Special Occasions

Birthdays

 Birthday cake – – may be any kind of cake candles (is China the same?)  Birthday song: Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday dear

name

Happy birthday to you

Question

If you are not a Christian and you have never been to a church, can you get married in one?

Answer: Yes (in some churches).

Wedding

 Popular places for a wedding: – church (traditional) – garden (a public garden, or at home) – beach

Wedding

 Important people – bride: the woman who is getting married – – groom: the man who is getting married maid of honour: assistant to the bride • helps the bride to dress, etc – best man: assistant to the groom • holds the wedding ring until it ’ s needed – officiant: the priest, etc who performs the marriage

Question

Who enters the church first, the bride or the groom?

Answer: the groom

Wedding

 The ceremony: – guests enter and sit down – groom and best man wait at the front – the bride enters, and walks down the aisle with her father – the officiant helps the bride and groom to speak the

wedding vows

• at this time, the groom puts the wedding ring on the bride ’ s finger • the bride may give the groom a ring too

Wedding

 Receiving line – the newlyweds and their parents stand in a line and greet all the guests one by one  Reception (a meal) – the best man makes a speech and toast • often a humourous speech – the newlyweds cut the wedding cake – the newlyweds dance together

Funerals

 The colour for a funeral: black  Can be religious or non-religious – even if the person never went to church  The body is washed and dressed and placed in a casket.

 Often the casket is left open, so that people arriving at the funeral can say “ goodbye ” .

Funerals

 The main funeral ceremony – in a church, etc – usually somebody gives a eulogy (a speech about the person)  The casket is driven in a black car to the cemetery.

 The casket is carried by

pallbearers.

– some male friends and relatives  Another short ceremony.