BEING BRITISH

CANDLEMAS (2nd February)

2012-02-02T19:05:00.000+01:00

February 2nd is Candlemas Day.This ancient festival marks the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox. It was the day of the year when all the candles that were used in the church during the coming year were brought into church and a blessing was said over them- so it was the Festival Day (´or mass`) of the Candles.

Candlemas Superstitions
Predicting the weather
Candlemas is around the time that bears emerged from winter hibernation to inspect the weather as well as wolves, who if they chose to return to their lairs on this day was interpreted as meaning severe weather would continue for another forty days at least. In the United States and Canada, Candlemas evolved into Groundhog Day celebrated on the same date.
An ancient Scottish rhyme tells us:

If Candlemass day be dry and fair,

The half o' winter to come and mair
If Candlemass day be wet and foul.

The half o' winter gane at Yule.

This means that if it is nice on Candlemas Day you can expect six more weeks of yucky, winter weather, if it isn't nice on Candlemas Day, the weather should get nicer.

Bad Luck
Sailors are often reluctant to set sail on Candlemas Day, believing that any voyage begun then will end in disaster — given the frequency of severe storms in February, this is not entirely without sense.

ROBERT BURNS: Scotland´s national poet.

2012-01-16T21:12:00.001+01:00

250 years of Robert Burns
25 January 2009 will mark 250 years to the day since Scotland's national poet was born. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a 'light' Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. He also wrote in standard English.

As well as making original compositions, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) Auld Lang Syne is often sung at Hogmanay (New Year), and Scots Wha Hae served for a long time as an unofficial national anthem of the country.

Auld Lang Syne:

Should old acquaintance be forgot

and never brought to mind ?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old times since ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !

And surely I’ll buy mine !

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine ;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine† ;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !

And give us a hand o’ thine !

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

FUENTE: Wikipedia, BBC

IT´S HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!

2011-10-27T08:15:00.006+02:00

Halloween History and Origin

Halloween is the one of the oldest holidays still celebrated today. It's one of the most popular holidays, second only to Christmas. While millions of people celebrate Halloween without knowing it's origins and myths, the history and facts of Halloween make the holiday more fascinating.

The History Halloween

Halloween is on October 31st, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.

All Hallows Eve is the evening before All Saints Day, which was created by Christians to convert pagans, and is celebrated on November 1st. The Catholic church honored saints on this designated day.

The Origin of Halloween

Fuente: Halloween web

How to make a perfect pumpkin lantern

2011-10-27T08:12:00.000+02:00

HALLOWEEN The music

2011-10-27T08:10:00.000+02:00

MAY DAY

2011-05-02T18:39:00.000+02:00

The first day of the month of May is known as May Day. It is the time of year when warmer weather begins and flowers and trees start to blossom. It is said to be a time of love and romance. It is when people celebrate the coming of summer with lots of different customs that are expressions of joy and hope after a long winter.
Traditional English May Day celebrations include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen and dancing around a Maypole.
The beginning of Summer

Although summer does not officially begin until June, May Day marks its beginning. May Day celebrations have their origins in the Roman festival of Flora, goddess of fruit and flowers, which marked the beginning of summer. It was held annually from April 28th to May 3rd.

APRIL 23rd. St. GEORGE´S DAY: ENGLAND´S NATIONAL DAY

2011-04-20T18:36:00.000+02:00

St. George is the patron saint of England. His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England, and part of the British flag.
One of the best-known stories about St. George is his fight with a dragon.

THE LEGEND OF St. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

A dragon lived by a lake near Silena in Libya. The monster ate two sheep each day; when there were no sheep, women were used. When a princess was to be eaten, George rode into battle against the dragon and killed it with a single blow of his lance. George then converted the local people to Christianity.
April 23rd was supposedly the day on which St. George was publicly beheaded, after a Roman emperor passed a death sentence on all Christians. He became the patron saint of England 14th century with King Edward III.

ENGLAND CELEBRATES St. GEORGE´S DAY

By tradition, April 23rd is the day for a red rose (the national flower) in the button hole.
For most people in England, St George´s Day is just an ordinary day.

ENGLAND AND St. GEORGE

St Patrick´s Day

2011-03-04T18:50:00.000+01:00

When is St. Patrick's Day?
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on 17 March. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in the whole of Ireland on 17 March, in honour of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.

Who was St. Patrick?
Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He was born in Wales somewhere around AD 385. He was carried off by pirates and spent six years in slavery before escaping and training as a missionary. The most famous story about Saint Patrick is him driving the snakes from Ireland. He died on 17th March in AD 461 and this day has since been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day.
What is the national emblem of Ireland?
The national emblem of Ireland is the Shamrock. Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain how the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit could exist as separate parts of the same being. His followers took to wearing a shamrock in celebration.
St Patrick's day is marked by the wearing of shamrocks (a clover-like plant), the national emblem of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
How is St Patrick's Day celebrated?
St.Patrick’s Day is celebrated with parades in the large cities, the wearing of the green and drinking guiness (traditional drink of Ireland).

THE SYMBOLS OF IRELAND

The Symbols Of Ireland

View more presentations from majomarins.

Saint David's Day- Wales.1st March

2011-03-01T12:11:00.006+01:00

St David's Day is celebrated in Wales on 1st March, in honour of St David (Dewi Sant), the patron saint of Wales.
St David (Dewi Sant was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales.
The most famous story about Saint David tells how he was preaching to a huge crowd and the ground is said to have risen up, so that he was standing on a hill and everyone had a better chance of hearing him.

ST VALENTINE´S DAY

2011-02-09T17:38:00.000+01:00

THE HISTORY OF ST. VALENTINE

So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young, single men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers.

ST. ANDREW'S DAY

2010-11-30T00:56:00.001+01:00

The Legend of the Saltire

Saint Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland, Russia and Greece. Saint Andrew's symbol is a white cross on a blue background because he is believed to have died on a diagonally transversed cross, which the Romans sometimes used for executions. The cross Saint Andrew was crucified on has been adopted as the national flag of Scotland, later incorporated into the Union Flag. The blue is supposed to stand for the sky.

Saint Andrew's Day is celebrated on 30th November when scots all over the world celebrate their national day.

REMEMBRANCE DAY- POPPY DAY

2010-11-08T20:24:00.009+01:00

POPPY DAY

November is the time of the year when the British wear a red poppy in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for them during wars.

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month marks the signing of the Armistice, on 11th November 1918, to signal the end of World War One.

Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day after the Second World War.

Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day, because it is traditional to wear an artificial poppy. They are sold by the Royal British Legion, a charity dedicated to helping war veterans.

WILL YOU BE SCARED?

2010-10-27T08:13:00.000+02:00

COLUMBUS DAY

2010-09-16T19:17:00.001+02:00

What is Columbus Day all about?
Celebrated the second Monday of October, Columbus Day is day set aside to commemorate Christopher Columbus's discovery of the Americas on October 12, 1492. It is also a day to celebrate the role Italian immigrants have played in making the United States great.

How did Columbus Day become a holiday?
Three hundred years passed between Columbus's discovery of the America and the first known celebration of that discovery. In 1792, a group called the Colombian Order organized a ceremony in New York City to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the new world. After the Civil War, a group of Italian immigrants in New York organized the first real celebration of that discovery. In the years that followed, other groups of Italian immigrants did likewise.

What makes Columbus Day controversial?
Although Columbus Day continues to be a national holiday, it is not without controversy. Some biographers have described Columbus's initial mission as a quest "for gold, for God, and for glory." Yet somewhere along the way, something went tragically awry. As Columbus set his sights on the riches the New World had to offer, his professed concern for the souls of the natives seemingly vanished. First came the enslavery of native populations, then genocide. Within four years of the time Columbus set foot on San Salvadorian soil, his men had killed or exported a full third of the native population. Columbus's own journals include graphic accounts of torture and violence perpetrated against the men, women, and children who greeted him in peace. Four decades of such exploitation resulted in the culture's virtual extinction.

SESAME STREET NEWS FLASH: CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

SATURNALIA

2009-12-13T20:29:00.006+01:00

SATURNALIA

Romans were the party people of the ancient world. For them, the end of December meant only one thing, Saturnalia, and the onset of two weeks of non-stop feasting. The festivities were held in honour of Saturn, the god of Agriculture, and no detail was overlooked. The buildings were brightly lit, fir trees were decorated, presents were exchanged and slaves got their annual chance to swap places with their masters.

The Saturnalia was originally held on the 17th of December to honor Saturn as a harvest god. The celebration started at the temple of Saturn and the Romans held a public feast in honor of the God. By the late Republic, the celebration lasted from three to seven days.

DECEMBER AND CHRISTMAS

2009-12-12T15:40:00.001+01:00

DECEMBER

Christmas plant: Poinsettia

December used to be the tenth month of the Roman year and,it gets its name from the word "decem", which means ten.
In the northern emisphere December marks the beginning of winter, and it is the time of rain, wind and snow.

December is very much associated with Christmas and a lot of December customs and traditions have therefore been swallowed up by the festival: Christmas trees, Christmas carols, presents, Father Christmas, Christmas puddings...

Christmas is a magical season, bringing families and friends together to share customs and traditions. Most people are on holiday in England and stay at home with their family on Christmas day.

The British are very fond of Christmas decoration and Christmas cards are used as part of it.

We can see cards all over the furniture in the living-room, dining-room... British people normally get between 20 and 30 Christmas cards.

Fuente: Woodlands Junior School

CHRISTMAS HISTORY: the video

A CHRISTMAS RECIPE