Tag: traditions
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A (brief) History of Christmas – Part 2
A history of Christmas might sound like a fairly simple undertaking. From nativity, to church, to family, to commerce - a story of high beginnings, a cosy, warm middle and the chill of cold hard cash and commercialism at the end. However its not quote that simple - the type of Christmas we celebrate today has a very winding tale indeed.
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Historical Superstitions We Still Observe Today
We like to think that our modern world is free from superstition – we are enlightened people living in an age of science fact. Well, not quite, we still find ourseves observing superstitions – sometimes consciously and sometimes by habit. In this article we look at some historical superstitions we still observe today.
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Twas the Night Before Christmas – A Poem that Shaped Modern Santa
Much of our modern idea of Santa Claus comes from a very famous poem, the 1823 work ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’. More commonly known by its first line, ‘’Twas the night before Christmas’
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Christmas Traditions – The First Ever Nativity Play
Even in modern, secular Britain there is one tradition that still holds sway at Christmas – The Christmas Nativity Play. In this article we look at the 800 year old origin of this Christmas institution.
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Being British and the Art of Queuing
Being British can be a complex business and there is one part of our identity that will confuse ‘Johnny Foreigner’ no end – Queuing!
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Guernsey Ways – Vraicing
Few island customs, except perhaps the Clameur de Haro, which survive today can claim as ancient a history as that of ” vraicing.”
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Wassail Punch – A Medieval Winter Warmer
Add some history to your festivities with a glass of wassail punch.
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How did people in the Middle Ages Celebrate Christmas?
Today we celebrate Christmas with a spirit of merriment, gift giving and (over) indulgence. But that begs the question … How was Christmas celebrated in the past? Or more specifically for our aricle here – the Middle Ages?
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How to Smug a Guy – An old Guy Fawkes Tradition
The British are a nation with a long and proud history steeped in ritual and tradition. None more so when it comes to the rather odd celebration of ‘Guy Fawkes Night’ where we gleefully celebrate the burning of a Catholic traitor caught trying to blow up the houses of parliament. However there is one rather odd tradition surrounding this event that we would suggest is best not revived – ‘Smugging a Guy’.
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So Why do the British Traditionally Eat Turkey at Christmas ?
Christmas is probably the time of year when there is an overwhelming plethora of traditions and practices that we all enthusiastically embrace. In this article we look at one of the most enduring of British traditions … the Christmas Turkey.
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Some Christmas Tree Factlets
Today the Christmas Tree is a pretty ubiquitous symbol of the yuletide season. It wasn’t always so. In this article we look at a few historical Christmas Tree factoids.
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The Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree is a ubiquitous image of the season. Trees were a symbol of life long before Christianity. In this article we look at a very short history of the Christmas tree.
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More Old Guernésiais Cures, Remedies & Superstitions
Guernsey used to posses a rich set of folklore tales, ancient cures and remedies for ailments and many superstitious tales. Some of the more intriguing and somewhat amusing wisdom of the old Guernésiais folk.
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Old Guernésiais Cures, Remedies & Superstitions
Being a small community isolated from the rest of the world it’s no surprise that Guernsey used to posses a rich set of folklore tales, ancient cures and remedies for ailments and many superstitious tales. In this article we’ve gathered together some of the more intriguing and somewhat amusing wisdom of the old Guernésiais folk.
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So Why is the Day After Christmas Called Boxing Day?
In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the following day after Christmas Day, 26 December. But why is it called boxing day ?
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Some Amazing Santa Factoids
Some factoids about that jolly seasonal elf … Santa Claus
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How Did Xmas Come to Stand for Christmas?
The use of the colloquial “Xmas” has often been singled out as an example of how this religious celebration has been commercialized and robbed of its religious content. So how did Xmas come to stand for Christmas?
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