Unit 1  Festivals around the world

easter

on good friday, jesus christ was executed by crucifixion. his body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave. the tomb was guarded and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that no-one could steal the body. on the following sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone had been moved, and that the tomb was empty. jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by many people. his followers realised that god had raised jesus from the dead.

hot cross buns
   hot cross buns are still made all over england around easter time. at one time, buns with a cross on them were made all through lent. they were banned by oliver cromwell and brought back again at the time of the restoration. for a time they were only available on good friday but now they can be bought during the month leading up to easter. whole meal hot cross buns are becoming more popular each year.
the easter egg
as with the easter bunny and the holiday itself, the easter egg predates the christian holiday of easter. the exchange of eggs in the springtime is a custom that was centuries old when easter was first celebrated by christians.
from the earliest times, the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures. eggs were often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, colored brightly by boiling them with the leaves or petals of certain flowers.
today, children hunt colored eggs and place them in easter baskets along with the modern version of real easter eggs -- those made of plastic or chocolate candy.

o-bon festival

bon dance
during o-bon, bon odori (folk dances) are held all over japan. the kind of dance varies from area to area. people wearing yukata (summer kimono) go to the neighborhood shrine, temple, or park and dance around a yagura (stage) set up there. anyone can participate in the dance. join the circle and imitate what others are doing. awa odori of tokushima and bon odori at yasukuni shrine, tokyo are very famous.
also, toro nagashi (floating paper lanterns) are held in some areas. on the evening of the 15th, people send off ancestor's spirits with a paper lantern, lit by a candle inside and floated down a river to the ocean. fireworks displays (hanabi-taikai) are often held during o-bon. it is  a typical japanese summer scene to see hanabi.
since o-bon is an important family gathering time, many people return to their hometowns during o-bon. most businesses are closed during this time. although it is crowded everywhere, it is common for many people take trips during o-bon, too. the beginning and end of o-bon are marked with terrible traffic jams. airports, train stations, and highways are jammed with travelers. i recommend you do not travel around o-bon!