National Symbols, Patron Saints & Festivals
Each of the UK's four nations has a national flower, a patron saint and a saint's day: England (rose, St George, 23 April), Scotland (thistle, St Andrew, 30 November), Wales (daffodil, St David, 1 March) and Northern Ireland (shamrock, St Patrick, 17 March). Only St Andrew's Day and St Patrick's Day are public holidays. The table also gathers the festivals the test asks about with their dates — from Christmas (25 December) and Bonfire Night (5 November) to Vaisakhi (14 April).
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Festival
| Nation / festival | Type | Symbol / date | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| April Fool's Day | Festival | 1 April | People play jokes on each other until midday. |
| Bonfire Night | Festival | 5 November | Commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes tried to kill the Protestant king. |
| Boxing Day | Festival | 26 December | Public holiday; the day after Christmas Day. |
| Christmas Day | Festival | 25 December | Public holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. |
| Halloween | Festival | 31 October | Ancient festival with pagan roots marking the beginning of winter; children play 'trick or treat'. |
| Hogmanay | Festival | 31 December | Scottish New Year's Eve; 2 January is also a public holiday in Scotland. |
| Remembrance Day | Festival | 11 November | People wear poppies; a two-minute silence is held at 11.00 am and wreaths are laid at the Cenotaph. |
| Vaisakhi | Festival | 14 April | Sikh festival celebrating the founding of the Khalsa (the Sikh community). |
| Valentine's Day | Festival | 14 February | Lovers exchange cards and gifts, sometimes anonymously. |
Nation
| Nation / festival | Type | Symbol / date | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | Nation | Rose · St George's Day 23 April | Patron saint St George; flag is a red cross on a white background; St George's Day is not a public holiday. |
| Northern Ireland | Nation | Shamrock · St Patrick's Day 17 March | Patron saint St Patrick; St Patrick's Day is a public holiday. |
| Scotland | Nation | Thistle · St Andrew's Day 30 November | Patron saint St Andrew; flag is the Saltire (white diagonal cross on blue); St Andrew's Day is a public holiday. |
| Wales | Nation | Daffodil · St David's Day 1 March | Patron saint St David; daffodil is worn on St David's Day; not a public holiday. |
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Practise this topicSources: Life in the UK verified question bank — backend/data/questions_batch1-8.json. Question ids: 55, 57, 58, 65, 81, 93, 145, 176, 199, 344, 352, 444, 507, 508, 509, 584, 585, 586, 587.