Some people argue that we no longer remember the original meaning of festivals, and
that most of us treat them as opportunities to have fun. While I agree that enjoyment
seems to be the priority during festival times, I do not agree that people have forgotten
what these festivals mean.
On the one hand, religious and traditional festivals have certainly become times for
celebration. In the UK, Christmas is a good example of a festival period when people
are most concerned with shopping, giving and receiving presents, decorating their
homes and enjoying traditional meals with their families. Most people look forward to
Christmas as a holiday period, rather than a time to practise religion. Similar behaviour
can be seen during non-religious festivals, such as Bonfire Night. People associate this
occasion with making fires, watching firework displays, and perhaps going to large
events in local parks; in other words, enjoyment is people’s primary goal.
However, I disagree with the idea that the underlying meaning of such festivals has
been forgotten. In UK primary schools, children learn in detail about the religious
reasons for celebrating Christmas, Easter and a variety of festivals in other religions.
For example, in late December, children sing Christmas songs which have a religious
content, and they may even perform nativity plays telling the story of Jesus’ birth.
Families also play a role in passing knowledge of religious festivals’ deeper significance
on to the next generation. The same is true for festivals that have a historical
background, such as Bonfire Night or Halloween, in the sense that people generally
learn the stories behind these occasions at an early age.
In conclusion, although people mainly want to enjoy themselves during festivals, I
believe that they are still aware of the reasons for these celebrations.
Some
people
argue that we no longer remember the original meaning of
festivals
, and
that most of us treat them as opportunities to have fun. While I
agree
that enjoyment
seems to be the priority during
festival
times, I do not
agree
that
people
have forgotten
what these
festivals
mean.
On the one hand, religious and traditional
festivals
have
certainly
become times for
celebration. In the UK, Christmas is a
good
example of a
festival
period when
people
are most concerned with shopping, giving and receiving presents, decorating their
homes and enjoying traditional meals with their families. Most
people
look forward to
Christmas as a holiday period,
rather
than a time to
practise
religion. Similar
behaviour
can be
seen
during non-religious
festivals
, such as Bonfire Night.
People
associate this
occasion with making fires, watching firework displays, and perhaps going to large
events
in local parks;
in other words
, enjoyment is
people’s
primary goal.
However
, I disagree with the
idea
that the underlying meaning of such
festivals
has
been forgotten
. In UK primary schools, children learn in detail about the religious
reasons for celebrating Christmas, Easter and a variety of
festivals
in other religions.
For example
, in late December, children sing Christmas songs which have a religious
content, and they may even perform nativity
plays telling
the story of Jesus’ birth.
Families
also
play a role in passing knowledge of religious
festivals’
deeper significance
on to the
next
generation. The same is true for
festivals
that have a historical
background, such as Bonfire Night or Halloween, in the sense that
people
generally
learn the stories behind these occasions at an early age.
In conclusion
, although
people
mainly
want to enjoy themselves during
festivals
, I
believe that they are
still
aware of the reasons for these celebrations.