New Year's Eve in the United Kingdom

December 31 is known as Hogmanay in Scotland and New Year's Eve in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is the
last day of the year, according to today's calendar, the Gregorian calendar.

What Do People Do?

Many people spend most of December 31 quietly. They may spend time outdoors, reading the reviews of the last year in
newspapers or resting in preparation for the New Year's Eve parties that begin in the late afternoon or evening. People
who host parties may spend a large part of the day preparing food and arranging drinks. In the evening, New Year's Eve
parties usually go on for many hours, well beyond midnight. Some, particularly young people, may choose to spend the
evening in pubs, clubs or discos. Although there are many who celebrate the event responsibly with moderate amounts
of alcohol, some celebrate the event with large amounts of alcohol, which can lead to fights and other acts of
foolishness in the early hours of the morning.

Just before midnight, people turn on a radio or television to see the countdown of the last few minutes of the old year
and the display of fireworks just after midnight. At this point, people often hug and kiss each other, even strangers, and
many start singing Auld Lang Syne, a poem written by Scottish poet Robert Burns. In Scotland, the Hogmanay
celebrations may last for one or two more days, as both January 1 and 2 are bank holidays. In the rest of the United
Kingdom, only January 1 is a bank holiday.

In Scotland and some parts of northern England, people may spend the last few hours of December 31 preparing to be
or receive first-footers. The first person to cross the threshold of a house after the start of the new year is a first-footer.
First-footers are usually men and in different areas have different physical characteristics, such as blond or dark hair,
bring different kinds of luck to the household in the coming year. They bring gifts, such as whiskey, shortbread, coal and
fruit cake, which are then shared among all of the guests.

Public Life

December 31 is not a public holiday. However, schools are closed for the Christmas holidays and many people have a
day off work or leave earlier than usual. Stores and post offices are generally open, but may close earlier than usual.
Public transport systems may run to their usual schedule, but they may have a reduced service or close down totally in
the late afternoon or evening.

In some big cities, public transport services resume services around midnight to enable people attending large scale
events to return home safely. Entrance to pubs, clubs and discos may be by invitation or a pre-booked ticket only. Major
train and bus stations may be congested as many young people travel to spend New Year's Eve and Day with friends.

Background

Midwinter celebrations have been held by the people of the British Isles since ancient times. These often included
parties, special food and large fires to "tempt" the Sun to return. After the introduction of Christianity, some aspects of
these were included in celebrating Jesus' birth at Christmas. However, this was resisted by the Scottish Presbyterian
church. For this reason, Hogmanay was the main winter festival in Scotland until the 1970s. Both Christmas and
Hogmanay are now celebrated in Scotland.

Symbols

One of the most widely known symbols of New Year's Eve is the image of the Clock Tower at the Palace of Westminster,
in London, counting down the last minutes of the old year. The first chimes of Big Ben, the bell housed in the Clock
Tower, in the new year are broadcast live on radio and television. This is followed by a spectacular fireworks
performance, often centered on the London Eye, which is claimed to be the largest Ferris wheel in Europe.

New Year's Day - January 1

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The night before New Year's Day, many British citizens watch as the clock tower's (incorrectly known as "Big Ben" -
which is actually the name of the bell within the tower) minute hand finally reaches midnight. At this time, Big Ben rings
in the new year. Many people celebrate by either having parties at home, or by going out and partying with friends.
Many people also make new years resolutions (as is customary in many other countries in the world). In Scotland, a
common tradition is to sing 'Auld Lang Syne' at midnight to bring in the new year.

¿Cómo se celebra año Nuevo en la Argentina?

En la Argentina Año Nuevo se festeja en familia al igual que la Navidad. Por lo general los parientes se reúnen en una
casa y cada uno lleva una comida particular. El 31 de diciembre es verano en la Argentina y hace mucho calor, (las
temperaturas oscilan entre 30 y 40 grados) por lo que se sirve comida fría. Las comidas típicas son: el lomo frío, el vitel
toné, las tartas, la ensalada de papa y huevo y en algunos casos el pavo. Algunas familias eligen el asado o el lechón a la
parrilla, pero no es tan común. Se toma mucho alcohol: cerveza, champagne y licores preferentemente.

¿Cómo se celebra año nuevo en la Argentina? Antes de la cena se sirve la picada, que es tradición en el país. En una
tabla de manera se sirven quesos de distintos tipos, jamones, salamines y papas fritas. Se acompaña con pan comprado
especialmente en la panadería ese día.

Luego de la picada y alrededor de las 10 de la noche, se sirve la cena. En las familias católicas, que son muchas en la
Argentina se reza y se bendice la mesa.

¿Cómo se celebra año nuevo en la Argentina? La vestimenta para año nuevo es indistinta. Pero en los últimos años
muchas mujeres se visten de blanco, imitando una tradición Brasilera. Es normal que muchos argentinos pasen el año
nuevo fuera del país. Generalmente la gente de alto poder adquisitivo viaja a Punta Del Este, una ciudad balnearia de
Uruguay, que año a año cobra relevancia. Otros se van a las playas de Brasil.

Luego de la comida viene el postre que puede ser helado (nunca falta el helado de dulce de leche) o alguna torta. Junto
con el postre se come el turrón y los frutos secos como avellanas y nueces.

¿Cómo se celebra año nuevo en la Argentina? El brindis se realiza a las doce en punto mientras se grita: ¡Feliz año
nuevo! No es tradición dar un beso como en Estados Unidos, simplemente se chocan las copas de champagne o sidra .
Mientras se brinda se debe brindar a los ojos. A las 12 comienzan los fuegos artificiales y los petardos, que también son
tradición en la Argentina.

5. Fin de año con amigos

La nochebuena y la navidad generalmente se celebran en familia, con la cena en nochebuena, y con visitas a familiares
el día de navidad. Pero fin de año no se considera una celebración familiar tan íntima, por lo cual los jóvenes prefieren
salir a bailar, irse de viaje, y así recibir el año nuevo rodeados de amigos o en medio de un nueva aventura.

No importa cómo sea la celebración, lo importante es recordar que el espíritu navideño se trata de compartir, disfrutar
y aprovechar buenos momentos con nuestros seres más queridos. Busca los vuelos de ese destino que siempre has
querido conocer y disfruta de la magia de la navidad. ¡Felices fiestas!

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VALENTINE'S DAY IN THE UK - FEBRUARY 14TH

THE ORIGINS OF VALENTINE'S DAY

One story of the origins of Valentines Day comes from the time of the Roman Empire, under the rule of Emperor
Claudius the Second. Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular military campaigns. Claudius the Cruel, as he
was known at the time, was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that Roman
men did not want to leave their lovers or families. As a result, he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.

During this time a Christian priest named Valentine came to defend love in the empire. Valentine began to secretly
marry couples despite the emperors orders. When Emperor Claudius was informed of these ceremonies, Valentine was
sent to prison where he remained until his death on February 14 in the year 270.

The festival is like Christmas a combination of both pagan ritual and a Christian tradition. Another, more gruesome,
story of its origins is that St. Valentine helped Christians flee the city of Rome during the persecutions, he was tortured
to make him renounce his faith and clubbed to death, then beheaded (which seems a bit of overkill) on February 14 AD
273.

It is also linked to the pagan festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on February 15 by young Romans centuries
before Christ. The celebration was held in honour of the goddess Februata Juno, and concerned all young people of
marriageable age. The names or tokens representing all the young girls in the district were placed in a love urn and the
young lads each drew a token and the couples paired off. This was a kind of mating lottery game. During the Roman
occupation of Britain, the idea was brought to this country and adopted by the ancient Britons. When people were
converted to Christianity the pagan and Christian festivals were merged; the festival of Lupercalia was put back a day
and celebrated on St. Valentine's day, February 14. The old pagan customs still continued and in Britain up to the
beginning of the present century it was customary for local lads and lasses to draw lots for partners. In Lancashire, on St.
Valentine's eve, the names of eligible young people were written on separate slips of paper and divided into two groups,
male and female. The boys drew a slip from the girls' pile and vice versa. Thus each person received two sweethearts
and then had to work out for themselves the most satisfactory arrangement. After the final selection had been made
the boys treated their maidens to all sorts of outings and surprises including dances and gifts.

Cards and gifts

In Saxon England and after, on St. Valentine's day it was customary for a boy to give the girl of his choice a love token,
usually a pair of gloves. The glove was a sign of authority in olden times. In Norwich, years ago, it was the general
custom to give presents on St. Valentine's eve and packages containing all kinds of gifts were laid on doorsteps all over
the city. They were anonymous and usually just bore the message "a Good-morrow to you Valentine". It was normal
practice to ring or knock on the door after depositing the package and then disappear. Some parcels contained valuable
presents while others were given as a kind of joke, being wrapped in many layers of paper punctuated at intervals by
little notes of encouragement such as "Never despair".

It was not until the 15thC that the first greeting card was produced because, until that time, parchment was scarce and
the majority of people were illiterate. The forerunner of the paper Valentine was first seen in the 17th C and the first
printed Valentine may have been the title page of a book of verses published in 1669 entitled A Valentine Writer. With
the introduction of the penny postage and the use of envelopes in 1840 the popularity of the Valentine card increased.
The Valentine card took on a much more delicate form in Victorian times. It was often made out of lace paper, velvet
and satin ribbons, embossed with the best quality material. These cards often had trick or secret panels in them, hiding
secret messages to the girls concerned. Messages were also often hidden under folds of lace or ribbons. This was
because Victorian fathers were very strict and would not allow their daughters to receive any sort of correspondence
unless they had first read it and decided whether or not it was suitable. Later the traditional card printed its love
messages in the form of a verse similar to those repeated by people centuries before.

In 1872 the Post Office declared that parcels not exceeding 12 ounces in weight could be sent by letter post. This news
meant that in Norwich alone two days before St. Valentine's eve 150,000 letters containing small gifts were sent

3
through the post. From that time, the custom of leaving presents on doorsteps decreased in importance. However,
giving Valentine presents in Norwich continued through the purchase of gifts for the office, domestic and personal use.
Local papers advertised, wall placards advertised and the town criers, too, advertised by ringing bells and shouting the
advantages of buying gifts at certain local stores. The presents sent in a secret manner included oranges, work boxes,
squeaking dolls, silver pencils and holders, books and various trinkets. In other parts of Britain, presents were also
distributed: in Peterborough, sweet plum buns called Valentine Buns were made and eaten; in Uppingham, gingerbread
was given to lovers; in Rutland, buns shaped like a weaver's shuttle and called a Plum Shuttles' were made and are still
being made for children on this day. Weaving and lace-making were cottage industries in that area. The aristocracy, in
the 17th C, often drew names for Valentines and the pairing lasted until the next Valentine day. Gifts were expected by
the ladies and often expensive gifts such as silk stockings, garters, jewelry and perfume were given.

The censorship of strict Victorian fathers and the element of mystery and surprise experienced by those who in former
times played the lottery pairing game has undoubtedly contributed to the reason why Valentine cards are, by tradition,
anonymous. The custom of sending Valentine cards almost came to an end in the early part of the present century.
However, in the thirties it was revived and has now been highly commercialised. The early hand engraved and painted
Valentine cards are collector's items and are often displayed in libraries and museums during the season of Valentine's
Day.

Gifts have always been a traditional aspect of the lovers' holiday. As a tradition in Wales, wooden love spoons are
carved and given as gifts. Hearts, keys and keyholes are favorite decorations on the spoons, meaning "You unlock my
heart."

Today Valentine's cards are sent anonymously by a 'secret admirer', a common practice is to put a personal message in
the local or national newspapers.

Flowers are the most common gift given, a dozen red roses or (more romantically and cheaper) just one red rose.
Allegedly it was Charles II of Sweden, in the 18th century, who introduced the idea of flowers symbolizing emotions, and
the red rose was singled out for love. The number of roses has significance too:-

1 rose = love

12 (a dozen) = gratitude

25 = congratulations

50 = unconditional love

Today, red roses stand for passionate love, pink roses for friendship, white for purity, and both red and white mean
unity, or if you are a certain nurse in Shropshire "blood and bandages". Oh and make sure your red rose is a nice bright
red, dark red roses are a symbol of death.

It is just as common for a woman to send a man a message of undying love, especially during a leap year, and on
Valentine's Day in a leap year it is the custom for women to ask their boyfriend or partner to marry them! So watch out!

Superstitions

Several Valentine's Day superstitions have even made their way into our modern-day vocabularies. For example, in the
Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear
these names on their sleeves for one week, and "to wear your heart on your sleeve" now means that it is easy for other
people to know how you are feeling.

Other Valentine's Day superstitions revolve around predicting who you're going to marry. Some people used to believe
that the first bird a single woman saw on Valentine's Day would give her an indication of the kind of man she'd marry. If
a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she
would marry a poor man and be very happy. And if she witnessed a goldfinch flying above, she would marry a
millionaire. I dread to think what it would mean if you saw a vulture, luckily they're not common round these parts.
These superstitions probably come from the belief that birds, particularly lovebirds, began to mate on February 14th.
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Although not directly related to Valentine's Day, similar modern-day superstitions deal with love and predicting future
marriage partners. According to tradition, thinking of five or six names of boys or girls one may like to marry and
twisting the stem of an apple until it falls off will reveal a future spouse. The person whose name was being said when
the stem fell off is the future winner of a set of marriage vows. The number of children a person will have can also be
superstitiously predicted by blowing the seeds of a dandelion into the wind. The number of seeds remaining on the
stem reveal the number of children the person will have.

VALENTINE'S DAY CONTROVERSY

Valentine's Day has become a popular celebration in many parts of the world. I mean, who wouldn't want to celebrate
love and marriage? Unfortunately not everyone is happy about this. Every year the fun police in many parts of the world
issue warnings and edicts to young people who wish to celebrate this "Pagan Christian ritual". Thank goodness my vicar
never warned me against the sins of celebrating Diwali, the Chinese New Year or Eid. Just remember, keep safe, and you
can celebrate it in your heart.

Symbols

Cards

Chocolates

Engagements and
Proposals

Flowers

Gloves

Hearts

Letters

Love Spoons

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue.
Poetry
Sugar is sweet,
And so are you."

Red roses

Ribbons

If all this talk of romance has inspired you to write your own love sonnet, you can send your sweetheart a Valentine's
Day card using one of the many free card services out there.

Día de San Valentín en Argentina | Día de los Enamorados, San Valentín

DÍA DE LOS ENAMORADOS / LAS PAREJAS CELEBRAN MAÑANA SU DÍA, Y CON DIFERENTES PROPUESTAS REIVINDICAN EL
AMOR Y LOS BUENOS SENTIMIENTOS. NO FALTARÁN LOS PRESENTES Y LAS CENAS ROMÁNTICAS.

El día de SAN VALENTÍN, una celebración tradicional en países anglosajones, tiene cada vez más adeptos en la Argentina
que ya la consideran una fecha instalada en el calendario local y donde las parejas aprovechan la ocasión para validar su
amor.
En el país, los 14 de febrero las parejas celebran el DÍA DE LOS ENAMORADOS y mañana aprovecharán la ocasión para
organizar algún festejo.

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Un estudio realizado por la tienda online Linio reveló que el 75% de las parejas planeaba comprar regalos para festejar
San Valentín.
El 24% de los encuestados aseguró que prefiere la ropa y el calzado como regalo para esa fecha, mientras que el 20% se
inclinó por los obsequios más clásicos: flores y bombones. El 15% dijo perfumes nacionales y productos de cuidado
personal, el 12% prefiere pequeños productos tecnológicos, 10% libros, 5% lencería, entre otros.
Según el estudio los hombres son los que más gastan (60 por ciento) frente al gasto de las mujeres.
Gadgets de tecnología como celulares, audífonos o smartwatches, por un lado, y ropa y perfumes, por el otro, con el
31% y 25%, respectivamente, figuran entre los regalos preferidos para recibir.
Según datos de la empresa, los productos más vendidos son accesorios como Smartwatches y relojes en un 86 por
ciento, seguido de perfumes en un 14 por ciento con el Sublime de Carolina Herrera y el Euphoria de Calvin Klein como
los más populares.
La encuesta fue realizada a 1.700 personas, hombres y mujeres, entre 18 y 40 años, pertenecientes a la provincia de
Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Mendoza, Salta, Jujuy y Neuquén.

Alerta: Besos
Besarse en la boca es una de las formas más comunes de expresar amor, pero seguramente, las parejas ignoren que
únicamente con un beso de diez segundos pueden compartirse hasta 80 millones de bacterias.
Algunas de esas bacterias son necesarias para el correcto funcionamiento del organismo, pero otras, como las causadas
por una mala higiene bucal, pueden generar halitosis, más comúnmente conocido como mal aliento.
Este problema, en el 90 por ciento de los casos se produce por la descomposición de bacterias en la cavidad bucal o
enfermedades en las encías.

St Patrick's Day in the United Kingdom

St Patrick's Day occurs on March 17. It is a national holiday in Ireland and commemorates one of its patron saints, St
Patrick. In the United Kingdom, it is celebrated in Irish pubs and in cities, such as Nottingham and London where many
people with an Irish background live.

The color green and images of the clover are often seen on St Patrick's Day.©iStockphoto.com/donna rae moratelli

What Do People Do?

March 17 is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland. The degree to which people celebrate St Patrick's Day varies according
to their religious and political affiliations. Those, who believe that Northern Ireland should remain part of the United
Kingdom, do not generally celebrate the day. Those, who believe that Northern Ireland should become part of a United
Ireland often celebrate St Patrick's Day. A large parade is held in Belfast but the level of public funding it receives
depends on which political parties control the local council.

March 17 is just a normal day for many people in England, Scotland and Wales. They go to school or work as normal,
and do not hold or attend any special events. Some may go for a drink in their local Irish pub at lunch time, after work or
in the evening. However, in some towns and cities, particularly those with large Irish populations, parades and other
large scale events are organized.

A weekend of celebrations is organized in Nottingham. These include a parade, children's workshops, an arts festival
and performances by well-known Irish musicians. There is also a parade, attended by many thousands of people in
Birmingham. An Irish festival lasting three days is held in Liverpool.

A whole week of celebrations is organized around St Patrick's Day in London. These include a parade and a festival held
close to, but not always on, March 17. The parade visits Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden and the festival are held in
Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Together, the parade and festival allow people to experience
many aspects of Irish culture including food, crafts, dance and music.

Public Life

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St Patrick's Day is not a public holiday in England, Wales or Scotland. In these three parts of the United Kingdom,
schools, stores, businesses and other organizations are open as usual. Public transport systems run to their normal
timetables. Local events, such as parades, can cause some local disruption to traffic. If you think this may affect you, it is
a good idea to check the local press for details.

St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland. Schools and many organizations are closed. Stores and other
businesses may be open or closed. Public transport systems may run on holiday timetables. There may be some local
disruption to traffic due to parades or other events. The bank holiday falls on the following Monday if March 17 falls on
a Saturday or Sunday.

Background

St Patrick is one of Ireland's patron saints. He is believed to have died on March 17 in or around the year 493. He grew
up in mainland Britain, but spent time in Ireland as a young man and later as a missionary. According to popular legend,
he is buried under Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, County Down, and banished all snakes from Ireland. However, it is
thought that there have been no snakes in Ireland since the last ice age. The “snakes” that St Patrick banished from
Ireland, may refer to pagan worshipers of snake gods.

The date of St Patrick's Day is fixed as March 17. It is occasionally be moved by the authorities of the Catholic Church.
This happened in 1940, so that the celebrations would not fall on Palm Sunday, and in 2008 to avoid Holy Monday, the
last Monday before Easter Sunday. These changes do not often affect non-church celebrations. In particular, the bank
holiday in Northern Ireland is still held on March 17 or the Monday afterwards if March 17 falls on a Saturday or Sunday.

St Patrick's Day was originally a religious occasion to mark the life and work of St Patrick. In 1903 it became a public
holiday in the whole of Ireland. Pubs were not allowed to open on March 17 until the 1970s. It is only recently that St
Patrick's Day has become a secular holiday.

¿Por qué celebramos San Patricio en Argentina?

Hoy 17 de marzo festejamos esta famosa tradición irlandesa en la que se vive una gran noche de festejos en varias
ciudades argentinas.

Aunque es una celebración irlandesa, la realidad es que cada 17 de marzo se festeja en distintas partes del mundo y es
una buena excusa para tomar cerveza sin parar.

Se trata de un festejo en honor a San Patricio, el patrón de Irlanda, que murió un día como hoy en el año 461. Este
hombre fue un sacerdote que, luego de vivir varios años como esclavo, se escapó y volvió a su país a evangelizar a sus
habitantes.

En otras palabras, se trata de una festividad religiosa que se terminó desvirtuando en la década del 70, cuando pasó a
ser una fiesta nacional de Irlanda y el festejo se trasladó a la calle, con alcohol incluido.

Lo que muchos nos preguntamos es: ¿Por qué celebramos esta fiesta en distintas partes del mundo, incluida
la Argentina?.

La respuesta es simple. Muchos emigrantes y descendientes de irlandeses comenzaron a llevar esta tradición por el
mundo. En nuestro país, la inmigración irlandesa fue muy numerosa, lo que llevó a que se generaran miles de
comunidades.

Incluso, varios de nuestro patriotas que se establecieron en 1800 en Argentina tienen ascendencia irlandesa. De esta
manera, San Patricio, o también conocida como Saint Patrick, se celebra hace muchos años en ciudades como Buenos
Aires, Rosario, Mar del Plata y Mendoza.

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Los típicos bares irlandeses que invaden las ciudades abren sus puertas para salir a la calle y festejar con mucha cerveza
en mano. Además, la embajada de Irlanda realiza un desfile de la comunidad en la ciudad de Buenos Aires.

Halloween in the United Kingdom

Halloween is an observance annually celebrated on October 31. Some people hold Halloween parties on or around this
date, where the hosts and guests often dress up as skeletons, ghosts or other scary figures. Common symbols of
Halloween include pumpkins, bats and spiders.

Witches' hats and carved pumpkins symbolize Halloween.©iStockphoto.com/Nikolay Suslov

What Do People Do?

Halloween celebrations in the United Kingdom include parties where guests are often expected to arrive in a costume to
reflect the day's theme. Other people gather together to watch horror films, either at home or at a cinema.

Some children go trick-or-treating. This means that they dress up and go to other peoples' houses, knocking on the door
for treat of sweets or a snack. Those who do not give out a treat may be tricked with a joke instead.

Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Many stores and businesses see
Halloween as a chance to promote products with a Halloween theme.

Public Life

Halloween is not a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. Schools, businesses, stores and other organizations are open as
usual. Public transport services run on their normal timetables.

Background

Halloween has its origins in pagan festivals held around the end of October in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
People believed that, at this time of year, the spirits of dead people could come 'alive' and walk among the living. They
thought that it was important to dress up in costumes when venturing outside, to avoid being harmed by the spirits.
This may be the origin of the Halloween costumes seen today. In Puritan times, Halloween celebrations were outlawed,
but they were revived in later times.

Halloween used to be called All Hallows Eve, or the day before All Saints' Day, observed on November 1. Halloween is
also known as Nut-crack Night, Thump-the-door Night or Apple and Candle Night. Some people call Halloween Bob
Apple Night or Duck Apple Night. This comes from a traditional game played at this time of year and known as 'apple
bobbing' or 'apple ducking'. A bucket or other container is filled with water and one or more apples are floated on the
water. The contestants take turns trying to catch an apple with their teeth. They must hold their hands behind their
backs at all times.

Some people believe that apple bobbing is a reminder of the way women accused of witchcraft in the middle ages were
tried. They were tied to a chair and repeatedly ducked into a river or pond. If a woman drowned, she was declared
innocent. If she survived, she was declared a witch and burnt at the stake. Others think that apple bobbing is a way for
young people to predict who they will marry or whether their partner is faithful.

Some aspects of the modern Halloween celebrations, such as carving lanterns out of vegetables originated long ago.
Others were introduced more recently, often as a form of commercial promotion. Many customs originated in the
United States and have travelled back to the United Kingdom.

Symbols
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There are various symbols are associated with Halloween. The colors orange and black are very common. Other symbols
include pumpkin lanterns, witches, wizards, ghosts, spirits and characters from horror films. Animals associated with the
festival include bats, spiders and black cats.

Qué es Halloween... y por qué lo celebramos en Argentina

31 de octubre de 2016, 12:51 • Ciudadanos > Halloween

CALABAZA. Un clásico para Halloween... en todo el mundo (AP).

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El 31 de octubre, miles de niños saldrán a pedir caramelos por las casas. En Argentina, la fiesta ya es un clásico, no sin
polémica por su origen. ¿Estados Unidos impone sus valores? ¿De dónde proviene la "Noche de brujas"?

Es inevitable: cada año, cuando se acerca el 31 de octubre, surge la polémica sobre Halloween. Es que en Argentina, la
fiesta del “truco o dulce” cada vez es más importante y más masiva. Algo que, para muchos, demuestra que la
colonización cultural de Estados Unidos avanza sin parar.

Pero, contra lo que muchos creen, la “Noche de brujas” no nació en Estados Unidos. Es más: tiene un origen que mezcla
elementos del cristianismo con fiestas celtas, en la vieja Europa laica.

Y es que la celebración que hoy hace que nuestros niños salgan a pedir caramelos se relaciona íntimamente con el “Día
de los muertos”, fiesta importantísima para los católicos de Argentina y el resto de practicantes de esta religión en todo
el mundo.

Para comenzar: ¿qué dice Wikipedia? La enciclopedia más conocida de Internet afirma que “Halloween” es un nombre
que nace de la “contracción de ‘all hallows’eve’ (algo así como “víspera de todos los santos')” y que hoy se ha
transformado en una fiesta moderna “resultado del sincretismo originado por la cristianización de las fiestas del fin del
verano, de origen celta” y de la explotación de parte del cine estadounidense, claro.

La Enciclopedia Británica concuerda con esto y agrega que la celebración marca el día antes de la fiesta cristiana de
“Todos los Santos”, pero nació mucho antes. “Halloween tiene su origen en el festival de ‘Samhain’ entre los celtas de la
antigua Bretaña y de Irlanda”, afirma.

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“En aquellas civilizaciones se creía que el 1 de noviembre daba comienzo la temporada del invierno” y es anterior a la
aparición del cristianismo.

¿Qué era el “Samhain”? El “fin del verano”, una celebración que se hacía porque los celtas creían que las almas de los
que habían muerto volvían a visitar sus hogares.

Luego del calor del verano comenzaba la temporada oscura del invierno, la del regreso de los espíritus.

“Los celtas encendían hogueras en las colinas para recibir al invierno y para ahuyentar a los malos espíritus, que
regresaban, y a veces se ponían máscaras y otros disfraces para evitar ser reconocidos por fantasmas. Fue por eso que
brujas, duendes, hadas, demonios llegaron a ser asociados con el día”, explica la Enciclopedia Británica.

Fiestas

Cuando los romanos conquistaron a los celtas, impusieron sus propias fiestas, como la “Feralia”, que conmemoraba a
los muertos, y la “Pomona”, de la diosa de la cosecha. La enciclopedia británica agrega que, en el siglo 7, el papa
Bonifacio IV estableció el “Día de Todos los Santos” para el 13 de mayo.

Pero, en el siglo siguiente, tal vez en un intento de suplantar a la fiesta pagana del “Samhain” con una cristiana, el papa
Gregorio III o trasladó a noviembre 1, víspera del “Día de los Todos los Santos”. Víspera de lo que se transformaría en
Halloween.

A finales de la Edad Media, lo secular y los días sagrados se habían fusionado.

“La Reforma puso fin de la fiesta religiosa entre los protestantes, aunque en Gran Bretaña, en especial Halloween,
continuó siendo celebrado como una fiesta secular”, amplia la publicación.

Junto con otras festividades, Halloween llegó a Estados Unidos con los primeros colonos irlandeses en las primeras
décadas de 1800, aunque recién en 1920 se festejó como algo nacional.

Luego, en la década de 1970 el cine de Hollywood (la de 1978, con el mismo nombre, es un clásico) se inspiró en la
celebración y potenció los símbolos, hasta transformarlos en una celebración universal. El resto, es conocido.

Calabaza

¿Y por qué la calabaza? También es fruto de las creencias celtas que llevaron los irlandeses.

En inglés, se conocía como “Jack o’ lantern” (“La linterna de Jack”), gracias a la leyenda del viejo Jack, un granjero que
atrapó al diablo y que pagó aquella osadía con su alma en pena, para convertirse en un espíritu maligno.
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De allí nace el "dulce o truco" (del inglés "trick-or-treat"), que proviene de la misma leyenda sobre aquel espíritu que
deambulaba por las campiñas celtas. ¿Qué hacía? Ofrecía un "truco o un trato".

Todos hacían un pacto para no caer en sus garras bajo algún encanto ("truco").

De todas maneras, no hay escritos (los celtas transmitían sus creencias oralmente) que sustenten el origen.

El Día de las Almas, una celebración vibrante en el interior de Salta

2 DE NOVIEMBRE 2015 - 00:00 Algunas de las creencias populares relacionadas con esta fecha son de origen pagano y
vienen desde tiempos inmemoriales.

1/1

Flores y ofrendas para los fieles difuntos.

Por estos días, la gente de los valles de Salta se prepara para celebrar el Día de las Almas, jornada designado por la
Iglesia Católica para conmemorar los difuntos fieles.
La celebración del 2 de noviembre se basa en la doctrina que sostiene que las almas de los creyentes que, al tiempo de
morir no estaban en pecado venial, se las puede ayudar a alcanzar la visión beatífica con rezos, misas y responsos.
Algunas de las creencias populares relacionadas con esta fecha son de origen pagano y vienen desde tiempos
inmemoriales. Así, habitantes de muchos pueblos del interior salteño aún conservan la tradición de que, en la noche de
los Difuntos, éstos vuelven a sus casas para participar de la comida u "ofrendas" que sus deudos les preparan.

Valles salteños
Todos los años para finales de octubre, los campesinos católicos esperan ansiosos la visita de las almas. Desde días antes
preparan bebidas (chicha y aloja), amasan pan, elaboran las comidas preferidas de sus difuntos, y confeccionan flores y
coronas de papel.
Los preparativos culminan en la tarde del 1 de noviembre. Entonces colocan sobre una mesa con mantel blanco, las
"ofrendas" que las almas consumirán en su visita nocturna.
Por su parte, en el "cuarto de las ofrendas", que es adornado con flores naturales y de papel, se instala un pequeño altar
con imágenes santas y las fotografías de los muertos de la familia. Al día siguiente, la familia se reúne para asistir
temprano al cementerio. Lo hace portando los ramos y las coronas de flores que elaboraron días antes.
En el cementerio asisten a la misa de los difuntos y tratan de que el sacerdote del pueblo rece un responso en el lugar
donde descansan los restos de sus parientes. Después adornan las sepulturas con las flores y las coronas que llevaron,
encienden velas y por última vez oran con gran sentimiento. Concluidas estas pequeñas ceremonias, que son seguidas
con gran respeto, la familia regresa unida a su casa para almorzar.
Es entonces cuando se consumen las "ofrendas" de la noche anterior, más otras comidas y bebidas preparadas para la
ocasión.
A veces, estos encuentros de familiares y amigos se prolongan hasta el amanecer del día siguiente, entre brindis y
cantos con caja.
Esta celebración es una antigua tradición del norte argentino que se conserva con distintas variantes según los lugares.
Así, por ejemplo, en Iruya y Santa Victoria, después de la visita al cementerio, se realiza la "repartija", una práctica que
consiste en consumir entre familiares y amigos lo que él o los difuntos dejaron la noche del 1 y 2 de noviembre.
Los cementerios
Para el día de las almas, los cementerios permanecen abiertos todo el día y a sus puertas funcionan verdaderas ferias de
flores, coronas y productos regionales como golosinas, dulces y bebidas alcohólicas (chicha y aloja).
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En el interior de Salta, aún se encara el Día de las Almas de una manera alegre y original. El mundo terrenal se aúna con
el espiritual, dando lugar a una de las creencias más arraigadas del norte argentino.
Para las almas católicas se ofrecen misas (costumbre introducida por los misioneros durante la conquista, resultado del
sincretismo). En algunas zonas, las comidas y bebidas que se recogen del altar no se comen. Por el contrario son
enterradas para que el alma las lleve de regreso al cielo. Sin duda, una tradición en la que se encara a la muerte y el
duelo de una manera original.

Christmas Day in the United Kingdom

Christmas Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom on December 25. It traditionally celebrates Jesus Christ's birth but
many aspects of this holiday have pagan origins. Christmas is a time for many people to give and receive gifts and
prepare special festive meals.

What Do People Do?

Prior to Christmas Day, people decorate their homes and gardens prior to Christmas Day. These decorations may
include:

Christmas trees.

Small colored fairy lights.

Leaves and berries from holly trees and mistletoe bushes.

Various other decorations with rich colors that spark the Christmas mood.

In many towns and cities, the shopping streets are also decorated with lights and large pine trees, often specially
imported from Norway. In some places a Nativity scene is arranged. This illustrates the story of Jesus' birth using statues
or actors and live animals. Many churches hold special services in the night before Christmas Day.

Many people spend Christmas Day with family members, with whom they exchange gifts and cards. Many children wake
up to find a sock or stocking filled with small gifts on their bed or somewhere else in the house. These have supposedly
been brought by a mythical figure called 'Father Christmas' or 'Santa Claus', who lives for most of the year at the North
Pole. He travels in a sleigh pulled by reindeer and enters houses by climbing down the chimney. He hopes to enjoy a
small snack of mince pies and brandy at each house. He supposedly travels so fast that he can deliver presents to all
children in one night, although some in some stories elves help him with his work.

Later in the day, people may attend special church services, even if they do not usually go to church. Nearly everyone
prepares and eats a special meal. This often includes roast turkey, potatoes and parsnips, and other vegetables. After
the main course, Christmas pudding is often eaten. This is a heavy steamed, dense, cake-like pudding filled with dried
fruit and nuts. Burning brandy is often poured over it as it is served, giving a spectacular effect. Mince pies are also
popular on Christmas Day. They are sweet pastry cases filled with a mixture of dried fruit, fat and alcohol.

Public Life

Nearly all organizations, except hospitals and shelters for the homeless, are closed on Christmas Day. Some public
houses and smaller stores selling food may open for a few hours in the middle of the day. Public transport services do
not run to their normal timetables and may even not run at all. Public life closes down almost totally on Christmas Day.

Many churches hold special services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Some also organize shelter, company and
food for the homeless or those who need help. Others hold events for people who wish to return to the spiritual aspects
of Christmas and turn away from the commercial aspects of modern Christmas celebrations.

Background and symbols

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Christmas Day is often seen as the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago.
However, many aspects of the celebration have their origins in the Pagan traditions of England, Wales, Scotland and
Ireland. These include bringing pieces of evergreen trees into homes, lighting fires, holding parties and eating special
foods. When missionaries converted the inhabitants of these countries to Christianity, many of these customs were
included in the Christian celebrations.

There are many Christmas symbols. These include leaves and berries from the holly tree and mistletoe bush, pine trees,
candles and small lights. Figures associated with the season are Father Christmas or Santa Claus, the baby Jesus, Mary,
Joseph and the other characters from the Nativity story. Presents and Christmas food, such as turkey, Christmas pudding
and mince pies also symbolize Christmas. A special mention should be reserved for the robin red breast. This small bird,
with its red feathered breast, is at its most beautiful in the middle of the winter and is often seen as a decoration on
Christmas cards, wrapping paper and cakes.

Navidad en Argentina: tradiciones navideñas en un entorno veraniego

En Argentina se celebran tradiciones muy cercanas a las nuestras por la gran influencia europea en el país pero, gracias
a la época del año al otro lado del charco, sus fiestas navideñas se enmarcan en un entorno veraniego.

La Navidad es la época para estar en familia. Sin embargo, hay quienes prefieren pasar unas vacaciones diferentes o,
simplemente, les apetece conocer algo más de otra cultura.

La Navidad argentina es muy similar a la nuestra excepto por el cálido clima

Puede que nos sintamos muy cercanos a la gente de Argentina por compartir el idioma, pero en este artículo te
sorprenderemos contándote cómo celebran la Navidad en este bello país del continente americano.

LA TRADICIÓN

Aunque no hace frío en esta época del año en Argentina, la tradición dicta que la Navidad debe pasarse en familia,
alrededor de un árbol de Navidad adornado y comiendo todos juntos una gran cena. Durante la Nochebuena la gente se
congrega en las iglesias para celebrar la misa de medianoche después de la comida.

Debido a la gran influencia europea en Argentina (sobre todo de Italia y España) es normal ver en las casas las típicas
decoraciones navideñas que vemos aquí, llenas de nieve, renos y Papá Noel. Quien también trae regalos a los niños
argentinos durante la noche después de la cena y antes del propio día de Navidad. Los regalos se abren esa misma
noche, como lo hacen también en América del Norte y después los adultos se toman unas copas (normalmente sidra o
zumo mezclados con trozos de frutas, muy refrescantes para el verano) y, los más jóvenes, salen a bailar mientras que
los más mayores lo hacen en casa.

Las familias argentinas pueden celebrar las fiestas navideñas en el jardín

Lo bueno de que no sea invierno durante esta celebración es que la gente en Argentina puede celebrar la fiesta en el
jardín o salir a paseardespués de la agradable velada. Finalmente, los hogares argentinos están decorados de colores
rojo y blanco, como es tradición aquí, y con [i/]http://www.bekianavidad.com/tradiciones/origen-belen-
navidad/[i]belenes, calcetines para Papá Noel y nieve falsa[/i] (incluso siendo verano en Argentina).

LA COMIDA

Como hace mucho calor durante esta época del año en Argentina es normal que la gente celebre la cena de navidad
comiendo platos fríos. La comida más tradicional es el Vitel Toné: una ensalada de patata, huevo duro y mayonesa. Otra
ensaladilla muy común para esta celebración es la de atún y tomate (servida en frío). Hay quienes desean aprovechar el
buen tiempo y salen al jardín a hacer una barbacoa, o parrillada, un plato también tradicional en este país.

Las ensaladas son el entrante estrella de las comidas navideñas en Argentina

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El plato principal para la cena, después de la ensalada como entrante, puede ser la carne a la parrilla o el famoso
arrollado de pionono con crema de pollo, huevos y aceitunas. Su preparación no es tan sencilla como parece, pero es un
plato delicioso en el que todos los ingredientes se encuentran enrollados creando una bonita forma de tronco que los
argentinos adornan debidamente para el día de Navidad. Este arrollado puede ser preparado con otros alimentos fríos
como lechuga, jamón dulce y salsas variadas, como la famosa golf que es una mezcla entre mayonesa o mostaza,
excelente acompañante para este plato frío.

Las bebidas son frutales, ya sean alcohólicas o no. Hay quienes, como hemos dicho, simplemente añaden trozos de fruta
fresca a su sidra o champagne. El postre es dispar. Como el tiempo es cálido los helados y tartas congeladas son muy
comunes, pero también podemos encontrar sobre una mesa argentina en el día de Navidad turrones, chocolates y otros
postres que no sean necesariamente fríos o helados.

El arrollado es la comida típica que se sirve como plato principal en las fiestas

Así pues, aunque los argentinos mezclen la tradición navideña europea y americana con sus costumbres al final el clima
del lugar sale ganando y con ello la gustosa comida que se sirve en este día tan especial: elaborados platos fríos que
además de deleitar el paladar hacen que la familia disfrute junta de este día tan especial para, posteriormente, salir a la
calle o a bailar para celebrarlo.

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