Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
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1.Introduction
The British (also known as Britons, informally Brits or archaically Britishers) are citizens of
the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, one of the Channel Islands, or of one of the British
overseas territories, and their descendants In a historical context, the word is used to refer to
the ancient Britons, the indigenous inhabitants of Great Britain south of the Forth British
nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, which are acquired
through a variety of means including by birth in the UK and by descent from British
nationals.
Although early assertions of being British date from the Late Middle Ages, a developed
British national identity emerged following the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in
1707. The notion of Britishness—which was closely tied with Protestantism at the time of its
inception—was forged during the Napoleonic Wars between Britain and the First French
Empire, and was developed further during the Victorian era. The complex history of the
formation of the United Kingdom created a "particular sense of nationhood and belonging" in
Britain; Britishness came to be "superimposed on to much older identities", and the English,
Scottish and Welsh "remain in many ways distinct peoples in cultural terms", giving rise to
resistance to British identity. Because of longstanding ethno-sectarian divisions British
identity in Northern Ireland is controversial, but is held with strong conviction by Unionists.
Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled in
Great Britain before the 11th century. Prehistoric, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse
influences were blended in Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived
in northern France. Conquest and union facilitated migration, cultural and linguistic exchange,
and intermarriage between the people of England, Scotland and Wales during the Middle
Ages, Early Modern period and beyond. Since the 19th century, and particularly since the
mid-20th century there has been immigration to the United Kingdom by people from Ireland,
the Commonwealth, other parts of Europe and elsewhere; they and their descendants are
mostly British citizens with some assuming a British, dual or hyphenated identity.
International perceptions of the British broadly revolve around their politeness and reserved
nature. The British are a diverse, multicultural society, with "strong regional accents,
expressions and identities". The social structure of Britain has changed radically since the
19th century, with the decline in religious observance, enlargement of the middle class, and
increased ethnic diversity. The population of the United Kingdom stands at around
60,000,000. The British diaspora is concentrated in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and
United States.
The experience of military, political and economic power from the rise of the British Empire,
led to a very specific drive in artistic technique, taste and sensibility in the United Kingdom.
The UK is an ethnically diverse country with people from various stock. For most of the last
millennium, the lands now constituting the United Kingdom were largely inhabited by
indigenous peoples with small to medium-scale migration from Europe occurring between the
16th and 20th centuries. In 1066, the Normans successfully took control of England and, in
subsequent years, there was some migration from France. In the 19th century, immigration by
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people outside Europe began on a small scale as people arrived from the British colonies. This
increased during the 20th century. Since World War II, however, substantial immigration
from the New Commonwealth and European countries has considerably altered the
demographic make-up of many cities in Britain. The majority of Britons are White (92%)
with the remainder from various ethnic groups, mainly Asian, Black, and mixed-race.
Britain is full of culture and traditions which have been around for hundreds of years. British
customs and traditions are famous all over the world. When people think of Britain they often
think of people drinking tea, eating fish and chips and wearing bowler hats, but there is more
to Britain than just those things. We have English and British traditions of sport, music, food
and many royal occasions. There are also songs, sayings and superstitions. Who was Guy
Fawkes? Why does the Queen have two birthdays? You can find the answers here in our
pages on life in Britain.
Superstition is a part of British culture today. Although superstition was more alive a
hundred years ago, there are still superstitious people around, both young and old. Some
people though, clame not to be superstitious, but it is still a part of them.
Superstition is a pretty slippery concept, and we need to examine what we mean by it. The
simple statement that a superstition is an irrational belief is quite adequate for most purposes,
as long as we don't enquire too closely into the meaning of the word 'irrational'. But not every
irrational belief gets labelled as superstition, so we need to look a bit closer. One of the key
characteristics of superstition is a belief in the existence of luck, as a real force in life, and that
luck can be predicted by signs, and can be controlled or influenced by particular actions or
words. Other key elements include a belief in fate, which again can be predicted and
manipulated, and a belief in fate, which again can only be described as magic - the idea that
people can be harmed or protected by spells, charms, amulets, curses, witchcraft, and so on.
Superstitions are also unofficial knowledge, in that they run counter to the official teachings
of religion, school, science, and government, and this is precisely why - even in the 21st
century - many of us like to hold onto a few, to show that we are not totally ruled by science
and hard fact.
But why were people so superstitious? It is usually assumed that superstition is the result of
fear and uncertainty - an attempt to control the parts of life that are in fact beyond our
understanding or control. This is largely true, and there is some evidence that superstition is
more prevalent in people involved in dangerous occupations, and increases in times of
particular uncertainty, such as during a war.
English folklore is the folk tradition which has developed in England over a number of
centuries. Some stories can be traced back to their roots, while the origin of others is uncertain
or disputed. England abounds with folklore, in all forms, from such obvious manifestations as
the traditional Arthurian legends (which were originally strictly Britonic) and Robin Hood
tales, to contemporary urban legends and facets of cryptozoology such as the Beast of Bodmin
Moor.
Morris dance and related practices such as the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance preserve old
English folk traditions, as do Mummers Plays. Pub names may preserve folk traditions.
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2.Traditions - All Year Round British Folklore and Customs
2.1. January
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Twelfth Night
Evening before Epiphany. Twelfth Night marks the end of the medieval Christmas festivities
and the end of Twelfthtide (the 12-day season after Christmas ending with Epiphany). Also
called Twelfth Day Eve.
Plough Monday
The day on which work started again after Twelfth Night was known to countryfolk as Plough
Monday: the day on which labourers had to return to the fields. The day was also nicknamed
St Distaff's Day: the day on which women had to return to work with the distaff (another
name for a spindle) after the Christmas holiday.
Wassailing
People went from door to door, rather like carol singers at Christmas times, but at New Year
they were called 'wassailers'.
Burns Night
The people of Scotland honour their greatest poet, Robert Burns. He was born on January
25th nearly 245 years ago (1759) and wrote his first song when he was sixteen. A traditional
Scottish meal is neaps (swede), tatties (potato) and haggis washed down with whisky.
2.2.February
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earth, it was as if everyone was 'in the dark'. People often felt lost and lonely. Afraid. As if
they were on their own, with no one to help them. Then came Jesus with his message that he
is with his followers always ready to help and comfort them. As if he is a guiding light to
them in the darkness. Christians often talk of Jesus as 'the light of the World' - and candles are
lit during church services to remind Christians of this.
Candlemas
Candlemas is a traditional Christian festival that commemorates the ritual purification of
Mary forty days after the birth of her son Jesus. On this day, Christians remember the
presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple. Forty days after the birth of a Jewish boy, it was
the custom to take him to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to God by his thankful
parents.
In pre-Christian times, this day was known as the 'Feast of Lights' and celebrated the increase
strength of the life-giving sun as winter gave way to spring.
This feast is called Candlemas because that was the day on which the year's supply of candles
for the church were blessed.
St Valentine’s Day
This was originally thought to be the day on which birds chose their mates. There are many
traditions and tales associated with romance activities on Valentines day including:
• the first man an unmarried woman saw on 14th February would be her future husband;
• if the names of all a girl's suitors were written on paper and wrapped in clay and the clay put
into water, the piece that rose to the surface first would contain the name of her husband-to-
be.
• if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a
sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a
goldfinch, she would marry a rich person.
Each year in Britain, we spend around £503m on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for
Valentine's Day. Traditionally these were sent anonymously, but now-a-days we often make it
clear who is sending each 'Valentine'.
Thinking Day
This is the day when members of the Scout and Guide movements remember their founders
Lord and Lady Robert Baden-Powell.
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Kissing Friday (the Friday after Ash Wednesday) Friday of Shrove Week, English schoolboys
were once entitled to kiss girls in without fear of punishment or rejection, a custom that lasted
until at least the 1940s.
2.3. March
Lent Lily
One of the flowers most associated with March is the narcissus (Wild daffodil). Named after
the boy in Greek mythology, who was changed into a flower. Narciccus is also known as Lent
Lily because it blooms in early spring and the blooms usually dropping before Easter. It is the
main daffodil species of Britain.
The daffodil became a popular Welsh symbol in the 19th Century. Lloyd George used it to
symbolise Wales at the 1911 Investiture and in official publications.
2.4. April
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April fooling became popular in England and Scotland during the 1700s.
The Cuckoo
The arrival of the cuckoo is the signal that spring has come. It arrives some time in mid April.
The cuckoo sings from St. Tiburtius’ Day (14th April) to St John’s Day (24th June). However
in Worcestershire there is a saying that the cuckoo is never heard before Tenbury fair (April
21st), or after Pershore fair (June 26th). The difference in dates is because traditionally the
bird arrives in different parts of the country during April.
Various April dates are called ‚Cuckoo Day ‚ and some places hold ‚Cuckoo Fairs’.
24 April - Marsden Cuckoo Day in West Yorkshire is an annual traditional festival that
celebrates the arrival of spring. According to a local legend, Marsdeners used to try to prolong
the cuckoo’s stay by building a wall around its nest.
25 April - Heathfield Cuckoo Fair in East Sussex is an annual tradition of releasing a cuckoo
to mark the beginning of summer. A tale of Heathfield Fair depicts an Old Woman releasing
the Cuckoo from her basket, whereupon he „flies up England carrying warmer days with
him”.
2 May - Downton Cuckoo Fair is an annual traditional event held on the greens of the
picturesque village of Downton, south of Salisbury, Wiltshire. The fair marks the „opening
the gate” to let the cuckoo through.
Easter usually comes in the month of April. It is what is called a ‚moveable feast’ because the
date of it is fixed according to the moon. Easter Sunday has to be the first Sunday after the
full moon which means that Easter can fall as early as 22 March or as late as 25 April .
Primrose Day
In the late 19 century, 19 April was celebrated as Primrose Day in memory of British Prime
Minister, Benjamin Disraeli (Lord Beaconsfield), who died on this day in 1881. People were
encouraged to pay tribute to the statesman by wearing primroses as they were supposedly his
favourite flower. However, it seems there was a misunderstanding and that the flower was not
his favourite after all. Queen Victoria sent a wreath of primroses to Disraeli’s funeral with a
note stating that they were „his favourite flowers”; people assumed that the ‚his’ referred to
Disraeli, but in fact it referred to Victoria’s late husband, Prince Albert.
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St Georges Day - England’s National Day
The 23rd April is St. George’s Day . St. George is the Patron Saint of England and also of
Scotland.
It is said that St. George once saved a village from great danger. The village were frightened
of a fierce dragon who lived close by, so St George killed the dragon.
2.5.May
May Day (Garland Day)
In Britain, as in most parts of Western Europe, May day marked the end of the harsh winter
months, welcomed the beginning of Summer, and optimistically looked forward to the bright
and productive months. For our ancestors, largely in rural areas, it was a major annual festival
and was celebrated through out the country, especially on the first of May with music,
dancing and games.
Traditional May Day celebrations included dancing around maypoles and the appearance of
hobby horses’ and characters such as Robin Hood and Jack in Green.
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2.6. June
Well Dressing
At different times during June there are ceremonies called ‚well dressings’. Springs and wells
of fresh water that come from the underground streams have always seem to be magical
things, so some wells are honoured with decorations.
The decorations consist of branches of greenery and amazingly beautiful pictures made of
flower petals and moss.
Midsummers Day
The middle of summer comes after the longest day and it is a time associated with witches,
magic, fairies and dancing
On the eve of Midsummer’s Day, many bonfires used to be burnt all over the country. This
was in praise of the sun, for the days were getting shorter and the sun appeared to be getting
weaker, so people would light fires to try and strengthen the sun.
2.7. July
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Swan Upping
The census of swans takes place annually during July on the River Thames in a ceremony
known as Swan Upping. Swans are counted and marked on a 70 mile, five day journey up the
River Thames.
2..8.August
Lammas Day
1st August is Lammas Day, and was Thanksgiving time (Harvest time) in Britain. The name
comes from an Anglo-Saxon word Hlafmaesse which means Loaf Mass. The festival of
Lammas marks the beginning of the harvest, when people go to church to give thanks for the
first corn to be cut. This celebration predates our Christian harvest festival.
On Lammas Day farmers made loaves of bread from the new wheat crop and gave them to
their local church. They were then used as the Communion bread during a special mass
thanking God for the harvest. The custom ended when Henry VIII broke away from the
Catholic Church, and nowadays we have harvest festivals at the end of the season.
Michaelmas Day (September 29) is traditionally the last day of the harvest season.
Lammas Day used to be a time for foretelling marriages and trying out partners. Two young
people would agree to a „trial marriage” lasting the period of the fair (usually 11 days) to see
whether they were really suited for wedlock. At the end of the fair, if they didn’t get on, the
couple could part.
Lammas was also the time for farmers to give their farm workers a present of a pair of gloves.
In Exeter, a large white glove was put on the end of a long pole which was decorated with
flowers and held on high to let people know that the merriment of Lammas Fair was
beginning.
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Royal National Eisteddfod in Wales
The Eisteddfod is an older tradition, revived in the 19th century. It originated as a medieval
gathering of bards and minstrels, attended by people across Wales, who competed for the
prized chair at the noble’s table.
Held during the first week of August, it celebrates Welsh arts and culture.
2.9. September
Harvest Festival
Traditionally 24th September was the day on which harvesting began in medieval England.
Corn Dolly
Similar to the mare there is a custom of making corn dollies.
A corn dolly was supposed to have been the spirit of the corn goddess and dates back
hundreds of years. People believed that the corn goddess lived in the corn and would die when
the corn was harvested unless some of it was saved. So to make sure the corn goddess stayed
alive until next spring sowing, a corn dolly was made from the last sheaf of corn for the corn
goddess to rest in until the next.
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Traditional corn dollies named after counties or place names of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland
Michaelmas Day
Michaelmas Day is the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, celebrated on 29 September. St.
Michael is the patron saint of the sea and maritime lands, of ships and boatmen, of horses and
horsemen. He was the Angel who hurled Lucifer (the devil) down from Heaven for his
treachery.
Michaelmas Day is traditionally the last day of the harvest season.
The harvest season used to begin on 1 August and was called Lammas, meaning ‚loaf Mass’.
Farmers made loaves of bread from the new wheat crop and gave them to their local church.
The custom ended when Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church, and nowadays we
have harvest festivals at the end of the season near Michaelmas Day.
Curfew
Michaelmas used to be a popular day for the winter night curfew to begin - the first hint that
winter was on the way. Curfew took the form of a tolling of the church bell, usually one strike
for each of the days of the month that had passed in the current year and generally rung at
9pm.
The word curfew may derive from the French word couvre feu, meaning ‚cover fire’. Curfew
was the time when household fires were supposed to be doused. The bell was tolled every
night, apart from Sunday, until Shrove Tuesday.
Chertsey is one of the last places to still ring a Curfew bell at 8pm from Michaelmas Day to
Lady Day (29th September to 25th March). Their oldest Curfew bell dates from 1380! Find
out more
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Goose Day
Michaelmas Day is sometimes also called Goose Day. Goose Fairs are still held in some
English towns, but geese are no longer sold. A famous Michaelmas fair is the Nottingham
Goose Fair which is now held on or around 3 October.
A Great custom in England was to dine on goose on Michaelmas. One reason for this was said
to be that Queen Elizabeth I was eating goose when news of the defeat of the Armada was
brought to her. In celebration she said that henceforth she would always eat goose on
Michaelmas Day. Others then followed her lead.
Quarter Day
Another suggestion, why goose are eaten, is that, as Michaelmas Day was a Quarter Day,
rents were due and bills had to be paid. Tenants seeking delay of payment traditionally bought
a goose as a present for their landlord to help seek his indulgence. Geese were supposedly
very tasty at this time of year.
Horn Dance
On the first Monday after September 4th, in a town called Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire, a
very picturesque custom takes place. It is called the Horn Dance. Six men hold masks on
sticks which have long reindeer horns attached to them.
There are two teams of three men each. One team’s reindeer horns are painted white - the
other’s are blue. Each team dances towards the other as if to fight, then they go back, then
advance as if to lock horns, and then go back again. After a while they pass each other straight
over the the other side and they start again.
There are other people in attendance dancing as well - a hobby horse, someone dresses as
Made Marion, a boy with a bow and arrow, a triangle player, a musician and a Fool.
Gurning Competition
The World Gurning Championships are held at the Egremont Crab Fair in the Lake District in
a tradition dating back to 1267. To gurn has many meanings but one of them is to ‚distort the
face’ and making faces is just what this competition is - to see who can make the most awful
face.
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Holy Rood Day
Rood is another name for a cross and traditionally on 14 September children were freed from
school or work so they could gather nuts.
2.10. October
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Punky is another name for a pumpkin which has been hollowed out and has a candle standing
inside it.
Traditionally on this night, children in the South of England would carve their ‘Punkies’,
(pumpkins) into Jack O’Lanterns. Once carved the children would go out in groups and march
through the streets, singing traditional ‘punky’ songs, calling in at friendly houses and
competing for best lantern with rival groups they meet. The streets would be lit with the light
of the Punkies.
Nowadays, on Punky Night in Hinton St George, Somerset, local children join a procession
through the village streets, swinging their homemade lanterns and going house to house,
singing traditional ‘punky’ songs and sometimes getting a few pennies at the front door.
2.11. November
All Hallows
All Saints’ Day used to be known as All Hallows (Hallow being an old word meaning Saint
or Holy Person). The feast day actually started the previous evening, the Eve of All Hallows
or Hallowe’en.
Christians remember all the saints
On Saints’ Day, Christians remember all ‚men of good will’ (saints), great ones and forgotten
ones, who have died through the ages.
Saints are men and women from all ages and all walks of life, who were outstanding
Christians. Some - the martyrs - died for their faith. All of them are honoured by the church.
Hallowtide
All Saints’ Day, together with All Souls’ Day are know collectively as Hallowtide.
All Souls’ Day - 2 November
On All Souls’ Day the Roman Catholic Church remembers all those who have died - not just
the great and the good, but ordinary man-in-the-street. Families visit graves with bunches of
flowers and in church the names of the dead may be read out on request. In some parts of the
country, All Souls’ Day ends with a play or some songs.
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All Souls Day Tradition
According to tradition, a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land took refuge on a rocky island
during a storm. There he met a hermit, who told him that among the cliffs was an opening to
the infernal regions through which flames ascended, and where the groans of the tormented
were distinctly audible. The pilgrim told Odilo, Abbot of Cluny, who appointed the following
day (2 November 998) to be set apart for ‚all the dead who have existed from the beginning of
the world to the end of time’. The day purposely follows All Saints’ Day in order to shift the
focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory.
Mischief Night
The 4th November is called Mischief Night in some parts of the country. This was the night
when all sorts of naughty things were done - the main idea being to put things in the wrong
place.
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St Cecilia’s Day - 22nd November
St Cecilia is thought to have been a Roman maiden who was martyred in the second or third
century. Her story is told in the ‚Second Nun’s Tale’ in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. She is
usually portrayed with an organ, and is the patron saint of musicians.
Concerts and recitals are often given on St Cecilia’s Day.
2.12. December
Boy Bishops
It was formerly customary on St Nicholas Day to elect a boy bishop who would perform a
juvenile version of the normal duties and ceremonies of this office, excluding the celebration
of Mass, until Holy Innocents Day (28 December)
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All over Britain there are parties, fireworks, singing and dancing, to ring out the old year and
ring in the new. As the clock - Big Ben - strikes midnight, people link arms and sing a song
called ‚Auld Lang Syne’. It reminds them of old and new friends.
2.13.Christmas in the UK
Christmas
From old English Cristes maesse (Christ's Mass), older still, Yule, from the Germanic root
geol. In some languages:
The traditional Christmas is not a single day but a prolonged period, normally from 24th
December to 6th January. This included the New Year, thus increasing the festival value of
Christmas.
A Christmas history
The Christmas customs and rituals that we follow Christian, Celtic or Roman? Actually, they
are a mixture of all three.
We still look at the Christmas season as a time of "goodwill to all men". This custom goes as
far back as Rome. Lucian (a third century poet) describes the Roman festival of Saturnalia
(Dec. 17 - 24) as "a time when all men shall be equal and all resentment and threats are
contrary to law".
The dates of this Roman festival actually coincided with the old Celtic celebration of Yule so
St. Augustine (realizing that it was much smarter to change the "focus" of Britain's popular
Celtic festival than to ban it) and the other Christians of the time declared that Dec. 25 was the
date of Christ's birth. By establishing that date, they blended all of the Celtic, Christian and
Roman beliefs together into one celebration, let everyone do their own thing and everyone
was happy.
By the time we get to 1066, Britain was very Christian although many of the old Celtic and
Roman customs survived, especially at Christmas.
One of the most important of these was the use of lights in home and church. This was a left
over from the old Celtic belief of "sympathetic magic". The intent being that the lights would
encourage the return of the sun after the dark days of winter. To this day, we still use many
candles in church and our religious observances.
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Decorating the church and home with evergreen foliage (holly, ivy and mistletoe) was another
custom left over from the old beliefs. Ivy, once the badge of the Roman wine God, Bacchus,
was thought to prevent hangovers and bring good luck. As mistletoe was the ancient symbol
of fertility, it's use was frowned on by the church. However, Holly was welcomed as the
blood of Christ and the crown of thorns.
The nativity play was an invention of St. Francis of Assisi and was a continental custom. It
made its appearance in Britain in the 12th century and was performed in churches and public
places.
In medieval times, the celebration was called the Twelve Days of Christmas and the party ran
for all 12 days. The celebration began on December 25 and ended on January 5. It was a time
for continuous feasting and merry making, which climaxed on Twelfth Night. At his time of
year it was cold outside and there was little agricultural work to do except caring for the
animals so work could be suspended. Sometimes the festivities continued until Candelmass
on Feb. 2. The highlight of this celebration was the feast, the lavishness of which depended
on your place in the social ladder. Many feudal lords were expected to give a great meal for
their tenants. They really did it up big time! During Christmas 1213, the royal family's
guests consumed 200 pigs, 1000 hens, 15,000 herring, 10,000 eels, 100 pounds of almonds
and 27 hogsheads of wine.
On Christmas Eve, the wassail bowl was passed. The rich would fill the bowl with spiced
wine in which roasted apples were floated. The bowl was then passed from person to person
to drink to each other's health. The poor substituted wine with ale mixed with nutmeg, ginger
and honey. This custom can be traced to Anglo-Saxon times, the Saxon phrase "was haile"
meaning a toast to another's health.
At these dinners, the centerpiece of the feast, a boar's head, would be carried into the hall with
great ceremony, preceded by the master of ceremonies and followed by minstrels singing
carols. This was another ancient custom from a time when the boar was a sacrificial animal
revered by the Nordic people.
To end the feast, frumenty was served. (the predecessor to Christmas pudding) This was a
wheaten porridge sweetened with fruit nuts and spices. Christmas pies of the time were meat-
based. The centerpiece of the Twelfth Night party was the Twelfth Night cake. The eating of
this caked involved the crowning of the King of the bean and the Queen of the pea. Whoever
found these items buried in their cake were crowned monarch for the night and their orders
had to be obeyed. These people were party animals that had been drinking for days so one
can only imagine what went on. This idea was carried into schools, colleges and churches by
appointing a boy bishop who was given temporary power to direct the merry-making.
In the villages, mummers would wear masks or blacken their faces, put on animal skins and
perform traditional dances, which originated from old Celtic festivals.
From the 1400's on, there would be a Lord of Misrule. This was generally a person of low
rank who was permitted to reign over the Feast of Fools. This feast included a lot of music,
dancing, men dressed up in women's clothes, drinking and undoubtedly, a lot of debauchery.
There were many other traditions and customs during the celebration. I have highlighted just
a few.
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All of this merry-making had very little to do with children which is a big difference from
today. The children joined in but gifts were a matter for adults only and were exchanged at
New Year between king and courtiers, landlord and tenants. Father Christmas did not exist at
that time. The medieval child knew Christmas as an adult event. It was a time when
grownups could set aside the strict, oppressive rules of their society and act like children.
Decorated Christmas trees, as we know them, were introduced during the Victorian era.
However, the ancient Celtic people worshiped trees and decorated them throughout the
winter. The idea being to protect them until the sun returned. Based on stories of the 4th
century Dutch St. Nicholas, Santa Claus was introduced in North America by the Dutch
colonists
Christmas nowadays
Christmas Day, 25 December, is celebrated by Christians as the day on which Jesus Christ
was born. In Great Britain, carol services take place in Churches throughout December and
nativity plays are performed They are stories of Christ's birth acted out by school children.
Some families have models of nativity scene in their houses. Another popular form of
Christmas performances are pantomimes which are dramatised versions of well-known fairy
tales. They involve singing, dancing and encouraging the audience to participate. Before
Christmas, people send Christmas cards to their friends and family. The first ever Christmas
card was sent in Britain in the 19th century. Traditional Christmas symbols are Santa Claus,
angels, holly or snowmen.
Traditional Christmas decorations which include holly and ivy originate in the Middle Ages.
The custom of kissing beneath a spring of mistletoe comes, probably, from pagan tradition. A
few days before Christmas families decorate their Christmas tree with baubles, coloured
lights, tinsel and bows. Some people hang a holly wrath on their front door. It has been a
tradition since 1947 that Oslo presents London with a large Christmas tree which stands in
Trafalgar Square in commemoration of Anglo-Norwegian cooperation during the Second
World War. Every year, there is a program of Christmas carols on Trafalgar Square. Another
famous British Christmas tree is the one presented by the British Christmas Tree Growers
Association. It stands outside the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street
One of the longest preserved British Christmas customs which has changed over hundreds of
years is the kissing bough. In the early middle ages, it was customary in Europe to hang up a
small treetop, upside down as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. This was not only Christmas
tradition but was also used as a Christian symbol of blessing upon the household. The custom
of the Holy Bough transformed into a Kiss under the Mistletoe (which, being evergreen, was
always used in the making of the Holy Bough).
The most popular and international symbol of Christmas is Santa Claus, who in Britain is also
called Father Christmas. He originates from the Viking lore, which was brought by the
Vikings when they invaded Britain in the 8th century. The Anglo-Saxons, who at that time
inhabited Britain, The Saxons welcomed King Frost, or Father Time, or King Winter. They
believed that by welcoming the Winter as a personage, or elemental deity, that element would
be less harsh to them. The Vikings brought their god Odin, the father of the gods. Disguised
in a long blue hooded cloak, and carrying a satchel of bread and a staff, Odin was supposed to
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join groups of people around their fire, sitting in the background and listening in to hear if
they were content or not. He would occasionally leave a gift of bread at a poor homestead.
These were first customs associated today with Father Christmas-he hooded figure, the secret
visits, the leaving of a gift. With the Normans came St. Nicholas. Viking and Saxon deities
mingled with a Christian element to create a saintly Parish Visitor - a sort of medieval social
worker, a "prototype" of modern Santa Claus.
A famous story by Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol", made many people all over the
world associate Christmas with Victorian England.
On Christmas Day's morning, British families open their presents together. The presents are
believed to be left by Santa Claus who, at night, puts them into a stocking that each person
hangs near the chimney. Then many British families attend Christmas services at churches.
On that day, people in Britain have traditional Christmas dinner which consists of roast
turkey, goose or chicken with stuffing and roast potatoes. Next, they eat minced pies and
Christmas pudding-a rich dried-fruit pudding with brandy butter, it may contain coins or
lucky charms for children. The pudding is usually prepared weeks beforehand and is a
tradition that each member of the family stirs the pudding and makes a wish. Some people
also serve Christmas cake which is a rich baked fruit cake with marzipan, icing and sugar
frosting. After dinner, everyone pulls Christmas crackers which were invented by a London
baker in the 19th century. It is a brightly coloured paper tube, twisted at both ends. The cracker
is pulled by two people, it gives out a crack and its contents which are a party hat, a riddle or a
joke and a small toy, are dispersed. Another British Christmas tradition is the Queen's
Christmas Message to the nation which is broadcast on the radio and TV.
The day after Christmas in Britain is called Boxing Day. The name comes from a former
tradition of giving Christmas box a gift of money or food inside a box - to the deliverymen
and trades people who called regularly during the year. It used to be also known as the Feast
of St Stephen when church alms-boxes were opened and the contents given to the poor.
Today, on Boxing Day many sports events take place in Britain
Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down in any time between New Year and 6
January, the festival of Epiphany.
Magi
From old Persian language, a priest of Zarathustra (Zoroaster). The Bible gives us the
direction, East and the legend states that the wise men were from Persia (Iran) - Balthasar,
Melchior, Caspar - thus being priests of Zarathustra religion, the mages. Obviously the
pilgrimage had some religious significance for these men, otherwise they would not have
taken the trouble and risk of travelling so far. But what was it? An astrological phenomenon,
the Star? This is just about all we know about it.
Christmas card
The practice of sending Christmas greeting cards to friends was initiated by Sir Henry Cole in
England. The year was 1843 and the first card was designed by J.C.Horsley. It was
commercial - 1000 copies were sold in London. An English artist, William Egley, produced a
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popular card in 1849. From the beginning the themes have been as varied as the Christmas
customs worldwide.
Star
The astrological/astronomical phenomenon which triggered the travel of the Magi to give
presents to child Jesus. Variously described as a supernova or a conjunction of planets it
supposedly happened around the year 7 BC - the most probable true birth year of Christ. Star
is often put to the top of the Christmas tree.
Christmas Day
The traditional date for the appearance of Santa Claus, obviously from the birthdate of Jesus
(the word Christmas is from old English, meaning Christ's mass). This date is near the
shortest day of the year, from old times an important agricultural and solar feasting period in
Europe. The actual birthday of Jesus is not known and thus the early Church Fathers in the 4th
century fixed the day as was most convenient. The best fit seemed to be around the old
Roman Saturnalia festival (17 - 21 December), a traditional pagan festivity with tumultuous
and unruly celebrations. Moreover, in 273 Emperor Aurelianus had invented a new pagan
religion, the cult of Sol Invictus (invincible sun, the same as the Iranian god Mithra), the
birthday of this god being 25th December (natalis sol invicti). The Christian priests obviously
saw this choice as doubly meritorious: using the old customary and popular feasting date but
changing the rough pagan ways into a more civilized commemoration.
The first mention of the birthday of Jesus is from the year 354. Gradually all Christian
churches, except Armenians (celebrating 6th January which date is for others the baptismal
day of Jesus and the day of the three Magi), accepted the day. In American/English tradition
the Christmas Day itself is the day for Santa, in German/Scandinavian tradition the Christmas
Eve is reserved for presents.
Christmas symbolics
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Christmas Crib
Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. In Catholic countries this fact is brought to mind
with miniature replicas of the nativity scene. The manger, animals, miniatures of Jesus,
Joseph, Maria, the shepherds and the Three Magi are part of this very popular symbol. It was
started (says the legend) by St Franciscus of Assisi. The Pope has his own in Rome but
nowadays the custom is followed in Protestant countries, too.
Mistletoe
Sacred to ancient druids and a symbol of eternal life the same way as Christmas tree. The
Romans valued it as a symbol of peace and this lead eventually its acceptance among
Christmas props. Kissing under mistletoe was a Roman custom, too.
Decorations
Anything goes nowadays. In old times they were simple, wood, paper, straw and often very
intricate. Themes follow the general taste of each time but national traditions can be discerned
even now.
Christmas gifts
There are many roots of this custom. There is St.Nicholas the anonymous benefactor, there is
the tradition of Magi giving precious gifts to Jesus, there is the Roman custom of giving gifts
of good luck to children during Saturnalia. The day of gift giving varies greatly in different
Christian cultures and times:
The giver of the presents are many: Jesus himself, Old Father Christmas, Santa Claus, a
Goat, Befana (the female Santa in Italy), the three Magi, Christmas gnomes, various
Saints, the Kolyada (in Russia), the Joulupukki (in Finland). The oldest Finnish tradition
did not necessarily involve a giver of the presents at all: an unseen person threw the gifts in
from the door and quickly disappeared.
Christmas carols
The Catholic Church valued music greatly and it is no wonder that the early Christmas songs
date from 4th century (the earliest known is Jesus refulsit omnium by St.Hilary of Poitiers).
The Mediaeval Christmas music followed the Gregorian tradition. In Renaissance Italy there
emerged a lighter and more joyous kind of Christmas songs, more like the true carols (from
the French word caroler, meaning to dance in a ring). These songs continued to be religious
and in Latin, though. In Protestant countries the tradition, as everything Christmas-related,
intensified.
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Christmas plays
Religious plays were part of the Medieval Christian tradition and many of them were
connected with Christmas. The plays were often communal with pageants and general
participation. A popular theme was the coming of the Magi (the Three Kings), because the
plot allowed lots of pomp and decorative props to please the audience. These plays live on in
many places, for instance in Finland in the form of the traditional Star Boys drama.
Food
Christmas means eating in most parts of the Christian world. In old societies hunger was the
supreme king and eating was the highest contrast, the supreme way to nirvana. Meat of some
kind was the most important dish (was this connected with the words of Jesus, "this is my
flesh"?), often pork, ham,goose, (later turkey), fish (carp, salmon). An innumerable variety of
cakes and pastries, often very intricate and only baked for Christmas were and are known
throughout the world. Cakes could be hung from the Christmas tree, too.
3. Superstitions
Superstition is a part of British culture today. Although superstition was more alive a
hundred years ago, there are still superstitious people around, both young and old. Some
people though, clame not to be superstitious, but it is still a part of them.
All superstition has grown from something, there is no smoke withoout fire. Who was
the first one to decide that opening an umbrella in a house is bad luck? Who was the first to
walk under a ladder and suffer the consequenses? Who hung a horseshoe the wrong way up,
smashed a mirror and spilled the salt? Who first branded Friday 13th as a day on which luck
would run out?
Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth century life was hazardous, and the central
feature of day-to-day existence was a preoccupation with finding explanations for fortune and
misfortune. Religion, diseases and fire might have been the most essential elements in the
background of the beliefs of superstition. Even though we are not searching for the same
answers today superstition is still with us as a tradition.
The word 'Superstition' comes from the Latin 'super' which meansabove, and 'stare'
which means to stand. Those who survived in a battle were called 'superstitians', since they
had outlived their fellow warriors and therefore stood above them.
Every generation since the dawn of time has written off superstition as being
nonsensical and about to 'kick the bucket'. Yet taboos keep springing back to life. Why do
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primitive omens survive in the Age of Science? Superstitions are many-sided: silly and
serious, illogical and practical, Pagan and Christian. The ancient omens once touched every
aspect of daily life: in the home; at birth, marriage & death; animals; and women in particular
were the centre of many home-spun rituals. Join Alec in a fun debate as we 'touch wood' and
avoid ladders during an exploration of how primitive rituals are passed on to the next
generation. They are the 'oldest beliefs in the world' and may well outlive the major religions
of today.
Of all birds it is probably the magpie that is most associated with superstitions. However,
most superstitions regarding magpies are based around just one bird. Throughout Britain it is
thought to be unlucky to see a lone magpie and there are a number of beliefs about what you
should do to prevent bad luck.
In most parts of the UK it is believed that you should salute the single magpie and say “Good
morning Mr Magpie. How is your lady wife today?” By acknowledging the magpie in this
way you are showing him proper respect in the hope that it will not pass mad fortune on to
you.
In Yorkshire magpies are associated with witchcraft and you should make a sign of the cross
to ward off evil. And in Scotland a single magpie seen near the window of a house is a sign of
impending death, possibly because magpies are believed to carry a drop of the devil’s blood
on his tongue or in another legend because he was the only bird that didn’t sing or comfort
Jesus when he was crucified.
Other things you can do to prevent the bad luck a lone magpie may bring include doffing your
hat, spitting three times over your shoulder or even flapping your arms like wings and cawing
to imitate the magpie's missing mate.
As the well known rhyme "One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five
for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told." shows it is only seeing a lone
magpie that brings bad luck and groups of magpies are said to predict the future. There are
many different versions of this rhyme with some counting as high as 20 birds.
Like many other birds magpies mate for life and this may be the inspiration for this rhyme.
And in some parts of the world magpies are not associated with bad luck at all. In Korea a
popular magpie superstition has people believing that that the magpie can foretell when they
will have visitors in the future. In China it is believed that the magpie’s song will bring
happiness and good luck and in some parts of China the magpie is considered a sacred bird.
Although it is not known why magpies have become associated with bad luck magpies are
members of the crow family and like all crows have a reputation for liking shiny objects and
have the reputation of stealing jewellery. Rossini wrote a tragicomic opera entitled La Gazza
Ladra (The Thieving Magpie) about a French girl accused of theft who is tried, convicted and
executed. Later the true culprit is revealed to be a magpie and in remorse the town organises
an annual 'Mass Of The Magpies' to pray for the girl's soul.
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Another reason for humans disliking magpies is that during breeding season they will
sometimes supplement their diet of grubs, berries and carrion with eggs and baby birds. They
have also been known to kill small pets such as guinea pigs. Studies have shown that magpies
raiding nests have no effect on the populations of songbirds of game birds.
Ensure that the breeding birds in your garden aren't disturbed by magpies by choosing a bird
box that keeps predators out.
Good Luck
Lucky to meet a black cat. Black Cats are featured on many good luck
greetings cards and birthday cards in England.
Lucky to touch wood .
Lucky to find a clover plant with four leaves.
A horseshoe over the door brings good luck. But the horse shoe needs to be
the right way up. The luck runs out of the horse shoe if it is upside down.
On the first day of the month it is lucky to say "white rabbits, white rabbits
white rabbits," before uttering your first word of the day.
Catch falling leaves in Autumn and you're have good luck. Every leaf means a lucky
month next year.
Bad Luck
There are many British superstitions and even those who think they are nonsense often
follow them “just in case”. A good example of this is it is bad luck to walk under a
ladder, one could say this makes practical sense.
Another common belief is that it is bad luck to break a mirror, particularly a
rectangular one. Equally it is bad luck to spill salt, to undo this you throw a pinch over
your left shoulder.
A horseshoe over the front door brings good luck, but it has to be the right way up.
We touch; knock on wood, to make something come true.
Black cats that cross your path are lucky. To see one magpie is unlucky but to see two
is lucky. It is very unlucky to kill a robin. As long as there are ravens living at the
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tower of London the royal family will survive.
If you drop a table knife expect a male visitor, if you drop a fork a female visitor.
Crossed cutlery on your plate and expect a quarrel. Leave a white tablecloth on a table
overnight and expect a death.
Bride and groom must not meet on the day of the wedding except at the alter. The
bride should never wear her complete outfit before the day, her outfit should consist of
“something borrowed, something blue, something old and something new”. The
husband should carry his new wife over the threshold of their home.
It is good luck to show a silver coin to the new moon and to give a baby silver for its
christening.
Children believe it is bad luck to step on the cracks in the pavement and to spit can
avert bad luck. Two people will spit in their hands and then shake hands to seal a
bargain.
It is unlucky to open an umbrella indoors or to pass someone in the opposite direction
on a staircase.
Never sit 13 people at one table, in fact avoid the number 13, particularly Friday the
13th. 3 and 7 are often thought to be lucky numbers.
Festivals have many superstitions, Christmas trees, Yule logs, Christmas presents,
decorations and twelfth night. New Year’s Eve has “first footing” and spring cleaning.
Easter has Easter eggs, maypole dancing, May queens, etc.
Many people still wear good luck charms, a St Christopher medallion or a rabbit’s foot
are the most popular.
Certain classes of people, soldiers, sailors, airmen, actors and athletes have
superstitions unique to them. Actors will not mention Macbeth off stage and wish each
other ‘break a leg” before a performance.
Wishing wells still collect people’s coins and most people at sometime have searched
for a 4-leaf clover, or bought a bunch of “lucky” lavender from a gipsy.
There are many ideas about insects, particularly in the home. Black beetles are
unlucky, bees and ladybirds are lucky and must not be killed. A very small red spider
is called a “money spider” if you can get it to run across your palm you will receive
money.
Food Superstitions
When finished eating a boiled egg, push the spoon through the bottom of the
empty shell to let the devil out
In Yorkshire, housewives used to believe that bread would not rise if there
was a corpse (dead body) in the vicinity, and to cut off both ends of the loaf
would make the Devil fly over the house!
Animal Superstitions
Animals feature a lot in our superstitions as they do in superstitions around the world.
One ancient British superstition holds that if a child rides on a bear's back it
will be protected from whooping-cough. (Bears used to roam Britain but
now they are not seen on our shores)
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In some parts of the UK meeting two or three Ravens together is
considered really bad. One very English superstition concerns the
tame Ravens at the Tower of London. It is believed if they leave then
the crown of England will be lost.
It is said to be bad luck if you see bats flying and
hear their cries. In the middle ages it was believed
that witches were closely associated with bats.
If a sparrow enters a house it is an omen of death to one who lives
there. In some areas it is believed that to avoid ill luck any sparrow
caught must be immediately killed otherwise the person who caught it will die.
In some areas black rabbits are thought to host the souls of human beings.
White rabbits are said to be really witches and some believe that saying
'White Rabbit' on the first day of each month brings luck. A common
lucky charm is a Rabbit's foot, but not for the rabbit.
It is thought very unlucky to have the feathers of a peacock within the
home or handle anything made with them. This is possibly because of the
eye shape present upon these feathers i.e. the Evil-Eye associated with
wickedness.
My grandmother must have had a rhyme or saying for every occasion - one I heard regularly
during my formative years was
"A whistling girl and a crowing hen
Make the devil dance in his den"
or her other popular variation on the theme - "When a woman whistles, the devil dances,"
echoing an age-old disapproval of an "unfeminine" habit.
She also greeted every event, change in the weather etc., with an appropriate rhyme, so I have
tried to recall as many as I can and write them down. Most of these rhymes are very
commonly known and many have a logical interpretation, so I have listed them as "yes" -
basically true - "no" - decidedly untrue - and "maybe" - either partly true, or who can tell?
WEATHER LORE
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YES - similar to the red sky - given the size of the British Isles and the average wind speed,
weather systems usually take around four hours to pass through. So, if it's raining before
seven, the low pressure system causing the rain will have passed over in the next four hours.
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WILDLIFE LORE
You must always tell the bees if there has been a death in the family,
or else they will leave the hive and fly away.
NO - the bees cannot hear you. If you neglect your bees due to bereavement or some other
family upset, they may well take exception and leave and won't necessarily stay just because
you warned them in advance!
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YES and NO - a useful mnemonic when it comes to treating stings, the theory behind it being
that bee stings are acidic and wasps stings alkaline: this is an over-simplification as both have
complex venom. A paste of bicarbonate of soda will help cool the site of a sting, from either
species
Nikos was an ordinary man. Nothing particularly good ever happened to him, nothing
particularly bad ever happened to him. He went through life accepting the mixture of good
things and bad things that happen to everyone. He never looked for any explanation or reason
about why things happened just the way they did.
One thing, however, that Nikos absolutely did not believe in was superstition. He had
no time for superstition, no time at all. Nikos thought himself to be a very rational man, a
man who did not believe that his good luck or bad luck was in any way changed by black cats,
walking under ladders, spilling salt or opening umbrellas inside the house.
Nikos spent much of his time in the small taverna near where he lived. In the taverna
he sat drinking coffee and talking to his friends. Sometimes his friends played dice or cards.
Sometimes they played for money. Some of them made bets on horse races or football
matches. But Nikos never did. He didn’t know much about sport, so he didn’t think he could
predict the winners. And he absolutely didn’t believe in chance or luck or superstition, like a
lot of his friends did.
One morning Nikos woke up and walked into the bathroom. He started to shave, as he
did every morning, but as he was shaving he noticed that the mirror on the bathroom wall
wasn’t quite straight. He tried to move it to one side, to make it straighter, but as soon as he
touched it, the mirror fell off the wall and hit the floor with a huge crash. It broke into a
thousand pieces. Nikos knew that some people thought this was unlucky. “Seven years bad
luck” they said, when a mirror broke. But Nikos wasn’t superstitious. Nikos wasn’t
superstitious at all. He didn’t care. He thought superstition was nonsense. He picked up the
pieces of the mirror, put them in the bin, and finished shaving without a mirror.
After that he went into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich to take to work for his
lunch. He cut two pieces of bread and put some cheese on them. Then he thought he needed
some salt. When he picked up the salt jar, it fell from his hand and broke on the floor. Salt
was everywhere. Some people, he knew, thought that this was also supposed to bring bad
luck. But Nikos didn’t care. He didn’t believe in superstitions.
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He left the house and went to work. On his way to work he saw a black cat running
away from him. He didn’t care. He wasn’t superstitious. Some builders were working on a
house on his street. There was a ladder across the pavement. Nikos thought about walking
around the ladder, but he didn’t care, he wasn’t superstitious and didn’t believe in
superstitions, so he walked right underneath the ladder.
Even though Nikos wasn’t superstitious, he thought that something bad was certain to
happen to him today. He had broken a mirror, spilled some salt, walked under a ladder and
seen a black cat running away from him. He told everybody at worked what had happened.
“Something bad will happen to you today!” they all said. But nothing bad happened to him.
That evening, as usual, he went to the taverna. He told all his friends in the taverna that he
had broken a mirror, spilled the salt, seen a black cat running away from him and then walked
under a ladder. All his friends in the taverna moved away from him. “Something bad will
happen to him”, they all said, “and we don’t want to be near him when it happens!”.
But nothing bad happened to Nikos all evening. He sat there, as normal, and
everything was normal. Nikos was waiting for something bad to happen to him. But it didn’t.
“Nikos, come and play cards with us!” joked one of his friends. “I’m sure to win!” Nikos
didn’t usually play cards, but tonight he decided to. His friend put a large amount of money
on the table. His friend thought Nikos was going to lose. Nikos thought he was going to lose.
But it didn’t happen like that.
Nikos won. Then he played another game, and he won that one too. Then somebody asked
him to play a game of dice, and Nikos won that as well. He won quite a lot of money. “Go
on then Nikos” his friends shouted, “Use all the money you have won to buy some lottery
tickets!” Nikos spent all the money he had won on lottery tickets. The draw for the lottery
was the next day.
The next day after work Nikos went to the tavern again. Everybody was watching the draw
for the lottery on TV. The first number came out, for the third prize. It was Nikos’ number.
Then the second number, for the second prize. It was another of Nikos’ tickets. Then the
first prize. It was Nikos’ number as well. He won all three of the big lottery prizes.
It was incredible. It seemed that all the things that people thought caused bad luck actually
brought him good luck.
The next day Nikos bought a book about superstitions from all over the world. When he had
read the book he decided to do everything that would bring him bad luck. He left empty
bottles on the table. He asked his wife to cut his hair for him. He accepted a box of knives as
a gift. He slept with his feet pointing towards the door. He sat on the corners of tables. He
put a candle in front of the mirror. He always left his hat on the bed. He always left his
wallet on the bed. He bought things in numbers of six, or thirteen. He crossed people on the
stairs. He got on a boat and whistled. And with everything he did, he got luckier and luckier.
He won the lottery again. He won the games of dice in the taverna every evening. The
things got crazier and crazier. He bought a black cat as a pet. He broke a few more mirrors,
on purpose. He didn’t look people in the eye when they raised their glasses to him. He put
loaves of bread upside down on the table. He spilled salt. He spilled olive oil. He spilled
wine.
The more superstitious things he did, the luckier he became. He went in to the taverna and
started to tell all his friends what he thought.
“You see!” he told them. “I was right all along! Superstition is nonsense! The more things I
do to break ridiculous superstitions, the more lucky I am!”
“But Nikos” replied one of his friends, “Don’t you see that you are actually as superstitious as
we are? You are so careful to break superstitions, and this brings you luck. But you are only
lucky when you do these things. Your disbelief is actually a kind of belief!”
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Nikos thought hard about what his friend said. He had to admit that it was true. He was so
careful to break all the superstitions he could, that in some way he was actually observing
those superstitions.
The next day, he stopped spilling salt, chasing away black cats, walking under ladders, putting
up umbrellas in the house and breaking mirrors. He also stopped winning money on the
lottery. He started to lose at games of cards or dice.
He was a normal man again. Sometimes he was lucky, sometimes he wasn’t. He didn’t not
believe in superstitions any more, but he didn’t believe in them either.
“Nikos”, said his friend to him, “It was your belief in yourself that made you lucky. It was
your self-confidence that helped you, not superstitions.”
Nikos listened to his friend and thought that he was right. But, however rational he still
believed himself to be, he always wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t broken
that mirror...
THE END
4.CONCLUSION
The British (also known as Britons, informally Brits or archaically Britishers) are citizens of
the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, one of the Channel Islands, or of one of the British
overseas territories, and their descendants In a historical context, the word is used to refer to
the ancient Britons, the indigenous inhabitants of Great Britain south of the Forth British
nationality law governs modern British citizenship and nationality, which are acquired
through a variety of means including by birth in the UK and by descent from British
nationals.
Britain is full of culture and traditions which have been around for hundreds of years. British
customs and traditions are famous all over the world. When people think of Britain they often
think of people drinking tea, eating fish and chips and wearing bowler hats, but there is more
to Britain than just those things. We have English and British traditions of sport, music, food
and many royal occasions. There are also songs, sayings and superstitions. Who was Guy
Fawkes? Why does the Queen have two birthdays? You can find the answers here in our
pages on life in Britain.
Superstition is a part of British culture today. Although superstition was more alive a hundred
years ago, there are still superstitious people around, both young and old. Some people
though, clame not to be superstitious, but it is still a part of them.
English folklore is the folk tradition which has developed in England over a number of
centuries. Some stories can be traced back to their roots, while the origin of others is uncertain
or disputed. England abounds with folklore, in all forms, from such obvious manifestations as
the traditional Arthurian legends (which were originally strictly Britonic) and Robin Hood
tales, to contemporary urban legends and facets of cryptozoology such as the Beast of Bodmin
Moor.
Morris dance and related practices such as the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance preserve old
English folk traditions, as do Mummers Plays. Pub names may preserve folk traditions.
Most folklore traditions are no longer widely believed. Whereas some traditions were once
believed across the whole of England, most belong to specific regions.
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Christmas Day, 25 December, is celebrated by Christians as the day on which Jesus Christ
was born. In Great Britain, carol services take place in Churches throughout December and
nativity plays are performed They are stories of Christ’s birth acted out by school children.
Some families have models of nativity scene in their houses. Another popular form of
Christmas performances are pantomimes which are dramatised versions of well-known fairy
tales. They involve singing, dancing and encouraging the audience to participate. Before
Christmas, people send Christmas cards to their friends and family. The first ever Christmas
card was sent in Britain in the 19th century. Traditional Christmas symbols are Santa Claus,
angels, holly or snowmen.
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5. Bibliography
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