- •Holidays in the uk
- •1. Major uk Bank holidays New Year’s Day
- •May Day
- •Boxing Day
- •2. Major uk religious holidays Christmas Day
- •Epiphany
- •Shrove Tuesday
- •Maundy Thursday
- •Good Friday
- •3. Major uk national holidays St George’s Day
- •St Andrew’s Day
- •Burns Night
- •St Patrick’s Day
- •St David’s Day
- •4. Uk special observances with historical background St Valentine’s Day
- •Mothering Sunday (Mother’s Day)
- •April Fools’ Day
- •Halloween
- •Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night)
- •Remembrance Day
- •Queen’s Official Birthday
- •State Opening of Parliament
- •Glossary
- •Comprehension
- •Further Reading
State Opening of Parliament
The State Opening usually takes place in November or December on the first day of the new parliamentary session. There will also be a State Opening shortly after a general election.
Before every State Opening of Parliament, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars beneath the Palace of Westminster by the light of old candle-lanterns. This precaution has been undertaken every year since 1605, when the "Gunpowder Conspirators" attempted to blow up parliament on the day of the State Opening.
The Queen’s Speech is delivered by the Queen from the Throne in the House of Lords. The speech is given in the presence of Members of both Houses, the Commons being summoned to hear the speech by an official known as Black Rod. In a symbol of the Commons’ independence, the door to their Chamber is slammed in his face and not opened until he has knocked on the door with his staff of office. The Speaker and Black Rod lead the Members of the House of Commons as they walk, in pairs, towards the House of Lords. The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition usually walk side-by-side, leading the two lines of MPs. The Commons then arrive at the Bar of the House of Lords (no person who is not a member of the Upper House may pass the Bar unbidden when it is in session; a similar rule applies to the Commons), where they remain for the speech.
Although the speech is made by the Queen, the content of the speech is entirely drawn up by the Government and approved by the Cabinet. It contains proposed legislation for the next session of the Parliament. Traditionally, the members of both Houses of Parliament listen to the Queen's Speech respectfully, neither applauding nor disapproving of the speech's contents before it is debated in each House. Following the State Opening, the Government’s programme, as presented in the Queen’s Speech, is debated by both Houses. The text is reported in the House of Commons Hansard and the House of Lords Hansard.
Glossary
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appease (v) |
make peace with |
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bagpipe |
wind instrument; the player blows air into a bag and squeezes it out through pipes |
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Bethlehem |
small town near Jerusalem on the west bank of the Jordan River; early home of David and regarded as the place where Jesus was born |
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Cenotaph |
empty tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person who is buried elsewhere |
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commandment |
doctrine that is taught |
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commemorate |
call to remembrance; keep alive the memory of someone or something, as in a ceremony |
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congregation |
group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church |
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frankincense |
aromatic gum resin obtained from various Arabian or East African trees; formerly valued for worship and for embalming and fumigation |
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gluttony |
eating to excess (personified as one of the deadly sins) |
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haggis |
made of sheep's or calf's viscera minced with oatmeal and suet and onions and boiled in the animal's stomach |
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Hansard |
official published verbatim report of the proceedings of a parliamentary body; originally of the British Parliament |
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kelpie |
(Scottish folklore) water spirit in the form of a horse that likes to drown its riders |
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Lent |
period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday |
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leprechaun |
mischievous elf in Irish folklore |
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mint (v) |
form by stamping, punching, or printing |
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miser |
stingy hoarder of money and possessions (often living miserably) |
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myrrh |
aromatic resin burned as incense and used in perfume |
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pad lock |
a detachable lock; has a hinged shackle that can be passed through the staple of a hasp or the links in a chain and then snapped shut |
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Passover |
Jewish festival (traditionally 8 days) celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt |
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peril |
state of danger involving risk |
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pinch (v) |
irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear |
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regiment |
army unit smaller than a division |
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resurrection |
rising of Christ on the third day after the Crucifixion |
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revelation |
enlightening or astonishing disclosure |
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skillet |
pan used for frying foods |
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spunkie |
Scottish: ignis fatuus: light that sometimes appears in the night over marshy ground and is often attributable to the combustion of gas from decomposed organic matter |
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stud |
ornament consisting of a circular rounded protuberance (as on a vault or shield or belt) |
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toil |
productive work (especially physical work done for wages) |
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tweezers |
small pinchers used to pluck out hairs, and for other purposes |
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undaunted |
unshaken in purpose |
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vigil |
devotional watch (especially on the eve of a religious festival) |