English festivals
england traditionally celebrates number christian secular festival observed throughout country oak apple day souling rushbearing bawming thorn hocktide local certain region new year day observed january festivity begin day december party held bring new year public event also organised firework display arranged according whistler th century first footing known south england instead glass raised quarter twelve old friendfarewellfarewellfarewell midnight new infant three hip hip horrahs custom included dancing new year north england first footing traditionally observed involving opening door stranger midnight guest seen bringer good fortune coming year allendale town new year celebration involve lighted tar barrel carried head reveller called guisers tradition date back appears originated lighting silver band carolling new year unable use candle light music due strong wind someone suggested tar barrel used move place place would easier carry barrel upon guisers head rather rolling claim pagan festival however claim unfounded plough monday traditional start english agricultural year local practice may vary plough monday generally first monday twelfth day epiphany january reference plough monday date back late th century day plough monday sometimes referred plough sunday day traditionally saw resumption work christmas period area particularly northern england east england custom observed plough monday varied region common feature lesser greater extent plough hauled house house procession collecting money often accompanied musician old woman boy dressed old woman called bessy man role fool plough pudding boiled suet pudding containing meat onion norfolk eaten plough monday instead pulling decorated plough th century men boy would dress layer straw known straw bear begged door door money tradition maintained annually january whittlesey near peterborough preceding saturday straw bear paraded street whittlesey shrove tuesday day beginning lent also known pancake day england traditional eat pancake day saint valentine day also known feast saint valentine celebrated annually february originating western christian feast day honouring one two early saint named valentinus saint valentine day recognized significant cultural religious commercial celebration romance romantic love although public holiday martyrdom story associated various valentine connected february presented martyrologies including written account saint valentine rome imprisonment performing wedding soldier forbidden marry ministering christian persecuted roman empire according legend imprisonment saint valentine restored sight blind daughter judge execution wrote letter signed valentine farewell day first became associated romantic love within circle geoffrey chaucer th century tradition courtly love flourished thcentury england evolved occasion lover expressed love presenting flower offering confectionery sending greeting card known valentine valentine day symbol used today include heartshaped outline dove figure winged cupid since th century handwritten valentine given way massproduced greeting card europe saint valentine key given lover romantic symbol invitation unlock giver’s heart well child order ward epilepsy called saint valentine malady saint valentine day official feast day anglican communion lutheran church many part eastern orthodox church also celebrate saint valentine day albeit july july former date honor roman presbyter saint valentine latter date honor hieromartyr valentine bishop interamna modern terni tradition include sending card flower chocolate gift valentine day england still remains connected various regional custom norfolk character called jack valentine knock rear door house leaving sweet present child although leaving treat many child scared mystical person united kingdom celebrates mothering sunday fall fourth sunday lent holiday root church originally unrelated american holiday historian believe mothering sunday evolved thcentury christian practice visiting one mother church annually laetare sunday result tradition mother reunited child day young apprentice young woman service released master weekend result influence american mother day mothering sunday transformed tradition showing appreciation one mother celebration easter day fixed movable observance easter day also known resurrection sunday mark high point christian year festival holiday celebrating resurrection jesus dead described new testament occurred third day burial crucifixion roman calvary c ad culmination passion jesus preceded lent great lent fortyday period fasting prayer penance united kingdom good friday easter monday bank holiday tradition include going church eating easter egg hotcross bun north england tradition rolling decorated egg steep hill pace egging still adhered today hocktide old term used denote monday tuesday second week easter english mediaeval festival tuesday preceding monday hockdays together whitsuntide twelve day christmastide week following easter marked vacation husbandman year slack time cycle year villein ceased work lord demesne likely land well coventry play called old coventry play hock tuesday suppressed reformation owing incidental disorder accompanied revived part festivity queen elizabeth visit kenilworth july depicted struggle saxon dane given colour suggestion hocktide originally commemoration massacre dane st brices day november rejoicing death harthacanute june expulsion dane date anniversary bear england tradition survives hungerford berkshire although festival somewhat modified celebrate patronage duchy lancaster john gaunt st duke lancaster granted grazing right permission fish river kennet commoner hungerford despite legal battle reign elizabeth duchy attempted regain lucrative fishing right case eventually settled townspeople favour queen interceded hocktide hungerford combine ceremonial collecting rent something previous tradition demanding kiss money although hocktide celebration take place several day main festivity occur tuesday also known tutti day hocktide council elected previous friday appoints two tutti men whose job visit property attracting commoner right formerly collected rent accompanied bellman town crier summon commoner attend hocktide court town hall fine unable attend one penny lieu loss right tutti men carry tutti pole wooden staff topped bunch flower cloved orange thought derived nosegay would mitigated smell less salubrious part town time past tutti men accompanied orange man orange scrambler wear hat decorated feather carry white sack filled orange tutti wench give orange sweet crowd return penny kiss proceeding start sounding horn town hall step summons commoner attend court tutti men visit house turn longer collect rent demand penny kiss lady house visit return orange man give owner orange parade tutti men street hocktide lunch take place hocktide council commoner guest traditional plantagenet punch served meal initiation ceremony known shoeing colt held firsttime attendee shod blacksmith leg held nail driven shoe released shout punch orange heated coin thrown town hall step child gathered outside april fool day annual celebration commemorated april playing practical joke spreading hoax joke victim called april fool people playing april fool joke often expose prank shouting april fool unfortunate victim newspaper magazine published medium report fake story usually explained next day news section smaller letter although popular since th century day public holiday saint george day also known feast saint george feast day saint george celebrated april traditionally accepted date saint death diocletianic persecution ad st george day major feast national holiday england par christmas early th century tradition celebration st george day waned end th century union england scotland nevertheless link st george continues today example salisbury hold annual st george day pageant origin believed go back th century recent year popularity st george day appears increasing gradually bbc radio full programme st george day event andrew rosindell conservative mp romford putting argument forward house common make st george day public holiday early mayor london boris johnson spearheaded campaign encourage celebration st george day today st george day may celebrated anything english including morris dancing punch judy show traditional custom st george day fly adorn st george cross flag way pub particular seen april festooned garland st george cross customary hymn jerusalem sung cathedral church chapel st george day sunday closest traditional english food drink may consumed historically may day eve fire lit sacrifice offered obtain blessing newlysown field according hutton england observe may day eve may day fire wide scale however isolated instance fire nottinghamshire lincolnshire however exception cumbria devon cornwall may day eve may day fire lit mayday eve night also called mischief night according roud people lancashire yorkshire surrounding county played trick may day eve roud also state isolated example english folk belief may day eve connected fairy turn twentieth century people herefordshire kingstone thruxton left tray moss outside door fairy dance upon start summer first day may traditional english may day rite celebration include crowning may queen celebration involving maypole historically morris dancing linked may day celebration much tradition derives pagan anglosaxon custom held þrimilcimōnaþ old english name month may meaning month three milkings along many celtic tradition may day traditional day festivity throughout century associated town village celebrating springtime fertility soil livestock people revelry village fete community gathering seeding completed date convenient give farm labourer day perhaps significant tradition maypole around traditional dancer circle ribbon spring bank holiday first monday may created may public holiday england unless fall monday jack green also known jack green english folk custom associated celebration may day involves pyramidal conical wicker wooden framework decorated foliage worn person part procession often accompanied musician jack green emerged within context english may day procession folklorist roy judge noting celebration set immutable pattern rather fluid moving process combined different element various time judge thought unlikely jack green existed much due absence either name structure written account visual depiction english may day procession year jack green developed tradition first recorded seventeenth century involved milkmaid decorating may day diary samuel pepys recorded observing london may day parade milkmaid garland upon pail dancing behind fiddler account described milkmaid carrying decorated milkpail silver plate formed pyramidshape object decorated ribbon flower carried atop head milkmaid accompanied musician playing either fiddle bagpipe went door door dancing resident gave payment form account tatler described milkmaid dancing door plate half customer head account spectator referred ruddy milkmaid exerting sprightly style pyramid silver tankard source indicate tradition wellestablished eighteenth century revival custom occurred various part england jack green seen bristol oxford knutsford among place jack also appear may fair north america deptford fowler troop blackheath morris parading tallest heaviest modern jack many decade either greenwich bermondsey borough deptford end may jack essential part pagan pride parade holborn also known restoration day oak apple day royal oak day english public holiday observed annually may commemorate restoration english monarchy may part country day still celebrated parliament passed law act perpetual anniversary thanksgiving nine twentieth day may declaring may public holiday keeping perpetual anniversary day thanksgiving god great blessing mercy hath graciously pleased vouchsafe people kingdom manifold grievous suffering restoration majesty public holiday formally abolished anniversary day observance act however event still take place uptonuponsevern worcestershire marsh gibbon buckinghamshire great wishford wiltshire villager gather wood grovely wood membury devon day generally marked reenactment activity moseley old hall west midland one house charles ii hid celebration include marching fownhope herefordshire holding flower oak leaf decorated stick saint church northampton statue charles ii garlanded oak leaf noon every oak apple day followed celebration holy communion according book common prayer oak apple day also celebrated cornish village st neot vicar lead procession village followed tower captain holding oak bough large number villager follow walking church story history event told vicar blesses branch tower captain throw old branch top tower new one hauled top everyone invited vicarage garden refreshment barbecue noon villager wear sprig red new oak afternoon wear sprig boy love artemisia abrotanum tradition dictate punishment result stung nettle june appleton thorn host ceremony bawming thorn current form ceremony date th century part village walking day involved child appleton thorn primary school walking village holding sport game school take place village hall ceremony stopped revived headmaster mr bob jones early bawming thorn occurs saturday nearest midsummer day bawming mean decorating – ceremony thorn tree decorated ribbon garland according legend hawthorn appleton thorn grew cutting holy thorn glastonbury said sprung staff joseph arimathea man arranged jesus burial crucifixion rushbearing old english ecclesiastical festival rush collected carried strewn floor parish church tradition date back time building earthen floor rush used form renewable floor covering cleanliness insulation festival widespread britain middle age well established time shakespeare fallen decline beginning th century church floor flagged stone custom revived later th century kept alive today annual event number town village north england according roud rushbearing ceremony continue take place warcop grasmere cumbria lammas also known loaf mass day christian festival liturgical calendar mark blessing first fruit harvest loaf bread brought church purpose lammas celebrated august annually name originates word loaf reference bread mass reference christian liturgy holy communion celebrated mark annual wheat harvest first harvest festival year day customary bring church loaf made new crop loaf blessed anglosaxon england lammas bread broken four bit placed four corner barn protect garnered grain christian also church procession bakery working therein blessed christian clergy term lammas contraction ninthcentury anglosaxon expression hláf mæsse “from hallowed bread hláf—hence “loaf” hallowed lammas day according wilson lammas fruit first cereal harvest baked used offering make grain storage barn safe recent revival festival taken place eastbourne east sussex thanks given successful harvest since pagan time harvest festival traditionally held sunday near harvest moon full moon occurs closest autumn equinox september celebration day usually include singing hymn praying decorating church basket fruit food festival known harvest festival community form celebration known harvest home observed england since medieval time festival historically involved local farmer giving dinner helped bring crop festival begin october term halloween derived phrase hallows even refers eve christian festival saint held november begin season allhallowtide time liturgical year dedicated remembering dead including saint hallows martyr faithful departed modern custom observed halloween influenced american tradition include trick treating wearing costume playing game trickortreating customary celebration child halloween child go mask costume house house asking treat sweet sometimes money question trick treat word trick implies threat perform mischief homeowner property treat given practice said root medieval practice mumming closely related souling john pymm writes many feast day associated presentation mumming play celebrated christian church feast day included hallows eve christmas twelfth night shrove tuesday practice souling originates medieval era christian europe soul cake given soulers mainly consisting child poor go door door day allhallowtide singing saying prayer soul giver friend custom associated souling allhallowtide include included consuming andor distributing soul cake singing carrying lantern dressing disguise bonfire playing divination game carrying horse head performing play souling still practised cheshire sheffield england historically halloween associated souling christian practice carried allhallowtide christmastide custom popular england still practised minor extent sheffield cheshire allhallowtide according morton souling performed throughout british isle earliest activity reported however end th century extent practice allhallowtide limited part england wale according gregory souling involved group people visiting local farm cottage merrymaker would sing traditional request apple ale soul cake song traditionally known soulers song sung lamentable tone sometimes adult soulers would use musical instrument concertina rogers belief souling traditionally practised county yorkshire lancashire cheshire staffordshire peak district derbyshire somerset herefordshire however souling also associated area hutton belief souling took place hertfordshire palmer state souling took place saint day warwickshire however custom souling ceased followed relatively early county warwickshire dole instituted john collet solihull within west midland still distributed soul day announcement collection made ringing church bell soulcakes still made warwickshire part yorkshire even though one visited according brown souling performed birmingham part west midland according raven tradition also kept part black country prevalence souling localised part staffordshire observed penn bilston locality modern wolverhampton staffordshire custom souling kept saint eve halloween similarly shropshire late th century set upon board hallows eve high heap soulcakes visitor take song sung people oswestry shropshire contained welsh guy fawkes night also known guy fawkes day bonfire night firework night annual commemoration observed november primarily united kingdom history begin event november guy fawkes member gunpowder plot arrested guarding explosive plotter placed beneath house lord celebrating fact king james survived attempt life people lit bonfire around london month later introduction observance th november act enforced annual public day thanksgiving plot failure presentday guy fawkes night usually celebrated large organised event centre bonfire extravagant firework display lewes bonfire describes set celebration held town lewes sussex constitute united kingdom largest famous bonfire night festivity lewes called bonfire capital world always held november unless th fall sunday case held saturday th event mark guy fawkes night date uncovering gunpowder plot also commemorates memory seventeen protestant martyr town burned stake faith marian persecution st clements day celebrated november modern observance include gathering blacksmith national trust finch foundry sticklepath practise art celebrate patron saint st clement historically festival celebrated many part england involved playing divination game apple festival known biteapple night place wednesbury sandwell bilston wolverhampton people went clementing similar manner souling clementing custom also observed aston sutton coldfield curdworth minworth kingsbury th century st clement popular saint west bromwich child others neighbouring oldbury also begged apple st clements day money st thomas day take place december walsall apple nut provided local council st clements day christmas annual commemorating birth jesus christ observed december feast central christian liturgical year preceded season advent nativity fast initiate season christmastide historically england last twelve day culminates twelfth night christmas decoration put shop town centre early november many town city public event involving local regional celebrity mark switching christmas light decoration people home commonly put early december traditionally including christmas tree card light inside outside home every year norway donates giant christmas tree british raise trafalgar square thank helping second world war christmas caroler trafalgar square london sing around tree various evening christmas eve christmas decoration traditionally left evening january night epiphany considered bad luck christmas decoration date practice many christmas tradition playing christmas music largely stop christmas day mince pie traditionally sold festive season popular food christmas tradition include hanging advent calendar holding nativity play giving present eating traditional christmas dinner boxing day bank holiday happens fall weekend special bank holiday monday occur tradition include carol singing sending christmas card going church watching christmas pantomime child father christmas traditional english name personification christmas although known christmas giftbringer normally considered synonymous american culture santa claus known worldwide originally part unrelated much older english folkloric tradition recognisably modern figure english father christmas developed late victorian period christmas personified century english personification christmas first recorded th century father christmas first appearing midth century aftermath english civil war puritancontrolled english government legislated abolish christmas considering papist outlawed traditional custom royalist political pamphleteer linking old tradition cause adopted old father christmas symbol good old day feasting good cheer following restoration father christmas profile declined character maintained late th th century christmas folk play later known mummer play victorian time father christmas concerned adult feasting merrymaking particular connection child giving present nocturnal visit stocking chimney later victorian christmas developed childcentric family festival father christmas became bringer gift popular american myth santa claus arrived england father christmas started take santa attribute new custom become established nocturnal visitor sometimes known santa claus sometimes father christmas often illustrated wearing long red hooded gown trimmed white fur residual distinction father christmas santa claus largely faded away early year th century modern dictionary consider term father christmas santa claus synonymous