Easter Traditions

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 16 April 2025 > Webpicks

Easter traditions are fairly similar from one English-speaking country to another, but it’s nice for pupils to discover them and compare them with their own traditions. Although originally a religious festival, many of the popular traditions such as chocolate eggs and the Easter bunny have more to do with secular celebrations. New York City’s Easter … Continue reading “Easter Traditions”

Peacebuilding for St Patrick’s

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 16 March 2023 > Shine Bright Lycée Webpicks

Ireland is celebrating 100 years of independence in 2023. This St Patrick’s Day video from the Irish government looks back at a hundred years of peacebuilding milestones to the background of the beautiful traditional song “Danny Boy” sung by Tolü Makay.  The video covers Irish membership of the League of Nations and then the United … Continue reading “Peacebuilding for St Patrick’s”

Happy St Patrick’s!

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 09 March 2023 > Celebrate

St Patrick’s Day, 17 March, is the Irish national day. But there are many communities of Irish origin around the world and on St Paddy’s Day, everyone is Irish! There is a large Irish community in the U.S. and the parades in Chicago and New York are famous. The Chicago River, and the Liffey in … Continue reading “Happy St Patrick’s!”

Thanksgiving Parade

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 21 November 2022 > Celebrate

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City is almost 100 years old, and is an integral part of the annual holiday for millions of Americans. Celebrating Thanksgiving and launching Christmas celebrations, it includes giant balloon figures, floats, and marching bands from schools around the country. This year it will take place on 24 November. Macy’s … Continue reading “Thanksgiving Parade”

Up Helly Aa Webpicks

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 19 January 2017 > Webpicks

The highpoint of the cultural calendar in the Shetlands, Scotland, is a spectacular Viking fire festival in January: Up Helly Aa. This video and photo galleries are useful for discussing the festival.  Find out more about the celebration in our article. In this video, an American man with Shetland roots describes discovering Up Helly Aa … Continue reading “Up Helly Aa Webpicks”

Shetland Viking Fire Festival

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 19 January 2017 > Celebrate

The Shetland Islands are the northernmost part of the U.K., and belonged to Norway until 1468. So it’s no surprise that the highpoint in the Shetland cultural calendar is a spectacular Viking fire festival in January: Up Helly Aa. On the last Tuesday of January, a thousand costumed men pull a Viking longship through Lerwick … Continue reading “Shetland Viking Fire Festival”