British Holidays

I love celebrations because they bring family, friends, and neighbors together and remind us that life should be fun.

Learn about the most celebrated annual occasions in the United Kingdom with this year-long roundup.

Countless celebrations take place annually in the United Kingdom ranging from royal to religious and traditional to modern. This great country has been around for almost 1,000 years and has been influenced by many other cultures that existed before its formation.

Over the course of its long history, a diverse array of rich and vibrant special occasions have developed in the UK, many of which are still enjoyed by modern-day residents each year. Starting in January and going all the way through December, this article lists many of the UK's most widely celebrated holidays, festivals, and special occasions.

The night before New Year's Day, many British citizens watch as the clock tower's minute hand finally reaches midnight. (The tower is popularly but incorrectly known as "Big Ben," which is actually the name of the large bell within it.) At this time, Big Ben (the bell) rings in the new year.

Many people celebrate either by having parties at home or by going out to pubs and partying with friends. Some people also make new year's resolutions, as is customary in the United States and many other countries around the world. In Scotland, it is a common tradition to sing "Auld Lang Syne" at midnight to bring in the new year. If you're unfamiliar with this classic tune, check out the video below.

In Scotland, the New Year's celebration is referred to as "Hogmanay," and it can last through January 2, which is considered a bank holiday. In some parts of England and in Scotland, it is considered good luck if the first person to enter one's home on New Year's Day is a man, while it is considered bad luck if a woman is the first to enter. In a tradition known as "first footing," a male friend enters a friend's home and usually gives a small ceremonial gift.

In the UK, some consider it bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up past the day of Epiphany, so many people choose to take them down on January 5, which is also known as "Twelfth Night." Some people host parties and serve Twelfth Night cakes, which have had one dried pea and one dried bean baked into them. If you are one of the lucky party-goers who receives one of them in your slice of cake, you are crowned "king" or "queen" of the evening.

Epiphany, which occurs the day after Twelfth Night, is a Christian holiday that celebrates the coming of the Magi after the birth of Christ. Some people attend a church service on this day to commemorate the occasion.

Burns Night is celebrated in honor of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759–1796). He is best known for writing the song, "Auld Lang Syne," which is traditionally sung at the stroke of midnight when New Year's Eve becomes New Year's Day. Many Scots celebrate Burns' Night by eating haggis, a savory pudding made from sheep puck and other ingredients, and reading the poet's works aloud with company. One such work, entitled "Address tae the Haggis," is a particular favorite.

In the UK, couples often celebrate Valentine's Day by giving gifts to one another and writing verses of love to be published in newspapers or magazines. Many couples also spend the evening celebrating with a special meal. Occasionally, children send valentines to one another to celebrate friendship.

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in Ireland and other parts of the UK with parades, parties, and general revelry.

While most of the UK doesn't celebrate St. Patrick's Day (though there is a parade and festival in London), it is a very important religious holiday in Northern Ireland that commemorates the life and death of Saint Patrick, a celebrated missionary and the patron saint of Ireland.

The first day of lent is 40 days before Easter, so its starting date varies from year to year. Traditionally, Lent is a period of intense self-denial, but in the modern day, many observers simply give up something they typically enjoy for the duration of the 40-day period.

In Oxfordshire, UK, park rangers host an annual Easter egg roll.

Many people go to church on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Modern celebrations also often include decorating eggs and holding Easter egg hunts, during which eggs are hidden for children (and playful adults) to find.

Much like in other countries, April Fool's Day in the UK is an occasion when it is socially acceptable for people to play practical jokes on one another.

St. George's Day celebrates the life and death of St. George, who is said to have defeated a dragon. Observances typically involve parades, parties, and the flying of flags featuring "St. George's Cross."

May Day, a traditional celebration of spring and fertility, is observed with outdoor picnics and the decoration of maypoles with ribbons and flowers.

The procession performed during the Trooping the Colour ceremony originated in the 17th century CE.

Trooping the Colour is an annual ceremony in which the British army and the regiments of the Commonwealth perform a procession that originated in the 17th century CE and is also known as the "Queen's Birthday Parade."

The Wimbledon Tennis Tournament, often referred to simply as "Wimbledon," is the oldest tennis championship in the world and is considered by many to be the most prestigious. It typically begins on the last Monday in June and lasts for over two weeks.

Like many other places in the world, the UK observes harvest festivals to celebrate the growth of crops on the land.

Much like in the United States, people dress up, bob for apples, and have bonfires on Halloween night. Many attend themed parties, and children occasionally go trick-or-treating. While the modern tradition of trick-or-treating began elsewhere, many assert that Halloween itself has British origins.

On Bonfire Night, revelers celebrate in the streets, watch fireworks, light bonfires, and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes.

Bonfire Night is an annual celebration of the failure of the "gunpowder plot," an attempt to blow up the house of Parliament in 1605. Fireworks are lit at night, and many families also create effigies of Guy Fawkes and burn them in bonfires either in their own back yards or with other members of the community. Since the day is so close to Halloween, many combine the two holidays—some even wear Guy Fawkes masks as Halloween costumes.

St. Andrew's Day is the national day of Scotland. Many Scots celebrate with special dances and festivals, and the Scottish flag is flown throughout the country. A legend states that if women anxious to be married peel an orange at midnight (on the cusp of the 29th and the 30th), they will find the first letter of their future husband's name.

This building in Manchester, UK, turned its windows into a giant advent calendar for December.

Advent spans the first 24 days of December and celebrates the coming of Jesus. Some observe the month using interactive calendars containing a small treat for each day of December leading up to Christmas.

Christmas in the UK is typically celebrated by giving gifts to friends and family and attending a special service at church. Many celebrate the tradition of "Father Christmas" by giving gifts that he delivered during the night. Some families also share in a Christmas feast that involves ham, minced pies, and Yorkshire pudding

At the beginning of the meal, each member of the family crosses arms, and together, they pull Christmas poppers that produce paper hats worn through the meal as well as other trinkets and jokes.

Traditionally, Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, was the day that servants were able to celebrate Christmas, as they were serving their masters the day before. In more recent times, people shop day-after-Christmas sales to celebrate the occasion.

Happy Holidays!