CALENDAR

OUR NATIONAL HOLIDAYS - Days of Custom and Commemoration!

The Royal House of Newland has a wide range of designated dates in its calendar which it annually marks. As well as the usual British holidays and commemorations it celebrates many of the old customary days and events that were once extensively practiced and celebrated in communities all over Britain. 

1st January - New Year

5th January - Twelfth Tide (Epiphany) 

17th January - Old Twelfth Night
28th January - Newland Independence Day

28th January - Unicorn Establishment Day

2nd February - Candlemas
14th February - Saint Valentines Day 

29th February - Leap Day

1st March - Saint David's Day

17th March - Saint Patrick's Day

48 Days Before Easter - Shrove Tide (Shrove Tuesday)
47 Days Before Easter - Ash Wednesday (Lent)
4th Sunday of Lent - Mid Lent Sunday (Mothers Day)
25th March - Lady Day
Easter - Good Friday 
Easter - Black Saturday
Easter - Easter Sunday
Easter - Monday Bank Holiday

1st April - All Fools Day

April Full Moon - Unicorn Moon

9th April - National Unicorn Day (International Unicorn Day)
23rd April - Saint George's Day
1st May - May Day
First May Monday - Bank Holiday
Last May Monday - Bank Holiday
21st June - Summer Solstice
23rd June - Midsummer Eve
24th June - Midsummer Day

Third June Sunday - Fathers Day 

15th July - Saint Swithin's Day
July - August - Big Butterfly Count

1st August - Lammas Tide
First August Sunday - Garland Sunday
3rd August - Birthday of H.R.H Lord Robert Newland

3rd August - Unicorn Founding Day
Last August Monday Bank Holiday
29th September - Michaelmas - Harvest Home
31st October - All Hallows Eve (Halloween)
1st November - All Saints Day
2nd November - All Souls Day
5th November - Bonfire Night
Second November Sunday - Remembrance Sunday 
11th November - Saint Martin's Day (Lantern Night)
25th November - Saint Catherine's Day
30th November - Saint Andrew's Day
6th December - Saint Nicholas Day
13th December - Saint Lucia's Day
21st December - Winter Solstice
24th December - Christmas Eve
25th December - Christmas Day
26th December - Boxing Day
28th December - Childermas
31st December - New Year Eve

JANUARY: New Year Celebrations

January is named after the ancient 'two faced' Roman god 'Janus' who presided over endings and beginnings, hence the two faces, one looking back to the past and one looking forward to the future. He is the personification of time - a sort of Roman version of Old Father Time - the old man character with a long beard who carries a scythe and hourglass who ushers in the new year. January's full moon is often called a 'Wolf Moon' referring to the dark winter days of the year. 

NEW YEAR'S DAY

New Year's is celebrated the world over and is always a good excuse for a party. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system today, New Year occurs on 1st January. This was also the first day of the year in the original Julian calendar and also of the Roman calendar (after 153 BC). During the Middle Ages New Year's Day was moved a number of times to one of several other dates, These were: 1st March, 25th March, Easter, 1st September, and 25th December. Things obviously got confusing! However it wasn't until 1582 that New Year's Day became fixed as 1st January but it took over 300 years for all the countries in the world to change to it; Turkey being the last in 1927.

TWELFTH TIDE - EPIPHANY

The visit of the Magi.

The 5th January is Epiphany Eve and the start of Twelfth Tide - the Twelfth Night of Christmas which is the traditionally date when the decorations come down. However, in some parts of Europe Christmas traditionally ends at Candlemas (2nd February).

The 6th January is the start of Epiphany which commemorates the visit of the Magi (Three Wise Kings) who brought their gifts to the Christ Child. Epiphany is also known as 'Old Christmas Day', so called as it used to be the date when Christmas Day was celebrated in the Julian calendar.

OLD TWELFTH NIGHT

When the new Gregorian calendar was first introduced it caused a lot of confusion as to when the proper time to practice and celebrate the yearly cycle of established customs. Though many customs were eventually changed to their new dates some were not. One custom that did not to change is the West Country custom of 'Apple Wassailing' which was originally practiced on Twelfth Night but hence now falls twelve days later on now what is called 'Old Twelfth Night' (17th January). The word 'wassail' is from the Anglo Saxon meaning 'be whole' or 'be of good heath' hence the ancient tradition is performed to arouse the tree from its winter slumber and to start the sap rising so to ensure a healthy and plentiful crop of fruit in the coming year. Keeping to the age old tradition Old Twelfth Night is when the Royal Household wassails its orchard. Toast is dipped in cider and placed in between the tree branches and cider is poured around the roots. A traditional wassailing song is sung by everyone present followed by a lot of cheerful noise with the banging of pots and pans, blowing of horns and firing of shotguns up through the branches. Some orchards have a Wassail Queen - which is similar to a May Queen; a young girl dressed in white and wearing a crown of flowers; and it is her duty to knock three times on the trunk of the apple trees and order them to awake!

NEWLAND INDEPENDENCE DAY AND UNICORN ESTABLISMENT DAY

The 28th January marks the anniversary of the creation of the Royal House of Newland by Letters Patent in 1367, by King Edward III of England, and is therefore celebrated as our Independence Day. See Our History page to learn more. The 28th January is also celebrated as ‘Unicorn Establishment Day’ and marks the date when the Order of the Unicorn was instituted, (i.e. established as an Order of Chivalry). See our Order of the Unicorn page to find out more.  

FEBRUARY: The Returning Light

Purity, love and marriage have since ancient times been an important part of February traditions. The month itself, February is named after 'Februa' the ancient Roman Goddess of purification; her festival 'Februatus' was observed between 13th and 15th February and was the time when girls would perform purification rites in preparation of marriage. February in the United Kingdom can be a wet and rainy month and hence the full moon of February is called a 'Storm Moon'. 

CANDLEMAS

Light and the coming of spring are also at the heart of February. The 2nd February is the 'Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary', better known as 'Candlemas' which commemorates when the Virgin Mary went to the Temple of Jerusalem to be purified and to present the baby Jesus, 'The Light of the World', to God as her first born. Candlemas marks the end of the wider Christmas season and symbolizes the return of light with bright hopes for the coming spring.

Candlemas is a traditional day to predict the weather. One old saying goes: 'If the cat at Candlemas lays in the sun, in March she will creep behind the stove.' In other words, if the sun is shining on Candlemas Day the winter weather will continue and there will be late spring. In the USA Candlemas is better known as 'Groundhog Day'. In some states a groundhog is ceremoniously brought out and if he sees a shadow it means the cold winter weather will continue up to the spring equinox.

Candlemas is a traditional time for family gatherings and is celebrated by the Royal Household in much the same way as Saint Catherine's Day (25th November). At sunset a candle is lit and all present feast around it in celebration of the returning day light. Candlemas is yet another prime day on which to practice the fun age old custom of Candle Leaping for luck. The candle's self extinguishing traditionally brings the festivities to an end. Yet no Candlemas celebration would be complete without snowdrops! Snowdrops are typically in bloom at this time of year and hence their snow white purity has given rise to such names as, 'Candlemas Bells', 'Purification flowers', Mary's Tapers and 'Fair Maids of February'. Their welcome appearance are a symbol of hope for the coming spring, yet in spite of this snowdrops are also regarded as a death omen for if a single bloom is brought into the house it is believed to predict a death in the family within the coming year, however a bunch of snowdrops is considered quite safe.

VALENTINE'S DAY

Saint Valentine's Day falls on 14th February and by tradition is the day to express ones love and to send Valentines to ones sweetheart. Saint Valentine was a Christian priest of ancient Rome who lived at a time when Emperor Claudius II had forbid serving Roman soldiers to marry. Valentine ignored the rule and helped the soldiers to get hitched by converting them to Christianity; however he was soon jailed for doing so. While awaiting execution Valentine fell in love with the jailer's daughter and they exchanged love letters - his last letter to her read: 'From You Valentine'. He was martyred in 270 AD for his Christian faith and hence forth he became the patron saint of love, engagement and marriage. He is also patron of beekeepers, the mentally ill, plague victims and people afflicted with epilepsy.     

Red is traditionally the colour of love, passion and fertility and is regarded as the colour of life. Roman brides wore a red veil called a 'flammeum' as a symbol of their love and that they had started mensuration, but though the red bridal veil these days has been replaced with white, as a symbol of virginity, yet we see it continue in the form of red petticoats for the custom of 'Leap Year Marriage Proposing'.

LEAP DAY

The old Julian calendar was used for many centuries to calculate the passing of the seasons, but over time it was noticed that the calendar dates became out of sync with astronomical events like the vernal equinox and the winter solstice etc so adjustments were often having to be made. To overcome this problem a new correct way to calculate the year was needed and so in 1582 the Gregorian calendar was introduced. This led to a number of days being dropped which created short months with only 18 days and odd dates like 30th February during the year of the changeover. The Earth takes 365.2422 days to orbit the sun, a natural tendency is to call it 365.25 days, which leads to an obvious accumulation of surplus time. This surplus time is kept back until every forth year when the amount of time is enough to make one extra full day which is added to February making it a Leap Year. But to be truly accurate, to get over the discrepancy of 0.0078 days, the last year of the century is excluded from the rule except when the number is divisible by 400. In practice this means that 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not Leap Years, but 1600 and 2000 were.

The 29th February is 'Leap Day' and according to the Lore of Love, it is the one true day a lady can propose marriage. Queen Margaret of Scotland famously declared in 1288 that on Leap Day a woman has the right to pop the question to any man she fancied. (But it has to be done properly). When popping the question, unlike men who go down on one knee, ladies are supposed to raise the hem of their dress and show their red petticoats. Should the gentleman decline her offer of marriage, he has to pay the customary fine in the form of a kiss, or a silk dress, or a pair of white gloves to the rejected lady. However as few ladies wear petticoats these days a flash of red knickers will suffice!

SHROVE TIDE AND LENT

The Christian festival of 'Shrove Tide' is a moveable feast connected to the date of Easter. 'Shrove Tuesday' which is better known as 'Pancake Day', always falls on the seventh week before Easter, and is the day before 'Ash Wednesday' – beginning the period known as 'Lent'. Pancakes were traditionally made as a way to use up any eggs and flour before the fasting of Lent and to allow for a new brood of chickens to hatch. The Royal Household always celebrates Shrove Tuesday by eating pancakes with lemon and sugar and keeping to tradition are always eaten before 8pm as custom states: it is lucky to eat pancakes on Pancake Day but they have to be eaten before 8pm and anyone that does will not want for money all year round! By tradition no flowers are allowed to decorate the church during lent yet a bunch of narcissus otherwise known as 'Lent Lillys' are the customary flowers to place on graves during Lent. 'Mid-Lent Sunday' or 'Mothering Sunday' occurs on the forth Sunday during Lent and was once a time when servants were given the day off to visit their own home parish church or Mother Church. These days it is better known as 'Mother's Day' and is the day to honor one's own mother with cards, flowers and gifts much like the American Mother's Day, which is held each year on the second Sunday in May. In 1907, Miss Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, came up with the idea that a special day should be set aside each year to celebrate and honor ones own Mother and in 1914 her campaigning paid off and Mother's Day became an established part of American life.  

MARCH: When Days Lengthen

The month named after 'Mars' the ancient Roman God of War. The month of March was often called Lenten because it falls during Lent and hence the full moon of March is called, 'Chaste Moon', and thus refers to the custom of greeting the spring with a pure soul and body via way of the strict Christian Lenten observances of fasting and abstinence. Spring officially starts on the vernal equinox (21st March) making equally twelve hours of day and night. March is the month of spring flowers and in particular the beautiful trumpeted yellow Narcissus commonly called Daffodils. In Greek mythology Narcissus was a handsome youthful hunter who spurned the love and affections of the beautiful mountain nymph Echo, who afterwards, heartbroken with grief, pined and faded away leaving only her voice behind. The goddess Nemesis noticed Narcissus's unkind behavior and decided to punish him by making him fall in love with his own reflection. Unable to leave the allure of his beautiful reflection within a forest pool, the captivated Narcissus, burning with desire and passion eventually melted away and there grew the first yellow narcissus flower. The Narcissus is the national flower of Wales and is traditionally worn on Saint David's Day (1st March). 

SAINT DAVID'S DAY

The 1st March is celebrated in Wales as Saint David's Day. Saint David lived in the 6th century and became the country's patron because he was responsible for establishing the Christian church in Wales. His best-known miracle is said to have taken place when he was preaching in the middle of a large crowd at the Synod of Brefi in the village of Llanddewi Brefi. While preaching the ground on which he stood was reputed to have risen up to form a small hill. A white dove then flew down and landed on his shoulder which afterwards became his emblem.

Saint David's Cross.

Yet his flag the Saint David's Cross is formed from the Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Saint Davids which has a gold cross with five black cinquefoils, upon a black field. The Saint David's Cross flag has a somewhat obscure history, but it seems to have emerged around the turn of the 20th century. One theory is that it was developed to fly atop Anglican churches in Wales (possibly with colours reversed as a black cross on a yellow field) in the same way that the Saint George's Cross is flown on churches in England.

The Royal Household traditionally flies the Cross of Saint David upon Saint David's Day to celebrate our ancient Welsh ancestry.  

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and hence Saint Patrick's Day (17th March) is a huge celebration in Ireland and across the world, especially in the USA among Irish immigrant communities. Saint Patrick was a 5th-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. When he was sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken as a slave to Gaelic Ireland. Legend says that it was while he was a slave working as a shepherd, God spoke to him telling him to flee to the coast where a ship would be waiting to take him home. Patrick did just that! Once back home in England he became a priest and then returned to Ireland as a missionary in order to convert the heathen Irish people to Christianity, which he did by explaining the Holy Trinity with the Shamrock; which hence became his emblem. Saint Patrick is also famous for charming all the snakes and banishing them from Ireland.

Saint Patrick's Cross.

The Royal Household traditionally flies the Saint Patrick's Cross upon Saint Patrick's Day in celebration of our Irish Celtic roots through our ancient Clan Macdonald heritage and also as the ancestor of Queen Elizabeth de Burgh who was the daughter of the Earl of Ulster, and who was the second wife of King Robert the Bruce. See Our History page to learn more. The Saint Patrick's Cross is a red saltire (X-shaped cross) on a white field. The origin of the red saltire of Saint Patrick is believed to stem from the powerful fifteenth century FizGerald dynasty who were the Earls of Kildare (and later Dukes of Leinster) that have a red saltire on their coat of arms. Some Irish coins of the time were stamped on the reverse with the arms of Gearóid Mór FitzGerald who was Lord Deputy of Ireland. 

 .  

LADY DAY

The 25th March is the 'Festival of the Annunciation' otherwise known as 'Lady Day', which commemorates when the Arch Angel Gabriel appeared before the Virgin Mary, foretelling that she was to bear the savior of mankind. Stinging nettles come into season at this time and commonly feature in spring customs of purification and health hence drinking stinging nettle tea is customary on Lady Day as in the old rhyme: "Drink nettle tea on Lady Day to send decline away!" Packed with iron and detoxifying properties nettle tea has been drank as health reviving beverage for hundreds of years helping to treat painful muscles and joints, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anemia. 

EASTER

'Holy Week' starts with 'Palm Sunday' - the day which commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In most churches Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palms or 'palm crosses'. These small crosses woven from palm leaves are sometimes kept over until the following 'Shrove Tuesday' and burnt to make the ash for 'Ash Wednesday'.  'Maundy Thursday' which is a commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the apostles in Jerusalem before he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. The word ‘Maundy’ is derived from the Latin word ‘mandatum’. This means commandment. The date is called ‘Maundy Thursday’ because during the Last Supper Jesus commanded to his disciples that they love and serve one another. Following on Maundy Thursday is 'Good Friday' which commemorates the day of the crucifixion, - the day of Christ's self sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. Hot Cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday; being a favorite of the Royal Household who eat them for both breakfast and tea! Jesus famously wore a crown of thorns, placed upon his head to mock him and cause added pain. No one knows for sure what thorny plant it was but some believe the crown was made from the Hawthorn tree. Hawthorn has long spiky thorns which are like needles. In the spring it has beautiful white blossom and in the autumn it has red berries symbolizing the blood of Christ.  After Good Friday comes solemn 'Black Saturday', but the most important day is 'Easter Sunday' which is celebrated as the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection established Jesus as the Son of God and is cited as proof that God will judge the world. One tradition that almost everyone keeps on this day is eating Easter eggs! The giving and receiving of eggs is an age old tradition that actually predates Christianity. The Ancient Greeks and Romans would give each other coloured eggs in the Spring as a symbol of rebirth and continuing 'Life Force'.

EASTER BANK HOLIDAY  

The Monday after Easter Sunday is a national public Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom except in Scotland.  In Western Christianity, Easter Monday marks the second day of the 'Octave of Easter', which is the eight-day period, that begins on Easter Sunday and ends with the following Sunday. Generally known as 'Easter Week' it marks the first week of spring tourism. 

APRIL: Of Unicorns and Dragons

The month named from a Latin word 'Aprilis' meaning to open and display, derived from Aphrilis, pertaining to Aphrodite - the youthful Greek goddess of love and beauty, and equated to the Roman goddess Venus. According to mythology, Venus-Aphrodite was born from sea foam and encompassed all female beauty; thus ruling over love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. Romans honoured and celebrated Venus Verticordia ('Venus the changer of hearts') and 'Fortuna Virilis' the goddess of 'Manly' or 'Virile Fortune', every year on 1st April with the festival of 'Veneralia' in which girls wore crowns of the sweetly scented myrtle and washed and decorated the goddesses' statues with myrtle garlands. The full moon of April is called 'Seed Moon' and hence refers to the planting of crops. In 2023 the full moon of April acquired the new name of 'Unicorn Moon' to mark the 3rd anniversary celebration of the chivalric code of the Order of the Unicorn, which was enshrined into the Order by Royal Proclamation on National Unicorn Day 2020.

Unicorn Moon: The next Unicorn Moon will be on 23rd April 2024.

ALL FOOLS DAY

The 1st April is better known these days as 'All Fools Day' and is a time for playing fun jokes on your friends and family! All Fools Day It is thought to have originated from 'Hilaria' - an ancient Roman festival of humor that was celebrated this month. Consequently this day has long been the traditional day to play pranks and practical jokes of all kinds unsuspecting people, and if the joke is successfully executed the trickster should shout, 'April Fool' or 'Cuckoo!' thus to make the victim look even more foolish. However, the joke has to be played before midday; otherwise the victim of the joke can turn the joke around by saying: "April Fools gone past, you're the biggest fool at last!"

UNICORN MOON

The Unicorn moon is the name given to the full moon of April. The 1st Unicorn moon occurred upon 6th April 2023, (which coincided with Tartan Day)  and was so named to mark the commemoration of the Order of the Unicorn's third anniversary of absolute establishment, and also to inspire people to observe the magic of the night sky. The next ten Unicorn moons occur as follows:. 13th April 2025, 2nd April 2026, 20th April 2027, 9th April 2028, 28th April 2029, 18th April 2030, 7th April 2031, 25th April 2032, 14th April 2033, 3rd April 2034.  The rare Blue Unicorn Moon will not be until 30th April 2075.

NATIONAL UNICORN DAY

National Unicorn Day also known as International Unicorn Day is an annual fixture celebrated on 9th April which is fast growing in popularity among people who apricate and adore these majestic and beautiful mythological animals. It's the day to celebrate all things unicorn! Children especially mark this day by dressing up with sparkle and rainbows and having unicorn themed parties.  It is also the day to celebrate the Royal House of Newland's noble order of chivalry - The Order of the Unicorn, when honored members proudly fly the order's unicorn banner of arms. National Unicom Day is an important day of celebration for the Order as marks the official anniversary of the Order's absolute establishment when in 2020 the Order's noble code of chivalry was enshrined into the Order. See our Order of the Unicorn page to find out more about the Order of the Unicorn and how you can become a honored member.

SAINT GEORGE'S DAY

Saint George's Day is feast day of Saint George and is celebrated on 23rd April. Saint George is the patron saint of England (and many other countries) and is a day to show one's patriotic pride and celebrate one's English heritage and culture. Saint George was born about 280AD in the province of Cappadocia, (Modern-day Turkey) at a time when Christians were still being persecuted. When his father died he and his mother went to live in her home town of Lydda in the Roman province of Syria Palestine (modern-day Lod in Israel) where George became a soldier in the Roman army. He fought in many battles and soon became a notorious war hero, quickly working his way up through the ranks to eventually become a Commander of the elite Praetorian Guard.

Medieval depiction of Saint George and the Dragon.

According to legend George had an encounter with a mysterious 'magician' who gave him the holy sword named Ascalon telling him to go on a holy quest to battle the forces of evil. George no doubt had many courageous adventures, yet the most famous of all is his legendary battle with a dragon. One version of the tale goes: the city of Silene in Libya was being terrorised by a bloodthirsty dragon that demanded a twice daily sacrifice, one at sunrise and one at sunset. At first the people appeased the dragon by feeding it lambs but when the sheep ran out they decided to sacrifice their own daughters to the monster. Each day lots were drawn to choose two virgins to satisfy the dragon's hungry appetite and twice each day the pitiful cries and screams and the dreadful tearing of flesh and cracking of bones echoed over the city walls. Then one day the king's own daughter was drawn and like so many unfortunate girls before her, she went with much sorrow to meet her dreadful fate. The princess was taken just before sunrise outside the city to a large pond where the dragon dwelt, and there she was tightly bound to the blood stained stake and left alone weeping and trembling with fear. As the first rays of the sun appeared over the hills the water on the lake began to froth and bubble and out emerged the hungry dragon, its wet scaly body glistening and its terrible jaws snapping eager to feast. Once out of the water the dragon slowly plodded towards the terrified young princess and then all of a sudden without warning, galloping out of the bright dazzling sunlight with lance in hand came brave George. He charged the beast at full speed with an aim so true that his lance went through the monsters throat and embedded itself deep into its body. The dragon let out a loud bloodcurdling cry and lashed out at George but he jumped clear and drew Ascalon and began to cut and thrust, stabbing the dragon many times until the beast fell on its side mortally wounded. George freed the princess and with the rope used to tie the princess, bound and tied it around the dragon's jaws and neck. Then with the princess by his side he led the wretched creature back to the city and paraded it around the streets to the joyous cheers of all the people. The king was brought to see the beast and watch George kill it, but George would not kill it unless everyone in the city agreed to convert to Christianity. The king delighted by his daughter's brave rescue and deliverance from the dragon's rein of terror, commanded his people to obey. As the sun began to set George baptised the last heathen before once again drawing Ascalon and in the name of Jesus Christ hacked off the dragon's head. He then married the princess but alas there was no happy ever after. Soon after in 303AD George learned that the Roman Emperor Diocletian was ramping up the persecution of Christians in Lydda so he went there and publicly denounced the Emperor's plan by destroying the shrine of the pagan god Bacchus. The Emperor ordered George to be brought before him and to recant his position and renounce his faith, but George stood firm in his convictions which made the Emperor mad with rage. Subsequently George was arrested and publicly tortured before finally being executed by decapitation. It is said that George's bravery and conviction of the Christian faith was so strong that many witnesses of his martyrdom converted to Christianity including Emperor Diocletian's wife Prisca and his daughter Valeria.

Saint George's Cross. - National Flag of England.

The Saint George's Cross (or the Cross of Saint George) flag is a red cross on a white background, which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader. It hence became the national flag of England. The Royal Household traditionally flies the Cross of Saint George upon Saint George's Day and other significant Christian feast days: Saint Swithin Day, Michaelmas (Saint Michael's Day), Saint Martin's Day, Saint Catherine's Day, Saint Nicholas Day, Saint Lucia's Day, Saint Valentines Day as well as at Easter and Christmas, Candlemas, Lammas Tide, Hallow Tide, Mid Summer Day (Saint John's Day), Mothering Sunday, Lady Day and Childermas.    

MAY: Celebrations of the May

The month of May is named after 'Maia' the Ancient Roman Goddess of growth and increase, and the mother of Mercury. May was once the month of fertility rites hence the full moon is called 'Hare Moon', the hare being a fertility symbol. There is an old saying that goes: "Never cast a clout until May is out!" which basically means never leave home without your coat until the May blossom of the Hawthorn tree is out! When the 'may' is out in bloom the weather is usually much warmer and therefore safe to cast off ones coat. 

MAY DAY

The 1st May is known as 'May Day' a time to celebrate the coming of summer. The ancient Romans celebrated it as part of the festival of 'Florilia' - A celebration of flowers and blossom in honour of the legendry flower goddess 'Flora'. Ancient Celtic people of Europe celebrated it as 'Beltane' and danced around huge bonfires. May Day celebrations have ebbed and flowed over the centuries and were banned in England by the Puritian 'Long Parliment' of Oliver Cromwell. (1640 -1660), yet the joyous festivities to welcome the summer could not be stamped out and when Cromwell died, May Day was restored by King Charles II. One of the most important May Day traditions is choosing a Queen of the May; often referred to as the May Queen she is the earthly representation of the Roman goddess Flora. The May Queen is traditionally chosen from all the most beautiful girls of the village, town or school, and wears a white dress, and a crown of flowers. Her duties are to preside over the festivities which include Stripping the Willow or Jack in the Green, Maypole dancing, Morris Dancing and a variety of fun activities and sports known as 'May Games'.

MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY

The first Monday of May is a national public Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom and as such it is often the day when towns and village communities hold May Day fairs and fetes.

SPRING BANK HOLIDAY  

The last  Monday of May is a national public Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes called Whitsun Bank Holiday as in some years it coincides with the Christian festival Whitsun. Whitsun or 'Whit Week' occurs seven weeks after Easter Sunday and commemorates the occasion when the Holy Ghost filled the Apostles with knowledge. 

JUNE: Midsummer Celebrations

The month of June is named after 'Junius' from 'Juno' the ancient Roman Goddess of women and childbirth. Where May is sometimes referred to as the month of the Majors, June is sometimes referred to as the month Juniors, hence belonging to children. This is probably because June is the first month of summer.

SUMMER SOLSTICE

Summer officially starts at the 'Summer Solstice', (21st June) often called 'The Longest Day', because the sun rises at its earliest time, and sets at its latest time. The word 'Solstice' is from Latin and literally means, 'Sun Stands Still'. The sun doesn't of course because the earth is turning at about 900 mph. The Summer Solstice has long been a significant time of year in many cultures and has been marked by festivals and rituals since prehistoric times. In farming communities people would celebrate the summer solstice by feasting and dancing around bonfires and newly married couples would join hands and leap together through the flames for luck, health and happiness!

MIDSUMMER 

A few days later on 24th it is Midsummer's Day also known by Christians as 'Saint John the Baptist Day'. It is one of the few saint days that celebrate the saint's birth and not the saint's death. The small golden flowers named after him, 'Saint John's Wort' that are traditionally called 'Chase Devil' were gathered on this day and placed over the doorways of the house as a protective charm against the devil entering the house. But yet it is Midsummer Eve ( 23rd June) that was traditionally believed to be the most magical night of the summer when at sun set ghosts emerge from their tombs and fairies come out to dance in the moonlight. The association of John the Baptist meant that is was a prime time for water customs. One old country custom was to put a bowl of fresh water outside your front door before retiring to bed in the hope that fairies might bathe in it and reward the good deed by leaving a lucky silver coin in the bowl of water. The silver coin is of course a symbol of the full moon. The full moon of June is often called a 'Strawberry Moon' in reference to strawberries coming into season; and indeed the Royal Household always celebrates Midsummer Day with its first harvesting of these delicious juicy fruits!

FATHERS DAY

As traditions go Fathers Day is a relatively recent addition to the calendar. An American lady, Mrs Dodd started Father's Day because she wanted to honour her own father who had raised her and her five siblings single handed due to her mother dying in childbirth and she thought a special day should be made for fathers just like Mother's Day. The First Father's Day was observed at Spokane Washington in 1910 which proved so popular that it quickly spread throughout the USA. Then in 1924 President Calvin Coolidge put his support to Father's Day and made it a national day. Though Father's Day was popular in America, it was not until World War II when the American Service men came to UK to take part in D Day and the bitter fight to Berlin that Father's Day started in England. The GI's not only brought with them their arms and amour, nylons, chocolate and the Hollywood glamour, but also the their tradition of Fathers Day. Father's Day quickly took hold and soon spread to become the world wide celebration it is today.

JULY: Predictions of Summer Weather

July the month named in honor of the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in 44BC. The days from 3rd July -11th August are known collectively as 'Dog Days' and are regarded as the hottest period of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. They acquired this unusual name because they coincide with the rise of the Dog Star, 'Sirius', which is the brightest proper star in the sky and can be found in the constellation of the dog, 'Canis Major', hence its name. The pre-dawn rising of the star in the path of the sun was believed in ancient times to be the source of the scorching heat and droughts of summer. With all the heat come the inevitable thunderstorms hence why the full moon of July is called 'Thunder Moon'.

SAINT SWITHIN'S DAY

In the past predicting the weather for the coming harvest was of vital importance in farming communities. One of the most prominent days for predicting the British weather is Saint Swithin's or Swithun's Day (15th July) which according to weather-lore states that if it rains on Saint Swithin's Day there will be forty days of bad weather to follow. Saint Swithin was the Bishop of Winchester in Hampshire, who helped the poor and oversaw the building of many churches. Saint Swithin died on 2nd July 863AD and according to his wishes was buried outside Winchester Cathedral so that the rain could fall on his grave. However the Cathedral had an extension built and on 15th July 971AD the monks exhumed his bones and placed them in a new shrine inside the Cathedral. That day a violent thunderstorm broke over the city and according to legend continued for forty days. The monks claimed that Saint Swithin was weeping at the removal of his bones and thereafter so began the tradition of predicting the weather on Saint Swithin's Day. Yet there is a scientific basis to the weather pattern behind the legend of Saint Swithin's Day. Around the middle of July, the jet stream settles into a pattern which, in the majority of years, holds reasonably steady until the end of August. When the jet stream lies north of the British Isles then continental high pressure is able to move in; when it lies across or south of the British Isles, Arctic air and Atlantic weather systems predominate.

BIG BUTTERFLY COUNT 

The Big British Butterfly Count which runs this year from 14th July - 6th August is run by the Butterfly Conservation and is an annual, UK wide, voluntary event aimed at recording and assessing the state of British butterflies. The Royal House Newland has taken part in almost every Big Butterfly Count since it started recording the many butterfly species that inhabit the geo Kingdom of Newland; Brimstone, Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Peacock, Holly Blue, Comma, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Special Wood, Marble White, Large and Small White butterflies. Sir David Attenborough, the President of the Butterfly conservation, along with Chris Packham and Nick Baker, Vice Presidents of Butterfly Conservation, also celebrity gardener and writer Alan Titchmarsh MBE, actress Joanna Lumley OBE, and even King Charles III have all given their  support to the count. Anyone in the UK can take part. It is free and easy to do and great fun for kids! Find out more by visiting the Butterfly Conservation website: www.bigbutterflycount.org/ where you can download the free chart and app!

AUGUST: Season of the Harvest  

Originally this summer month was called 'Sextilis' (Latin) because it was the sixth month in the original ten-month Roman calendar but was changed to August in 8BC in honor of the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar. The full moon of August is sometimes called a 'Corn Moon' and refers to the harvest. This year upon 30th August 2023 there will also be a second full moon so called a 'Blue Corn Moon'.

LAMMAS TIDE

Since ancient times August has been the month of the grain harvest. In farming communities August 1st was known as 'Lammas', meaning 'Loaf Mass'; referring to the first new bread of the harvest. On Lammas Day it was custom to mill the first of the new wheat flour and to bake it into the first bread of the harvest. People would take their bread to church to be blessed and to give thanks to God. The first Sunday of August is called 'Garland Sunday' and was a time of celebration when garlands of wheat and corn would be made to decorate the church and home for luck. Some farms had a Lammas Queen which was similar to the custom of the May Queen except she wore a yellow sash (the symbol of harvest) tied around her waist and her crown was made of a garland of wheat interwoven with wild corn flowers and corn marigolds.  The Royal household celebrates Garland Sunday with a special Lammas lunch of all home grown produce harvested.

LORD NEWLAND'S BIRTHDAY AND UNICORN FOUNDING DAY 

The 3rd August is celebrated as H.R.H Lord Robert Newland's birthday, which is generally celebrated as a low key affair with tea and cake. The 3rd August is also celebrated as 'Unicorn Founding Day' which marks the founding date of the Royal House of Newland's noble Order of Chivalry. See our Order of the Unicorn page to find out more.  

SUMMER BANK HOLIDAY

The last Monday of August is a national public Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom, except in Scotland. It is regarded as the last week of summer tourism as most schools start the following week, and therefore it is a traditional day to visit the beach and generally have fun. 

SEPTEMBER: Harvest Home Celebrations

September from the Latin Septem - (Seven) Originally the Seventh month of the old ten month Roman Calendar. September is the month of continuing harvest, hence the full moon of September is known as the 'Harvest Moon'; so called because in the old days, before modern machinery, farming communities would work around the clock, by the light of the moon to gather in the harvest. This month sees the start of Autumn/Fall which officially starts at the equinox. The 'Autumn Equinox', or as it is known in America, the 'Fall Equinox', marks the time when the sun crosses southwards over the celestial equator, resulting in equal 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. From then on the nights get increasing longer and the daylight hours become shorter.

MICHAELMAS

The 29th September is Saint Michael's and All Angels Day which is better known as 'Michaelmas'. This is the date when according to tradition the archangel Saint Michael cast out Lucifer from heaven who subsequently fell to earth landing in a blackberry bush and in a devilish rage he cursed and spat upon the fruit rendering it unfit to eat, hence Michaelmas marks the traditional end of the blackberry season. Michaelmas also marks the end of the grain harvest and the last sheaf of wheat would be fashioned into a Corn Dolly, - a lucky symbol of the harvest. Around this time many farming communities hold church 'Harvest Home' festivals, the centerpiece of which is a Harvest loaf baked into the shape of a sheaf of wheat. Some Harvest Home celebrations include the addition of a child Harvest Queen which is similar to the custom of the May Queen except she has a yellow sash (the symbol of harvest) tied around her waist and her crown is made of woven wheat ears and interwoven with Michaelmas daisies. The apple harvest and cider making season was said to begin at Michaelmas though many orchards including the Royal Household's usually start around the middle of the month.  Apples were traditionally believed to be the fruit of knowledge, as in the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve. They are also a symbol of love and were traditionally given to ones sweetheart as tokens of devotion at Michaelmas.

OCTOBER: Celebrations of Halloween

October from the Latin 'Octo' - (Eight). Originally the eighth month of the old ten month Roman Calendar. October is the month we celebrate Halloween, - the night when traditionally ghosts, and goblins and all manner of spectres haunt the land, and witches fly on broomsticks; their shadows silhouetted by the slivery moon. The precious metal - Silver, being the color of the moon has long been believed to be lucky and have magical protective properties. The belief that only a silver bullet could kill a werewolf, and that a silver sixpence is lucky, for example, has much to do with the folk tradition of the moon. The full moon of October is called the 'Hunters Moon' as it was considered the best time to start hunting game birds and rabbits etc. It is also referred to as 'Blood Moon' as it was the time to slaughter livestock for the winter.  

 

ALL HALLOWS EVE - HALLOWEEN 

Halloween (All Hallows Eve) was traditionally the first day of the old Christian three day festival of Hallow Tide. Hallow meaning 'Holy', and 'Tide' meaning 'Time'. Yet Halloween is a much older festival which has its origins in the ancient pagan Celtic festival of Samhain which was a time to remember the dead and was basically a harvest celebration and New Year's Eve all rolled into one.  However, these days Halloween is a fun occasion for dressing up, telling ghost stories and playing fun party games such as Apple Bobbing. Halloween decorations are a must have for any Halloween party and there are countless Halloween decorations to choose from, but the must have decoration and symbol of Halloween is of course the pumpkin! Pumpkin lanterns, or Jack O' Lanterns as they are sometimes called is an old Halloween custom said to come from Ireland where it was customary at Halloween to carve lanterns out of Mangelwurzels, Turnips and Swedes. These frightful lanterns were placed outside front doors and in windows to scare away any passing ghosts. The Irish immigrants who settled in America took with them their old customs but soon found the pumpkin a far better vegetable to use for making Jack O' Lanterns and overtime the pumpkin became the Halloween preference.

Dressing up in weird and wonderful costumes has long been part of Halloween, going back centuries. People once believed that Halloween was a truly dangerous time when ghosts emerged from their graves and would seek out the living to seize and take down to the underworld. People were so frightened that they dressed up in ghoulish masks as a disguise to confuse the ghosts and thus not get spirited away. Trick or Treat is another old custom that is thought to have originated from the old British visiting custom called 'Souling'. (See November). 

 

NOVEMBER: Celebrations of Fire

November is so named from the Latin 'Novem' - (nine). Originally the ninth month of the old ten month Roman Calendar. November starts with the continuation of 'Hallow Tide' the 1st November being 'All Saints Day', which was traditionally devoted to giving thanks for the Saints and champions of Christianity. The 2nd November is the last day of Hallow Tide and is called, 'All Souls Day' - a day that was traditionally devoted to offering prayers for all lost loved ones in Heaven. On 'All Souls Day' Christian children used to go 'Souling', a visiting custom that involved going door to door begging for 'Soul Cakes', made from bread and currants. If the 'Soulers' got turned away empty handed the disgruntled youngsters showed their disproval by playing all manner of mischievous tricks. In fact the American Halloween custom of 'Trick or Treat' is thought to have originated from this old British custom. The weather usually turns noticeably colder in November and hence the full moon of November is often called a 'Snow Moon'. 

BONFIRE NIGHT

November is the month we celebrate with fire! On the 5th November we celebrate 'Guy Fawkes Night' otherwise known as 'Bonfire Night', in the traditional manner with fireworks and the burning of a guy (a stuffed scarecrow like figure), to celebrate the failed 'Gunpowder Plot' of 1605.

SAINT MARTIN'S DAY - LANTERN NIGHT

The 11th November is 'Hollan Tide' (Old Halloween), it is also 'Saint Martin's Day' otherwise called 'Martinmas' - a celebration to mark the traditional beginning of winter. Saint Martin was a 4th Century Christian Roman cavalry solider famous for his charitable deed of tearing his cloak in half and giving it to a beggar to keep warm, hence Saint Martin is the patron saint of the poor. He is also patron of soldiers, tailors, vintners, geese, horses and inn keepers. Saint Martin's Day is a huge celebration in Germany and is celebrated with bonfires and lantern parades. Like the German celebration the Royal Household marks the occasion with lanterns, hence 'Lantern Night'.

REMEMBRANCE TIDE

Remembrance Sunday which this year falls on the 13th November is a solemn occasion as it is the day we remember all the UK service men and women who have fallen in war. The red poppies worn mirror the red poppies that flowered in Flanders after the fighting of World War I. We remember too our own fallen family heroes: H.R.H Prince Arthur Henry Newland killed at the Battle of the Somme age 24, The Honourable Corry Heard Newland who died of battle wounds while returning back to his home in Australia. He was 28, Albert Harry Clarke who was killed at the Battle of the Somme age 24, Charles Kent killed at Ypres, age 30. William Henry Kent killed when his ship HMS Formidable was torpedoed and sunk in the early hours of New Year's Day 1915. He was 16.

SAINT CATHERINE'S DAY

One of the most important dates in our calendar is 'Saint Catherine's Day' (25th November), which marks the one calendar month countdown to Christmas! According to legend; Catherine of Alexandria was both a beautiful princess and a noted scholar who became a Christian around the age of 7. By the age of 18 she had converted hundreds of people to Christianity which brought her to the attention to the Roman authorities. The Roman Emperor was Maximinus II at the time, who was one of the last pagan emperors to institute the persecution of Christians. When he heard of her famed beauty he had her brought to him to stand trial. He first tried to make her renounce her faith, but Catherine displayed such cogency of argument and powers of eloquence that she silenced her pagan captors, converting them all to Christianity and hence Maximinus immediately had them all executed. Taken by Catherine's charm and beauty Maximinus then offered her marriage but she refused, which later gave rise to her other name, 'The Bride of Christ'. Catherine's steadfast stand and marriage refusal enraged Maximinus so much that he had her condemned to a dungeon to starve, but a dove sent by God brought her food. When Maximinus heard this he ordered her to be striped naked and put to death on a spiked wheel. Yet Catherine survived the blades and the stretching of the wheel, for it suddenly shattered sending spikes in all directions, killing many bystanders who had come to see her die. In utter frustration Maximinus then ordered her to be beheaded with a sword, but instead of blood, milk flowed from her body. Angels then suddenly appeared and carried off her head and body to Mount Sinai, where a church was later built in her honour.

The wheel consequently became the symbol of Saint Catherine and hence she became the patron saint of all professions to do with the wheel; wheelwrights, potters, spinners, etc. She is also the patron saint of rope makers, lace makers and school girls, who all once observed Saint Catherine's Day as a half-day holiday. Saint Catherine's Independent School in the village of Bramley, Guildford, Surrey is one of the last girls schools in the UK to observe this holiday. The Royal Household too celebrates Saint Catherine's Day thus keeping this largely forgotten holiday alive, as did our Great, Great Grandmother Queen Elizabeth Newland (nee Bolt). She was a skilled lace maker that made lace for Buckingham Palace and like her we celebrate in the traditional way by lighting a Catten Candle and partaking in the fun age old custom of 'Candle Leaping' and also eating traditional Catten Cakes flavoured with cinnamon and caraway seeds! Why not celebrate Saint Catherine's Day along with us by making your own tasty Cattern Cakes, the recipe is included in the Saint Catherine's Day graphic below.

SAINT ANDREW'S DAY

We end November with yet another important celebration, for the 30th November is 'Saint Andrew's Day' also known as 'Andrewsmas'. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and proud Scots everywhere celebrate their Scottish heritage and history by wearing tartan and having Scottish themed parties that include Scottish Country Dancing, Scottish Music and traditional Scottish foods!

Saint Andrew was martyred in AD 60 by the Romans in the Greek city of Patras. Legend has it that he requested to be crucified on a X-shaped cross, or saltire, because he did not feel worthy to be executed on the same shaped cross as Jesus. Hence it became known as the Saint Andrew’s Cross, the symbol of Scotland in the medieval period.

Saint Andrew's Cross - National Flag of Scotland.

According to Scots legend Saint Andrew became the patron of Scotland because  of King Óengus II who in AD 832 led an army of Picts and Scots into battle against the Angles, led by Æthelstan, near modern-day Athelstaneford, East Lothian. The legend states that he was heavily outnumbered and hence whilst engaged in prayer on the eve of battle, Óengus vowed that if granted victory he would appoint Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. On the morning of battle white clouds forming an X shape in the sky were said to have appeared. Óengus and his combined force, emboldened by this apparent divine intervention, took to the field and despite being inferior in numbers were victorious. Having interpreted the cloud phenomenon as representing the crux decussata upon which Saint Andrew was crucified, Óengus honoured his pre-battle pledge and duly appointed Saint Andrew as the Patron Saint of Scotland. The white Saint Andrew's Cross also called the 'saltire', set against a celestial blue background is said to have been adopted as the design of the national flag of Scotland on the basis of this legend. 

Saint Andrew has hence been celebrated in Scotland for over a thousand years, however, it wasn’t until 1320, when Scotland’s independence was declared with the signing of The Declaration of Arbroath, that he officially became Scotland’s patron saint. As well as being the patron Saint of Scotland, he is also the patron saint of fishermen, miners. farm workers, textile workers and rope makers. 

The Royal Household traditionally swaps the Scottish Royal Standard with the saltire upon Saint Andrew's Day to celebrate our Scottish ancestry.  

It was believed that on the night of Saint Andrew's vampires and ghosts were set free to haunt the land, just like at Halloween, so it's yet another good excuse to watch a spooky horror movie.

DECEMBER: Days of Winter Magic

December from the Latin 'Decem' - (ten). Originally the tenth month of the old ten month Roman calendar. December heralds the start of Advent which commences on the fourth Sunday before Christmas - the Sunday nearest to Saint Andrew's Day (30th November). The word 'Advent' is from the Latin 'adventus' meaning "coming" which referrers to this time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus and the return of Jesus at the second Coming. December is of course when people put up the Christmas decorations and hence the full moon of December is called 'Oak Moon', referring to the mistletoe which was traditionally gathered from sacred oak trees at the Winter Solstice.  The Christmas season with its old traditions and superstitious customs is an important and integral part of the Royal Household's year.

SAINT NICHOLAS DAY

Father Christmas - Santa Claus.

The festive season kicks off in the Royal Household on Saint Nicholas Day (6th December) when it's mince pies for tea and the celebrational toast of Old Father Christmas! 

Saint Nicholas was born around 270AD in Myra Asia Minor and is the patron saint of sailors, brewers, archers, merchants, repentant thieves, pawnbrokers and unmarried people, but he is mostly known as being the patron of children. Nicholas became the legendary gift bringer Santa Claus we know today because of his famous good deed: According to the old story; there once lived three young girls who's impoverish father planed to sell his youngest daughter into prostitution to finance the wedding dowries of his two older daughters. When Nicholas heard this he was shocked and horrified that the poor man would need to resort to this! Nicholas hence went to their house in the dead of night and threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney, which landed in each of the girls' stockings hanging above the hearth to dry. The gold was enough to pay for their dowries and hence saved the youngest child from the brothel.

Traditionally Santa Claus gives gifts to good children but those children who have been particularly naughty might get a visit from one of Santa's dark servants who give out punishments! Among the many frightening and beastly servants is the nasty Knecht Ruprecht, and big bad Zwarte Piet, but the worst is the terrifying hairy horned devil-like Krampus! Such dark servants are a remnant of the ancient belief that the winter season set free ghosts, goblins, fairies and imps to plague honest households, and therefore light was needed to ward them away.

SAINT LUCIA'S DAY

Lighting candles either in the form of an Advent Candle or Advent Crown or lighting up candles upon the Christmas tree has always been an integral part of Christmas Tide; not only to spread festive cheer but to add the rich symbolism of light conquering the darkness. The Victorians lit-up their Christmas trees with candles, but woe if a lit candle fell from the tree, not only because of the fire hazard but according to folklore it meant that somewhere in the parish a child was dying. No doubt this superstitious belief arose from the incredibly high child mortality rates of the Victorian era.

One traditional date for candle lighting which is celebrated by the Royal Household is Saint Lucia's Day otherwise known as Lucia, which falls on 13th December. Saint Lucia (Lucy) whose name comes from the Latin word 'lux' meaning light is the patron saint of sight and the blind. She is also patron to authors, cutlers, laborers, martyrs, peasants, saddlers, salesmen, glaziers and stained glass workers.

Saint Lucia was a 3rd century Christian martyr from a noble Italian family. When she was young she devoted her life to God and to help the poor. She lived at a time when Christians were allowed to practice their faith but many were still persecuted by the Romans. Lucia used a candle-lit wreath upon her head to light her way so to leave her hands free to carry as much food as possible to persecuted Christians hiding in the catacombs. When she was about twelve years old her mother betrothed her to a wealthy Roman pagan but she refused to marry him. Lucia had beautiful eyes which the Roman man adored, so he decided to wait to see if Lucia would change her mind. Years passed but she would still not marry him. The Roman man became so infuriated by Lucia's refusals and rebuffing decided he could not stand it any longer so had her tortured, first gouging out her eyes before killing her.

A Saint Lucia procession.

Saint Lucia's Day used to be celebrated upon the Winter Solstice of the old Julian calendar, but when the calendar changed to the Gregorian calendar it now falls eight days before.

Saint Lucia's Day is hugely celebrated in Scandinavia and some European countries with charming candle lit processions of adorable singing children dressed in white led by a girl with a red sash (the symbol of Lucia's martyrdom) around her waist and crowned with a blazing crown of candles to represent Saint Lucia. It is also the custom on Saint Lucia's Day for the eldest daughter of the family to rise early and like Saint Lucia, dressed in white and crowned with a crown of blazing candles, take light and food to her family, thus to symbolize the returning sun and the new-born Christ Child - The Light of the World. The traditional greeting upon this day is 'God Jul' which basically means Merry Christmas/Yuletide.

SANTA LUCIA SONG  (English Lyrics)

Hark! Through the darksome night

Sounds come a winging

Lo! Tis the Queen of Light

Joyfully singing

Clad in her garment white

Wearing her crown of light

Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!

Maiden so sweet and fair

Bright candles in your hair

Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!

Deep in the northern sky

Bright stars are beaming

Christmas is drawing nigh

Candles are gleaming

Welcome thy vision rare

Lights glowing in thy hair

Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!

Child of the Holy light

Banish the dark of night

Santa Lucia! Santa Lucia!

WINTER SOLSTICE

The Winter Solstice which this year falls on the 21st December is the traditional start of 'Yule Tide' and is when the Royal Household celebrates the Feast of the 'Unconquered Sun' - a celebration of the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun and the continuation of the circle of life. The Winter Solstice has long been a significant time of year in many cultures and has been marked by festivals and rituals since prehistoric times. It is the shortest day of the year when the sun is at its lowest in the sky which marks the start of winter. Decking the halls with greenery has been part of midwinter celebrations since pagan times, - the 'kissing bough' (mistletoe), holly and ivy, and of course the Christmas tree, all of which symbolize the continuing life-force over the death of the winter and it is therefore the day when the Royal Household puts up its holly and ivy and mistletoe - the thunder plant; and keeping to tradition a sprig of which is always left up all year round to prevent the house being struck by lightning so the old superstition goes.

CHRISTAS EVE

The Ghost of Christmas Present

visits Ebenezer Scrooge.

The 24th December is Christmas Eve when the Christmas magic begins and upon the stroke of midnight is the start of Christmas Day! This is known as the 'First Night' of Christmas, because it was during the night that Jesus was born. One of the most intriguing things of the Nativity Story is the star that guided the Magi (3 wise men) to Bethlehem. The Magi came from the east following a star seeking the newborn Christ Child.

One usual theory regarding the star is that it was a comet and there are indeed recorded documents of the time that say a comet did indeed appear around 4BC. Other interesting theories to the origins of the star are that it was a planetary conjunction or a Super Nova. But whatever its likely cause, it is the symbolic meaning behind it that gives true meaning to the Nativity. A Star is a symbol of Hope for a bright tomorrow and new beginnings. Yet no Christmas Eve would be complete without a viewing of the Charles Dickens classic - A Christmas Carol, with the miserly Mr Scrooge who on Christmas Eve is visited by three Christmas ghosts!

CHRISTMAS DAY

Christmas Day falls on the 25th December and is the pinnacle of Christmas Tide, and is a huge celebration world-wide among people with and without Christian faith. Christmas Day is the Feast of the Nativity and a celebration of the birth of the Christ Child Jesus - the savior of mankind. On Christmas Day it is the custom to exchange gifts with friends and family and to show goodwill to all. The traditional roast Turkey dinner with Christmas pudding is the traditional feast of the day which is somewhat different from the old roast boar's head of Tudor times, and Goose of the Victorian era. But the setting and merriment of the occasion is the same as it has always been.

BOXING DAY

In the UK the 26th December is a public holiday and is called 'Boxing Day', so named because it was the day when churches would open the Alms box to distribute money to the poor of the parish. Servants who had worked on Christmas Day would also be given the day off work to visit their family and given a Christmas bonus called a 'Christmas Box' by their employers. Fox hunting was a traditional sport among the upper classes on Boxing Day; however the Royal Newland family has never partaken in any blood sports and celebrates Boxing Day much like most people as a continuation of Christmas Tide.

CHILDERMAS

The 28th December is 'Childermas', also known as 'Holy Innocents Day' which marks the commemoration of the mascara of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem who are traditionally regarded as the first Christian Martyrs. The incident described in the nativity narrative of the Gospel of Matthew (2:16–18) in which Herod the Great, king of Judea, orders the execution of all male children of Bethlehem who are two years old and under in the hope one might be Jesus.

Childermas marks the halfway point from Christmas Day to New Year. and was traditionally a day devoted to children. It was custom for the children to be awoken early on Childermas morning with a fun light-hearted spanking, applied in much the same playful manner as a child might be given a birthday spanking today, thus to impress on young minds to remember the innocents of Bethlehem. Such spanking customs derive from the ancient Roman whipping festivals which were intended to benefit the victim by bestowing good health and good luck in the coming year! Traditional Childermas activities included children's parties with ghost stories and fairytales, party games, dancing and entertainments such as Punch and Judy puppet shows, or a trip to the theater to watch a traditional Christmas pantomime.

Punch and Judy show was once a traditional entertainment for children at Childermas.

NEW YEAR'S EVE

We end December on 31st with New Year's Eve, the time we celebrate and welcome in the New Year. For hundreds of years people have waited up upon New Year's Eve to hear the chimes of midnight, or hence before clocks were invented, to hear the ringing of church bells to announce the New Years arrival. As the New Year hour grew near people would put on masks to disguise against the bad luck fairies that haunted the season, and fill their pockets with money in the hopes of a prosperous year. Candles would be lit and placed in windows to drive away the darkness and people would exchange kisses under the Kissing Bough (Mistletoe). Even today it is customary to dress up in fancy-dress at New Year and to kiss everyone in sight before singing the farewell song, 'Auld Lang Syne', which was written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788. The words 'Auld Lang Syne' is Scots and means, 'Old Long Since'. The verse in the chorus, "For the sake of auld lang syne" is loosely translated as, 'For the sake of old times'. Thus the song is basically telling us to remember the good times and the people we met and knew in the old year and to toast them in case we forget.