Culture and traditions of Great Britain

The time from one to two o'clock is a «sacred» hour in England. And it appears to be not only good for health – having meals at regular times is certainly healthy – but it is very convenient socially as well. Everybody knows that there is no use trying to get in touch with some official, business executive or firm representative at this time. They won't be in. it is no use no waste your time going from one shop to another at one o'clock sharp they will open. For punctuality is also one of the English traditions.

 

English Sunday

 

The so called Sunday Observance laws prohibiting all kind of public entertainment on Sunday date back to the 17-18 century. The idea was to encourage people to go church and not to allow them «to profane the Lord's Day» by amusing themselves.

Three hundred years have passed since then. Church services are attended by fewer people now than some decades ago. But the old custom of having a quiet Sunday is still alive. This is another English tradition preserved by law.

On Sunday you may visit a museum or go to a concert but all shops, theatres, dance and music halls are closed. This is rather illogical when compared with the unrestricted variety programmes on radio and television or the fact that one can always go to the bingo-club to enjoy himself or to the cinema to see a «thriller» or the latest American «hit».

Pubs and restaurants are open only from 12 to 2, and from 5 to 10 p. m. The police are very strict and do not hesitate to withdraw the licence from the proprietors who disregard closing time.

All professional football and cricket matches, as well as horse and dog racing are banned, though you can play tennis or go any excursions would have been considered to be improper. Now there is a great number of people who like to go to the country or to the sea-side and spend their week-ends fishing, camping or hiking.

But still many Englishmen prefer a quiet Sunday at home. They get up late, go to church in the morning, have a big dinner, sleep afterwards, work in their garden until tea, read books and listen to the wireless.

After three centuries the Puritan influence is still to be felt.

 

English Tea

 

The trouble with the tea is that originally is was quite a good drink. So a group of the most eminent British scientists put their heads together, and made complicated biological experiments to find a way of spoiling it. To eternal glory of British science their labour bore fruit. They suggested that if you do not drink it clear, or with lemon or rum and sugar, but pour a few drops of cold milk into it, and no sugar at all, the desired object is achieved. Once this refreshing, aromatic, oriental beverage was successfully transformed into colorless and tasteless gargling-water*, it suddenly became the national drink of Great Britain and Ireland – still retaining, indeed usurping, the high-sounding title of tea.

There are some occasions when you must not refuse a cup of tea, otherwise you are judged an exotic and barbarous bird without any hope of ever being able to take your place in civilized society.

If you are invited to an English home, at five o'clock in the morning you get a cup of tea. It is either brought in by a heartily smiling hostes or an almost malevolently silent maid. When you are disturbed in your sweetest morning sleep you must not say: «Madame (or Mabel), I think you are a cruel, spiteful and malignant person who deserved to be shot. « On the contrary, you have to declare with your best five o'clock smile: «Thank you so much. I do adore a cup of early morning tea, especially early in the morning. « If they live you alone with the liquid, you may pour it down the washbasin.

Than you have tea for breakfast; then you have tea at eleven o'clock in the morning; then after lunch; then you have tea for tea; then for supper; and again at eleven o'clock at night. You mast not refuse any additional cups of tea under the following circumstances: is it is hot; if it is cold; if you are tired; if anybody thinks that you might be tired; if you are nervous; if you are gay; before you go out; if you have just returned home; if you feel like it; if you do not feel like it; if you have had no tea for some time; if you have