Facts about December.

FACTS ABOUT THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

Gemstone Turquoise.

Flower: Narcissus.

The month of December is the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar and is from the roman word 'decem' which means ten.

The Anglo - Saxons called it Winter Monath or Yule Monath because of the custom of burning the Yule Log at this time of the year. When the Anglo - Saxons converted to the Christian Faith they then called it 'Heligh Monath' or Holy Month because of Christmas and the birth of Jesus that's celebrated in December.

Here in the northern hemisphere December marks the beginning of our winter the seasons of dark nights shorter days of cold weather, winds, rain and snow.

The month of December is very much about Christmas the birth of Jesus Christ who was born on Christmas Day December 25^th . The beginning of the month see's the start of Advent the coming of Christ, Advent means coming, getting prepared.

The first day of celebrations is on December 6^th St Nicholas Day.

St Nicholas is the patron saint of children. In the Scandinavian countries it was said that St Nicholas woud bring gifts of sweets and other presents to all the children that had behaved themselves throughout the year. This tradition was imported from europe to America who later turned St Nicholas into Santa Claus and in later years he came back across the Atlantic to europe and he became Farther Christmas.

The 17^th December 'The Lord of Misrule'

In ancient Roman times the 17^th of December was the start of the festival of Saturnalia in honour of the god of agriculture this was a period of orgys, feasting and merry making lasting for seven days.

Saturnalia was a holiday period for all including slaves who would be waited on by their masters. Gifts would be exchanged and gambling games played. It was customary to appoint a person to oversee these celebrations, he was called the Lord of Misrule.

The Winter Solstice ( The 1^st day of winter. )

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice marks the first day of winter and it falls on the 21^st December.

The Pagans called this period 'Yule Tide' and it is one of the oldest of all winter celebrations in the world. It celebrates the shortest day and the longest night of the year, it is when the North Pole is at it's furthest point from the Sun. It is the time of the year at which the Sun is appearing at Noon at it's lowest point on the horizon. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the Southern Solstice, the time at which the Sun is at it's southernmost point in the sky, which is usually on December 21^st.

It was once the custom to find a large log ( Yule Log ) to bring into your house that would burn throughout the twelve day period of the Solstice. It was lit on embers saved from the previous years celebrations on the first night of the Solstice, as a symbol of hope and belief that the Sun would return. If the log went out it was believed that it was an Omen that there would be very bad luck to follow.

December 28^th Holy Innocents Day. ( Childermas. )

Holy Innocents Day also known as Childermas falls on December 28^th and it commerates the massacre of all the male children under the age of two, in an attempt by King Herod to kill the young Christ.

New Years Eve. 31^st December.

The 31^st of December is the last day of the year, it is the New Years Eve a time of Celebrations when many people across the world see the Old Year out and welcome the New Year in. It is a time to wish each other good will and wishes for the New Year with a toast of champagne or a glass of wine, a time also to forgive and forget your differences and start 'anew'.

In Scotland the New Year celebrations is known as 'Hogmany' which traditionally lasts for a day or more into the New Year.

Superstions.

Christmas Puddings should be made with 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his Disciples and every member of the family should take a turn at stiring the mixture, with a wooden spoon, stiring it from east to west in honour of the three wise men.

It is said that on Christmas Eve that all animals can talk. However it is bad luck to test this superstion. ( I wonder why? )

It is said that good luck will come to the home where a fire is lit and kept burning throughout the Christmas Season. ( see Yule Logs. )

Weather Lore.

                                        A mild December precedes a cold snap later on in the winter.

                                               “A green December fills the graveyard”.

                                   “ A clear star-filled sky on Christmas Eve brings good crops in the summer”.

                                    

                                             Snow at Christmas means Easter will be green.

                                               

                                              A green Christmas means a white Easter.

                                

                                           

                                                 If New Year's Eve night-wind blows south

                                                 It betokeneth warmth and growth;

                                                 If west, much milk and fish in the sea;

                                                 If north, cold and storms there will be;

                                                 If east, the trees willbear much fruit;

                                                 If north-east, flee it, man and brute,

Anniversaries.

December 4^th. The feast of St. Barbara.

                                                  December 5^th. St. Nicholas EveDecember 6^th. St. Nicholas Day.

                                                  December 13^th. Sir Francis Drake set sail around the world in the

                                                  Golden Hind.

                                                  ….................... St. Lucia's Day.

                                                  December 21^st. Winter Solstice.

                                                  December 24^th. Christmas Eve.

                                                  December 25^th. Christmas Day.

                                                  December 26^th. Boxing Day.

                                                  ….................... St. Stephen's Day.

                                                  December 28^th. Holy Innocents Day.

                                                  December 31^st. New Year's Eve.

Thank you to all of you who have been reading my monthly write up through the year. I hope you have enjoyed reading them.

Merry Christmas.

November Facts And Traditions.

√

Facts About The Month Of November.

                                                           Gemstone: Topaz.

                                                          Flower: Chrysanthemum.

The month of November gets its name from the old Roman Calendar. It was the ninth month of the year and 'novem' was the roman word for nine.

The Saxons called this month 'Wind monath' as it was the time of the year when the cold winds of the winter arrived they also called it 'Blod monath' because this was when the cattle were brought in for slaughter to provide food for the winter months.

During the first week of November many festivals and celebrations are held to mark the end or the harvest time and the start of the Winter.

November 1st is 'All Saints Day', this day was first celebrated in the year 835AD when the Roman Catholic Church made it a Church holiday to honour all the Saints. All Saints Day was also once called All Hallows ( Hallow meaning a Saint or a Holy Person. ) The feast actually begins on October 31st which is the Eve of All Hallows now called Halloween.

Important Dates.

November 1st. Today is All Saints Day the day that Christians remember all men and women of good will' ( Saints ) great ones and those forgotten who have died through the ages. Saints are men and women from all walks of life who have died for their faith or good deeds and are honoured by the church.

November 2nd. The second of November is All Souls Day, this is the day when the Roman Catholic Church remembers all those that have died weather they be great, good or the ordinary man or woman in the street.

Soul Cakes. Before the Reformation it was customary that poor Christians offered prayers to the dead in return for money or food called Soul Cakes, from their wealthier neighbours.

Souling. During the 19th and 20th centuries it was customary for children to go Souling requesting alms or soul cakes.

Souling was a practice carried out in towns and villages all around Britian many years ago and it involved a group or groups of singers ( The Soulers. ) who would go round the houses singing this song and they were often accompanied by their old friend the Hobby Horse.

The Song.

A soul, a soul, a soul cake

Please good missus a soul cake

An apple, a Pear, a Plum or Cherry

Any good things to make us merry.

Up with your kettles and down with your pans

Give us an answer and we'll be gone

Little Jack, Jack sitting on his gate

Crying for some butter to butter his cake

One for St. Peter, Two for St. Paul,

Three for the man who made us all.

All Souls' Day Superstition. It was once believed that on All Souls' night that the dead would rise up from their graves and revisit their old homes, so many people would lite candles in their windows to guide them and leave out a meal and wine to refresh them.

November 4th is Mischief Night. It was customary in some parts of the country on this night to go out Mischief Making, this involved doing all sorts of Naughty things but in the main the idea was to put things in the wrong place. In parts of Derbyshire and Yorkshire in the Mining Villages children would go out to do a bit of Jolly Minering , this was a local variation of collecting a Penny for the guy. The aim was to raise money for sweets and fireworks for Bonfire Night. While out collecting they would sing a song that started with the words;

                                         We're three jolly Miners and we're not worth a pin,

                                       So give us a piece of coal and we'll make the kettle sing.

The origin of this song dates back to an earlier time when the idea was to collect coal for the Bonfire or simply to make the Kettle sing.

November 5th. Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night. This is still one of the most popular and the longest lasting of all British Customs. In 1605 an attempt was made by a group of Roman Catholics to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James 1st and the Kings leaders. The plot was led by Robert Catesby amongnst the group was Guy Fawkes. After the plot failed, the King ordered that on November 5th the people of England should have a great bonfire to celebrate the survival of the attempt on his life.

                                                            Guy Fawkes Rhyme.

                                                           Remember, remember,
                                                           The 5th of November
                                                      Gunpowder, treason and plot,
                                                           We see no reason why
                                                           Gunpowder treason
                                                           Should ever be forgot.

November 11th is Martinmas Day. The feast of St. Martin is held today it was a great time for celebrations with great feasts and also more hiring fairs where farm labourers still looking for work had another chance to find employment for the next year. It was also the time of year when most farmers had completed the sowing of their Autumn wheat. In Derbyshire it was once the custom of farmers to provide a 'Cakes-and-Ale Feast' for their workers for completing the sowing of the wheat. Special cakes were made for the feast they were called Hopper Cakes.

Since 1918 the 11th of November has been commemorated as Armistice Day when people now remember the millions of soldiers who died in the two World Wars and other conflicts. The old traditions of the celebration of Martinmas have now disappeared.

On the second Saturday in November the Lord Mayor's Show takes place each year in London.

November 22nd is St. Cecilias Day. Saint Cecilias was thought to be a Roman Maiden who became a Martyr in the second or third century.

                     
Stir Up Sunday. Stir up Sunday is held on the last Sunday before Advent Day according to the Church Calendar and it is the day traditionally for making your Christmas Pudding. This was a family event and involved every member of the family giving the Christmas Pudding a stir and while doing so making a wish.

                                       
November 30th St Andrews Day. St. Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland and is celebrated by them.


                                                   Wether Lore, Beliefs and Sayings.

      If the wind is in the south - west on St. Martins Day (11th) it will stay there right through till                                                                                                              Candlemas in February , ensuring a mild and snow free winter.
         
          'If the wind be in the north - west on Martinmas, a severe winter to come.

                                              "If the geese at Martin's Day stand on ice,
                                                 They will stand in mud at Christmas'.

                                                        "Ice beforeMartinmas,
                                                        Enough to bare a duck
                                                           The rest of winter,
                                                           Is sure to be muck".

                                          "A warm November is the sign of a bad winter".


                                                   "Flowers blooming in late Autumn
                                                     A sure sign of a bad winter comin".


                                                      "As high as the weeds grow,
                                                         So will the bank of snow".


                                                                    Anniversaries.

The 4th Thursday of the month is Thanksgiving Day in the U S A.
November 1st. All Saint's Day.
November 2nd. All Souls Day.
November 4th. King Tutankhamens Tomb was discovered in Egypt.
November 5th. Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night.
November 9th. The Berlin Wall came down in 1989 between East and West Germany.
November 11th. Remembrance Day. On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 the Great War ended.
Also Martinmas Day.
November 22nd. The feast day of St. Cecilia.
November 23rd. St. Clement's Day, the Patron Saint of Blacksmiths.
November 25th. St. Catherine's Day / Catterntide. Martyred by being broken on a  spiked wheel, her symbol became a wheel and the Catherine Wheel fireworks are named after her.
November 30th. Winston Churchill one of Britians Greatest Prime Ministers was born.
Also St. Andrews Day , The Patron Saint of Scotland.