟s Day, is going to be their husband. In the evening people throw parties, during which they: pour hot wax from a candle through a key hole into cold water. The shape of the resulting piece is going to be the girl‟s future husband‟s job eat special cakes, inside which they hide names of boys written on slips of paper. The name of the boy a girl gets in a cake, is the name of her future husband. dance, play and have fun! ANDRZEJKI is one of our favourite national celebrations!

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

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5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Santa Claus Faugni

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Saint Llúcia Fair 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Advent St. Thomas’ Wigilia day

26 27 28 29 30 31

6th December - Santa Claus Santa Claus puts present at the window. The present is a pocket of chocolate. The children sing songs and say nursery rhymes for him.

8th December - The Faugni The Faugni (from the Latin “ign is fauns” Faun‟s fire) has a Pagan origin . In ancient time farmers, before the winter , lit fires in honour of Faunuus, the protector of the earth, animals and agriculture. After, with the advent of Christianity, the festival became Catholic, that is the fire meant to purify people from sins. Today in Atri, on December 7th in the evening the priest of the cathedral blesses the fire which will serve to lit the faugni (long burning canes). At dawn on 8th December, the burning canes will be carried along the streets of Atri. The tour will end in the beautiful Piazza Duomo (The Dome Square), where the canes will form a huge bonfire.

13th December - Saint Llúcia Fair People start to prepare Christmas and buy ornaments, trees, mistletoe, holly, wreaths, nativity figures and the “Tió” (a log).

st 21 December - St. Thomas’ Day In the Estonian folk calendar St. Thomas‟ Day marks the beginning of Yuletide. Traditionally, on St. Thomas‟ Day Estonians did a thorough pre-Christmas cleaning of their homes and also killed a pig for Christmas feast. Men started to brew Christmas beer and women started to cook Christmas dishes. Cleaning chores included cleaning hearths and making the whole house tidy. It was called driving Sooty Thomas out. On that occasion in some places a doll was made from old clothes and filled with straw and rags. Then under the cover of night it was carried into another household. If the appearance of Sooty Thomas was not noticed and it was not taken away, then it meant that filth, untidiness and other bad things would befall the household.

Christmas in…

…Catalonia …Estonia

At Christmas, in Catalonia, the main events are: In December all children in Estonia put their slippers the preparation of “El Pessebre” (The Nativity), “El on the window sill. At night the little dwarfs put a Tió” (The Log) and the preparation of the sweet in it. The Christmas tree is in every Christmas meal. household. On Christmas Eve people go to church , have a big Christmas meal (potatoes, meat, black pudding, pickled cabbages, pumpkin salad). In some places Santa Claus comes, to get the present children have to read a poem or sing a song.

…France …Italy

On Christmas Eve, after "Le reveillon" which is At Christmas, in Italy, the main traditions are: a very late supper, the children leave their the crib, the Chirstmas tree, the Christmas shoes by the fireplace or under the popular Mass; after the Mass, families gather to eat the Christmas tree to be filled with gifts from Christmas meal. “Père Noel”. Nearly every French home at Christmastime displays a Nativity scene or crèche which is often peopled with little clay figures called santons or "little saints.

…Hungary …Poland

We have PLAYHOUSE – children, parents and On the last day before Christmas break (22nd teachers together make handmade things for December) Polish children come to school to Christmas. The “Bird Christmas” it is special decorate a Christmas table together, then we activity for animal protection. The children share a holy wafer while wishing each other decorate pinewood with eatable ornaments. merry Christmas, get presents from Santa We are waiting for upcoming Christmas with Claus and have Christmas lunch together. songs, and nursery rhymes. The children get Finally we watch Nativity play prepared by our presents for their class at 4th candle. Drama Group.

…Wales

Christmas for us is a very busy time of year. We celebrate in many different ways. Some events have a Christian ethos and other events are traditional. The youngest children usually perform the nativity in front of the rest of the school and parents. We have at least two Carol Services, where the children sing in the local community. The school year ends with a whole school party and a visit from „Father Christmas.‟

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

2 3 4 5 6 7 1

La Fête des rois

Epiphany 9 10 11 12 13 14 8

WOŚP

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St. Anthony’s day 23 24 25 26 27 28 22

30 31 29

6th January - Epiphany, LA FÊTE DES ROIS Epiphany (la fête des Rois) is the 6th of January, but in France it isn't a bank holiday so we usually celebrated the first Sunday after January 1st. In France people eat gâteau des Rois in Provence (made of brioche) or the galette des Rois (puff pastry with almond cream) in the northern half of France . This is a kind of king cake, with a charm, usually a porcelain figurine hidden inside. This year, Epiphany falls on Friday, January 6, 2012. At school, we made the special cakes called “ galettes des rois” for the king's celebration. Those cakes are round, flat and golden brown. One of the children went under a table and I asked him” Whose part is it?”He gave each first-name of the pupils. The child who gets the piece of cake with the charm becomes "king" for the day; he or she choose a king or a queen. Everybody get a hand made krone with golden drawings. 6th January - Epiphany, In Italy, on January 6th, we celebrate Epiohany. remembers the visit of the Magi to the Holy Child. On Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5th)the Befana, an old woman who looks like a witch, delivers gifts to children throughout Italy in a similar way to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus .

8th January - WOŚP In winter, on the first or second Sunday of January, Polish people celebrate WIELKA ORKIESTRA ŚWIĄTECZNEJ POMOCY - WOŚP for short. The English name of this celebration is The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. it is a one-day long, nationwide, money-raising event. Volunteers from all around Poland go out on the streets and collect money in special cans which are labeled with a red heart and text: Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy Everyone who gives the volunteers any money, gets a red heart sticker in return. During this one day, huge parties are thrown around the country (and at other places where Polish people live). These are organized by volunteers. At 8 p.m. firework show is set in every city as so called 'light to heaven'. Throughout twenty Grand Finales, the Foundation collected over $160 million for cardio-surgery, neonatology, pediatric oncology, kidney diseases, congenital defects, newborns and children under 5 years of age. Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy was founded in 1993 by Jurek Owsiak, who has been its conductor ever since. Jurek is the most famous conductor in Poland. Every year, he plays for WOŚP wearing red trousers, a yellow shirt and red glasses. Thanks to this great man and his wonderful ideas, Poland has become a great power in treating ill children. Jurek says, that his orchestra is going to play till the end of the world and one day longer! And we believe him. Sant‟Antony‟s day January 17 Italians celebrate the Festa di Sant‟ Antonio Abate, feast day of Saint Anthony the abbot. This festival is celebrated throughout Italy but is especially colourful in southern and central Italy. The focus of Saint Anthony's day is usually a huge bonfire, probably because this saint is supposed to protect against skin diseases like shingles, called fuoco di Sant‟Antonio or fire of Saint Anthony in Italy. He's also patron saint of domestic animals so there's usually a mass that includes pets and farm animals. As with most Italian festivals, there may be music and processions, too. The typical pastries are “Uccelletii” that is small birds, they are crisp pastry puffs with a soft filling of grape jam. Their name derives from their shape which resembles a small bird. A sheet of puff pastry is rolled out to a thickness of about half a centimetre, before being cut into squares and spoonful of jam is placed in the centre of each one, the pastry is then folded over to make a triangle. The two opposite corners form the bird‟s head and tail, then the pastries are baked at 160° C for about 20 minutes.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

St. Valentine’s day 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Carnival

27 28 29

14th February - Saint Valentine‟s Day Saint Valentine‟s Day - is an annual commemoration celebrating love and affection. The day is named after one or more early Christian named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High , when the tradition of courtly love flourished. 21st February – Carnival Carnevale, also known as carnival or mardi gras, is celebrated in Italy and many places around the world 40 days before Easter, a final party before Ash Wednesday and the restrictions of Lents. In Italy is a huge winter festival celebrated with parades, masquerade balls, entertainment, music, and parties. Children throw confetti at each other. Mischief and pranks are also common during Carnevale, hence the saying “A Carnevale Ogni Scherzo Vale”, anything goes at carnival. Carnevale comes with an arrays of sweets to be made just for the occasion. Each region has his own recipe and name for it. The typical Abruzzi sweet for Carnival is called Chiacchere, Ingredients: 200 g (7oz) all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 50 g (1 3/4 oz) sugar 1 small glass of dry white wine Oil for frying Powdered .

21st February - Carnival in Hungary In Hungary Carnival as known is “Farsang”. Hungarians celebrate this festivals with food, special carnival doughnuts, as well as with parties and costumes. Carnival season is bringing the fun time for children with masks, rhymes and songs. We decorate the classes with colourful and fun festoons. The teachers organize very playfully programs, and dance house with traditional Hungarian folk music adaptation for children. The children show their fancy dresses to the classmates.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3 4

Dydd Gwyl Dewi 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Father’s The Drowing day of Marzanna

Spring green-branch walk

26 27 28 29 30 31

1st March- Dydd Gwyl Dewi – [English -Saint David‟s Day] It is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales. The date of 1 March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 589. The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century. Children in Wales take part in school concerts or Eisteddfod, with recitation and singing being the main activities. Many Welsh people wear one or both of the national emblems of Wales on their lapel to celebrate St. David: the daffodil or the leek on this day. The association between leeks and daffodils is strengthened by the fact that they have similar names in Welsh, Cenhinen (leek) and Cenhinen Pedr (daffodil, literally "Peter's leek"). Younger girls sometimes wear traditional Welsh costumes to school. This costume consists of a long woollen skirt, white blouse, woollen shawl and a Welsh hat

19th March - Father‟s day In Italy Father‟s day is on 19th March, which is also St Joseph‟s, Jesus‟ father, the saint of the poor, the orphans, the carpenters and the single women. At first it was a public holiday, today it doesn‟t happen anymore, but we continue to celebrate it with greetings cards and gifts. In kindergarten and primary school children make gifts which contain a letter with a poem for their dads, they also learn some songs. In the morning of the festivity the children say the poem to their dads and give them the gift. In some regions, for example in Abruzzi, there is a typical cake called “zeppola di San Giuseppe” (St Joseph‟s donut), it is similar to a large cream puff filled with cream pastry. It can be baked or fried with a cherry on top of it. Families eat the donuts in the midday lunch or dinner.

21st March - The drowing of Marzanna. In Poland, on 21st March, children (usually at school) prepare an effigy of Marzanna. Marzanna is the name of a Slavic goddess associated with death, winter and nightmares. The figure is prepared from various rags and bits of clothing. When the effigy is ready, children carry her to the riverside. Along the way she is dipped in every puddle and pond! After reaching the riverside, children throw Marzanna into the water. This ritual symbolizes the end of winter and the welcoming of spring. Of course, there are a lot of superstitions connected with Marzanna, like for example: You cannot touch Marzanna once she is in the water, You cannot look back at her, If you fall down on your way back home, you‟ll have bad luck! And one more thing! If you don‟t have access to water, you can also burn Marzanna. If you don‟t burn or drown her, spring may not come…

21st March - Spring green-branch walk The” green branch walking” is a parade, with singing and dancing, which was playing before Easter, to welcome the Spring. The children were marching, and singing, 2 children made a gate from green branch and the others got through below this gate.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1

A fool day

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Saint Reparata 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Saint The George’s Independence Day Day 30

1st April - A fool day Let's fool people. On that special day, in a very serious way, you can try to fool others in believing big or small lies. Newspapers, radio are also playing the game. And for the little ones, hanging a beautiful paper fish they made in the back of their teachers, their parents, their friends without them noticing it is great fun.

16th April - Saint Reparata In Atri, on “Monday in Albis”(the first Monday after the Monday of Easter) people celebrate Saint Reparata, the Saint Patron who, in ancient times, saved the town of Atri from an earthquake. This feast is very loved by children, because, on this day, in the centre of Atri, there is a funfair with a lot of attractions. In the morning a mass is held to honour the Saint. In the afternoon, a procession with the silver statue of Saint Reparata starts from the cathedral and crosses the centre of Atri, it is accompanied by a musical band. Later, on midnight, wonderful fireworks take place.

23st April - Diada de Sant Jordi (Saint George‟s Day) St. George's Day ,April 23rd, has been celebrated since 1436. St. George is the patron Saint of Catalonia. In Catalonia St. George's day coincides with the Fair of the Book and the Rose. On this day every man offers a rose to his loved one (wife or fiancée), and in return she gives him a book. The book is in memory of Cervantes (author of "Don Quixote"). And the rose as a symbol of love and the arrival of Spring. On 23rd April, books are sold in the streets on stalls prepared specially for this occasion. Many people take advantage of this day, even though they may not normally be regular readers to buy and enjoy a book. It is one way of encouraging people to read. This is also popular date to launch new novels onto the market and many authors take advantage of the fact in order to promote their latest book. The 23rd April is a date that has been linked to literature and popular traditions. The legend that was born is infamous: St. George fighting the wicked dragon that held the princess captive. Finally St. George kills the dragon and on the spot where the dragons blood was spilled a rose grew as a symbol of love and friendship. It is a day for dancing our traditional dance called “La Sardana”. In our school, during Saint George‟s week we celebrate our cultural week, with activities related to reading, listening stories, talks to parents, Saint‟s George legend plays, roses workshops… On Saint George‟s afternoon, school is open for parents. Children give them a book made of themselves, like a present, afterwards they can read books altogether, also they can exchange personal books.

25th April – Italy Indipendence Day In Italy, on 25th April, people commemorate the liberation of the country by allied troops in the Second World War. The holiday is meant to honour all those who died during the war, in particular, we commemorate the memory of the Italian partisans who have contributed significantly to the liberation of our nation. Every year, In the town of Atri, the City Council organizes a parade that usually starts from our Primary School, it crosses the center of the city and gets to the Memorial Church where a mass is held to honor the fallen of World War II and of the heroic partisans killed. At the end of the Mass, the Mayor gives a speech, recalling the importance of freedom and commemorating the citizens of Atri who fought for freedom in Italy.

Easter in …

…Wales

In school the children join in a variety of activities Easter bonnet parade, egg rolling competition and a egg hunt. The children also make Easter cards. Some children celebrate Easter as a Christian celebration, but most children just enjoy the occasion.

…Poland

For Polish people Easter is the most important public holiday. Among typical Polish Easter traditions you can find: WRITTEN EGGS, which we call PISANKI. We decorate eggs with Polish Easter symbols, then on Easter Saturday we take them to church, where the priest blesses them, and we eat them on Easter Sunday wishing each other happy Easter. WET MONDAY (LANY PONIEDZIAŁEK). On this day we sprinkle each other with water. It brings good luck throughout the year.

…Italy

Like all holidays in Italy, Easter, Pasqua in Italian, has its rituals and traditions. The Monday following Easter, “Pasquetta” is also a holiday throughout Italy. While the days before Easter in Italy include solemn processions and masses, Easter is a joyous celebration. Solemn religious processions are held in many towns on the Friday or Saturday before Easter and sometimes on Easter Sunday. At school we make Easter cards, we decorate eggs and the windows of our classrooms. We prepare little gifts for our families.

…Hungary

Easter in Szivárvány Kindergarten The Easter is one of the favourite feast of children. After a long winter we can wait for blooming spring, and for pleasant weather. We follow the tradition of colouring hard-boiled eggs and giving basket of candy. The kindergarten teachers teach songs and nursary rhymes for this celebrate in advance. So the children are singing, drawing about bunny and Easter all week. The elder pupils can paint eggs, or make the other handicraft things. The children are waiting for the Easter Bunny and they are finding eggs and chocolates in the garden of our kindergarten.

…France

Easter in Echenoz la Méline preschool. Usually, the day before the Easter Week-end, the pupils took part in an Easter egg hunt. They are looking for small chocolate eggs in the playground, they collected them in a basket and then, they shared them very equitably , one by one. They also made some Easter kraft or Spring decoration for their house.

…Estonia

In the Estonian folk calendar Easter is celebrated not only as a great church holiday but also as a Spring holiday to welcome the arrival of the lighter and warmer season. Easter decorations: growing grass in pots on the windowsills and using it as the table decoration for Easter dinner; willow catkins in a vase; coloured eggs and chicks. Traditionally eggs are dyed by boiling them wrapped in the dry outer skin of onions. In every family there is “egg knocking” competition: family members and friends are invited to join a competition: each has an egg and whoever breaks the shell of the competitor‟s egg without cracking his, will be the winner.

…Catalonia

In Catalonia like in the rest of Spain celebrate “La Pasqua” (Easter), but we have diferent vacation days. Children have 8 days holidays and the parents that work have 4 days. The important days are Palm Sunday. Saint Friday, ,Easter Sunday and Bank holiday (Dia de la Mona). With the passage of time Easter traditions have changed, however, we still continue to hold chanters, „romeries‟ [pilgrimages] and „aplecs‟ [gatherings] which celebrate the return of the good weather. The main religious Easter event of Catalonia is the blessing of the palms on diumenge de rams (Palm Sunday). Boys carry long wafting palmons, while girls have graceful palmes woven into intricate designs. Once home, the palms are hung on balconies to ward off evil. Nowadays this tradition isn‟t been followed for the new generations. Also people doesn‟t go too much to the different religious acts excepte the traditional processions along the streets. One of the Easter traditions in Catalonia is that on Easter Sunday the Godfather gives his Godchild "La Mona" a special cake decorate it with , an Easter chocolate Egg (symbol of life and fertility) or other chocolate figure and feathers. In our school the week before Easter holidays, we celebrate the spring day, doing different activities like planting new flowers in our playground, games... From the English classroom we learn Easter poems and decorate the corridor with eggs, chicks , bunnies and flowers. In some schools children learn how to do the Easter cake “La Mona”,

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Saint Rita

28 29 30 31

22nd May - Saint Rita In Atri, Saint Rita‟s feast (19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd May) is very loved by people, because this Saint, in ancient times, did a lot of miracles, giving the health to people seriously ill. On 22nd May, people usually go to the Holy Spirit‟s Church to honor the statue of Saint Rita settled in a gold casket. In this church, a mass is held to honor Saint Rita, moreover it takes place the ceremony of the blessing of roses, flowers dear to Saint Rita. In the evening a procession with the statue of the saint crosses the center of Atri accompanied by three musical bands. On this day musical shows usually take place (with bands). Like Saint Reparata‟s feast, this celebration is very loved by children, because of the funfair hold in the centre of the town and the midnight fireworks.

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

1 2 3

Sport Day Republic Day

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Kupala Saint Night John’s Day

25 26 27 28 29 30

1st June - Sports day It is an event staged by schools which people take part in competitive sporting activities, with the aim of winning trophies or prizes. Schools use a house system where all the children are divided up into 3 or 4 teams. The competition is inter-school, between houses. Games that are played on school sports days can be wide and varied. There are straight forward sprints and longer races for all age groups as well as egg and spoon races. Three legged

races are run as well as sack races and parent and child races.

2nd June – Republic Day 2nd June is the Republic Day in Italy. It is a public holiday to commemorate the 2nd June 1946, when Italians chose, by referendum, they wanted to be a republic rather than to remain a monarchy. A grand military parade is held in central Rome, presided over by the President of the Italian Republici, the Prime Minister and other high officers of state also attend. The protocol of official celebrations provides for the ceremonial laying of a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Vittoriano. The ceremony continues in the afternoon with the opening of the gardens of the Quirinale Palace, seat of the President of the Republic and with musical performances by the band ensembles of the Italian Army, Italian Navy, Italian Air Force, the "Arma dei Carabinieri", State Police, the "Guardia di Finanza", the Penitentiary Police Corps and the State Forestry Corps. 23rd June - Kupala night In Poland, on the night of 23rd / 24th June people celebrate KUPALA NIGHT, known as NOC KUPAŁY, NOC ŚWIĘTOJAŃSKA or SOBÓTKA. On this night, young men jump over the flames of bonfires to prove that they are brave and faithful. Girls float wreaths of flowers often lit with candles on rivers and men capture the wreaths, in the hope of capturing the interest of the woman who floated them. There is an ancient Kupala belief, that the eve of Ivan Kupala is the only time of the year when ferns bloom. Prosperity, luck, discernment and power would befall on whoever finds a . Therefore, on that night village folks would roam through the forests in search of magical herbs and especially the elusive fern flower. Traditionally, unmarried women, signified by their garlands on their hair, would be the first to enter the forests. They are followed by young men. Therefore, consequent to the quest in finding herbs and the fern flower may be the blooming of relationships between pairs of men and women within the forest. 24th June - Sant Joan (Saint John‟s Day)

Since pre-Roman times, the arrival of the summer solstice has been a motive for celebration. We mark this astronomical phenomenon by lighting magical bonfires that “give strength to the sun” and to keep away the spirits that come out in the shortest night of the year. We finish school the 22nd of June ,so we celebrate this festivity with our family and friends in the streets, squares and homes. In Catalonia, the first day of summer (23rd June) it‟s the Festival of Saint John. La “Revetlla de Sant Joan”, also known as la” Nit del Foc I de les Bruixes” (Night of Fire and Witches) is a popular and magical celebration that evokes ancient festivals that honored the sun. We celebrate parties and participate in festivals around a bonfire to commemorate the arrival of summer. The festival fills the night with light, colour and sound, thanks to fireworks and firecrackers that children and adults launch into the sky. Traditionally, the celebrations begin with the lighting of the flame of Canigó, a holy mountain peak in the Pyrenees. From there, the flame spreads down to bonfires, fire pits, and candles throughout the Catalonian regions of Spain and France. There are Some customs during this event. For example, as fire symbolizes purity, and since it is such a big part of the celebrations, it is said that those who burn items in a Sant Joan fire will be cleansed of all past sins, also the brave people jump across the fire. The water of “Sant Joan” is said to be symbolic of healing, and to hold remedial powers which can cure all ailments and illnesses, (a lot of people dip in the Mediterranean sea late night) The “Coca de Sant Joan”, is a traditional Catalan cake, it can be found on every table on 23rd June Eve, and June 24th, the actual day of Sant Joan. It is a sweet flat bread, topped with pine nuts , candied fruits or cream.

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Le 14 Juillet: National Holiday

The national holiday of France takes place on July 14th. It was established by the law in 1880, in reference to double date, that of July 14th, 1789, date of the storming of the Bastille, The royal jail in Paris , symbolic day of the end of the Monarchy and that of July 14th, 1790, day of national union during the Party of the Federation. It is a holiday in France. July 14th gives rise to a parade of the troops on Champs- Elysées of Paris in front of a crowd very numerous and in front of the president of the Republic. Military ceremonies take place in most of the municipalities and in fireworks. Balls or concerts are also organized on July 14th.

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Ferragosto

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Ferragosto Ferragosto is a typical Italian holiday celebrated on August 15th. The term Ferragosto derives from the Latin expression feriae Augusti (Augustus' rest) indicating a festivity set up by the emperor Augustus in 18 BC. The ancient Ferragosto had the purpose of linking the main August festivities to provide a suitable period of rest, also called Augustali, necessary after the hard labour of the previous weeks. During the Roman empire this celebration was for Diana. The Catholic Church celebrates this date to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the real physical elevation of Her sinless soul and incorrupt body into Heaven. Nowadays, Ferragosto is mainly a short holiday. During Ferragosto Italian people have fun thanks to huge tables of “sharing food” they are able to create on the beaches, in the mountains, on the boats with lasagne, grilled fish, mussels and, naturally, a big slice of watermelon added to good company, wines, sun and relax, from moon until midnight. On Ferragosto afternoon, in Atri, people enjoy the traditional parade of wagons, from the fourteenth- century Dukes Acquaviva‟s Palace to the cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in Romanesque- Gothic style. The wagons are painted, pulled by oxen and laden with singing groups and dancers in costume. This parade is one of the most famous summer events of Teramo province and one of the oldest expressions of the Abruzzi folklore.

Last but not least, fireworks on Ferragosto night! Amazing! So think about for next summer … ...Ferragosto, 15th August 2013 in Italy! Buon Ferragosto!