contents

　　i. introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

　　ii. several kinds of the origin of festivals in english-speaking countries--------1

　　1. religious and customary-------------------------------------------------------------1

　　1.1 christmas----------------------------------------------------------------------------2

　　1.2 boxing day--------------------------------------------------------------------------2

　　1.3 easter sunday ----------------------------------------------------------------------2

　　1.4 halloween----------------------------------------------------------------------------3

　　1.5 new year's day -------------------------------------------------------------------4

　　1.6 all fool's day------------------------------------------------------------------------5

　　1.7 thanksgiving day------------------------------------------------------------------5

　　2. memorial--------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

　　2.1 for great peoples-------------------------------------------------------------------8

　　2.2 for great events--------------------------------------------------------------------10

　　3. brought in by immigrant------------------------------------------------------------11

　　ⅲ.the festivals’ influence on people’s daily life in english-speaking countries.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12

　　1.activities on the festivals' day. ---------------------------------------------------12

　　1.1 christmas party, songs and christmas eve dinner --------------------------12

　　1.2 boxing day sporting events-----------------------------------------------------13

　　1.3 lent during easter day ----------------------------------------------------------13

　　1.4 parties and religious observances on new year's day ----------------------14

　　1.5 activities associated with halloween day ------------------------------------14

　　2. various gifts on festivals -----------------------------------------------------------15

　　3. decorations on festivals ------------------------------------------------------------16

　　4. family gatherings and holiday meals--------------------------------------------17

　　ⅳ the western culture features from the point view of the festivals of english-speaking countries.--------------------------------------------------------------18

　　1.the heavy influence on people’s daily life from religion.----------------------18

　　2.the culture has an obvious special feature of city-originality-------------------18

　　ⅴ.conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------------------18