BLOG CORNER: COUNTING THE CELEBRATIONS!

Having celebrated Hallow  E`en and Guy Fawkes, the way is clear for Christmas.

There is of course Thanksgiving for our friends across the pond.

It is interesting how parts of these celebrations have increased, and other parts decreased.

HALLOW  E`EN

For example, Hallow E`en is an abbreviation of  All  Hallowed Evening.

With Celtic Pagan roots, it became Christianised, and is celebrated on October the 31st.

Happening at the end of the harvest season, it was thought that on this evening, the spirit world was very accessible to the earthly world.

Thanks was  given for harvest abundance which gave rise eventually to the practice of exchanging  gifts and contributions, (trick or treat), plus dressing up in scary outfits to ward off spirits.

Each year, it has become more commercialised, with houses being decorated, pumkin  lantern and costume competitions, parties and dressing up outfits purchased from stores, but fewer people are aware of the history of how it came about.

GUY  FOX  BONFIRE:

Guy Fawkes  night, on the 5th November also  has an interesting history.

Guy Fawkes was born an Englishman who supported Catholicism.

As a young man  he moved to Spain where he fought against the English.
A  plan to replace James 1 with his daughter Princess  Elizabeth, was being hatched, and a store of gunpowder kept in a hidden room under the House of Lords in order to blow up the building during the State Opening Of Parliament.

The plan was to capture Princess Elizabeth and install her as queen.

 Guy Fawkes and others were in charge.

The plan was discovered and Guy Fawkes sentenced to death.

Effigies of him being burned in a bonfire represented the plan of him blowing up the House of Lords,

It is a tradition carried out in the UK to this day, with a "Guy" being placed in a bonfire, although many people may not be aware of the back story.

In recent years there have been accompanying firework displays, increasingly under supervision.

Unfortunately, what is a colourful spectacle , has been marred by some irresponsible individuals, who have been using fireworks, which are explosives, as weapons, resulting in some very nasty injuries and fire damage to properties.

In certain areas, it  has led to bonfires and fireworks being restricted and in some cases banned.

CHRISTMAS  TREE  and  PRESENTS:

Christmas is of course the most celebrated tradition in the United Kingdom and other Christian countries.

It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ who is the basis of the Christian religion.

According to the accepted story, Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem to parents Mary and Joseph, as there was no room at the Inn.

His birth was considered a highly significant  event, and was marked by the visitation of the "three  wise  men" from the east, with gifts of valuable gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The date of Christmas is dated from before his birth being described as B.C. and  with dates after his birth as A.D.

 Over the centuries, there have been many variations depending on the interpretation by a variety of countries,  festivals and celebrations of different kinds.

There have been many  names  associated with the time around Christmas, such as Santa Claus and  St Nicolas.

Christmas as we know it in the U.K. consists of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Primarily the central focus of Christmas Day is the giving and receiving of gifts, which represent those  of the original Wise Men.

The type of gifts have varied hugely over the years, depending on the political, social, financial and fashion status  of the populations at the time.

TRADITIONAL  CHRISTMAS  DINNER:

The other important part of Christmas Day, is the feasting!

In the UK , in modern times, it has been traditionally a roasted turkey, with trimmings of roast potatoes, stuffing, brussel sprouts, parsnips and bread sauce,  followed by plum pudding or trifle.

However, this continues to have many variations, as we become a multi cultural society, and incorporate influences from other countries.

The run up to Christmas is always busy, as presents have to be bought, homes decorated, food organised, and arrangements for family and friends to join in celebrations, the list is endless.

Christmas Eve on the 24th  is the last chance to have preparations ready for Christmas Day, as Public Holidays cover the 25th and 26th.

There are too many traditions and variations within families to mention, and this will continue to evolve.

Central to Christmas should of course be the spiritual focus on the original reason for theChristmas celebration which has lasted for so many years.

CHRISTMAS  CAROL  SERVICE:

Attending Christmas services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, reflect the central message of Christmas, which sometimes gets forgotten in the increasing world of commercialism.

There are many theories and interpretations of Boxing Day.

Some say it was the tradition of giving trades people a Christmas Box in recognition of services rendered throughout the year, while others suggest that wealthy householders would give their servants the opportunity to visit their families on the day after Christmas, as they had to work on Christmas Day, but would give them a box of left over food and perhaps a gift.

The distribution of Alms Boxes for the poor, is a further theory.

In modern times, many countries have a public holiday on Boxing Day. Many retail businesses open up to offer significant Sale Reduction prices.

There are also many sporting events which take place on Boxing Day from football to horse racing.

Many businesses in the building trade and similar, close down for perhaps a week or two over the Christmas period, as it is often difficult to source supplies, engage staff,  and also the weather may be bad.

Schools and an increasing number of other commercial businesses close to cover the festive period including New Year.

NEW  YEAR  CELEBRATIONS:

New Year is the first celebration of the following year and in the UK falls on the first of January.

Throughout the world, the first day of the year is celebrated at different times and in many ways.

It is a significant time, as so many parts of the year ahead generate from the first day.

It was seen as an opportunity to look at the forthcoming year and try to make positive plans to make it successful.

There are often gatherings of people who will count down the last minute of the "old" year of 31st December,  and welcome in the "new "year.

In China and many East Asian countries the new year is linked to the various stages of the moon, and is known as a "lunar" new year.

There are many ways in which the celebrations may continue with food being an important part of it.

New Years Day is a Public Holiday in the U.K. and increasingly Christmas and New Year are becoming an inclusive holiday time.

Throughout history, certain times of the year have been marked by celebrations of one kind or another.

These times may have had a religious theme, or related to seasons of the natural world often linked to harvest and fertility. 

It is a time for gratitude and thanksgiving.

There are still many special times which are celebrated in the UK and other countries, such as Easter and  Birthdays, and there are many other special days within other religions.

It is interesting to note that these days have been marked for many hundreds of years although will have had variations over time.

It shows that there is an importance attached to certain events which the public continue to want to mark in an appropriate way, which is encouraging in the fast pace of our modern lifestyles.

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