The first day of the month of May is known as May Day. It is the time of year when warmer weather begins and flowers and trees start to blossom. It is said to be a time of love and romance.
The history of the May Day celebrations go back to at least the Roman empire and may even further to the Celts.
You can find out more about May Day, on our website.
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/mayday.htm
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
St George's Day
St. George's Day is on April 23rd. It is England's national day.
You can read about this special day and the legend of St George's fight with a dragon on our website:
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge.html
Do you think London should have a major St. George's Day celebration? (different message)
Visit projectbritain.com for more about British life and culture.
You can read about this special day and the legend of St George's fight with a dragon on our website:
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/stgeorge.html
Do you think London should have a major St. George's Day celebration? (different message)
Visit projectbritain.com for more about British life and culture.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
New British coins
The Royal Mint today unveiled innovative new designs to feature on the reverse of seven of the United Kingdom’s coins. The coins are expected to enter circulation gradually from this summer, featuring alongside the current 27 billion coins currently in circulation. (Old coins will remain legal tender alongside the new versions.)
The new "reverse" designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1 coins partner the Queen's head on the flip side.
The coins, when put together, form the Shield of the Royal Arms. Parts of the shield are represented on each coin.
2p Rampant lion representing Scotland
5p mixture of all parts of the shield
10p Two Lions representing
20p back end of a lion representing
50p Harp representing Ireland and two lions representing
£1 shows the complete Shield of the Royal Arms (Wales is not represented on the shield. find out why here)
The £2 coin will remain unchanged.
Click here to find out about British coins in circulation right now
The new "reverse" designs for the 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1 coins partner the Queen's head on the flip side.
The coins, when put together, form the Shield of the Royal Arms. Parts of the shield are represented on each coin.
2p Rampant lion representing Scotland
5p mixture of all parts of the shield
10p Two Lions representing
20p back end of a lion representing
50p Harp representing Ireland and two lions representing
£1 shows the complete Shield of the Royal Arms (Wales is not represented on the shield. find out why here)
The £2 coin will remain unchanged.
Click here to find out about British coins in circulation right now
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
April Fools Day
1 st April is known as April Fools Day in England. It is the day when we play pratical jokes on people but only before midday, after that it is considered unlucky.
For more informaion about April Fools Day visit:
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/year/april.htm
How is April Fools Day celebrated in other countries?
We have been scouring the Net looking for clues. We are not sure if the follwing are 100% correct. (In searching we found there were many sites with wrong informatin about England)
In Iran, people play jokes on each other on April 3, the 13th day of the Persian calendar new year (Norouz). This day is called “Sizdah bedar” (Outdoor thirteen). It is believed that people should go out on this date in order to escape the bad luck of number 13.
In France 1st April is known as poisson d’avril (literally “April’s fish”). On this day people attempt to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being noticed.
In Itlay, the day is known as pesce d’aprile (again literally “April’s fish”) is also used to refer to any jokes done during the day).
In Denmark the 1st of May is known as “Maj-kat”, meaning quite simply “May-cat”, and is identical to April Fools’ day, though Danes also celebrate April Fools’ day (”aprilsnar”).
For more informaion about April Fools Day visit:
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/year/april.htm
How is April Fools Day celebrated in other countries?
We have been scouring the Net looking for clues. We are not sure if the follwing are 100% correct. (In searching we found there were many sites with wrong informatin about England)
In Iran, people play jokes on each other on April 3, the 13th day of the Persian calendar new year (Norouz). This day is called “Sizdah bedar” (Outdoor thirteen). It is believed that people should go out on this date in order to escape the bad luck of number 13.
In France 1st April is known as poisson d’avril (literally “April’s fish”). On this day people attempt to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being noticed.
In Itlay, the day is known as pesce d’aprile (again literally “April’s fish”) is also used to refer to any jokes done during the day).
In Denmark the 1st of May is known as “Maj-kat”, meaning quite simply “May-cat”, and is identical to April Fools’ day, though Danes also celebrate April Fools’ day (”aprilsnar”).
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Simnel Cake
Simnel Cake is a traditional cake eaten at Easter time. Originally is was made for Mothering Sunday, but today it is more likely to be eaten on Easter day.
We have created a pictorial Simnel cake recipe page on the Woodlands Junior website.
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/simnelrecipe.html
We have created a pictorial Simnel cake recipe page on the Woodlands Junior website.
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/simnelrecipe.html
Why the name 'Good Friday' ?
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Day.
The name is derived from 'God's Friday' in the same way as good bye is derived from 'God be with ye'
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/goodfriday.htm
The name is derived from 'God's Friday' in the same way as good bye is derived from 'God be with ye'
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/goodfriday.htm
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday was the day on which Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples, sharing a meal with them which we call the Last Supper.
In those days it was usual for a servant to wash the guests feet on arrival. Jesus got up and washed his disciples feet, giving them an object lesson in humility and service.
In the UK, the custom of washing feet by the Monarch was carried out until 1689. Up until then the King or Queen would wash the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday in Westminster Abbey.
Today, the Queen follows a very traditional role of giving Maundy Money to a group of pensioners.
You can read more about Maundy Thursday on our website
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/maundythursday.htm
Do you have a similar custom in your country?
In those days it was usual for a servant to wash the guests feet on arrival. Jesus got up and washed his disciples feet, giving them an object lesson in humility and service.
In the UK, the custom of washing feet by the Monarch was carried out until 1689. Up until then the King or Queen would wash the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday in Westminster Abbey.
Today, the Queen follows a very traditional role of giving Maundy Money to a group of pensioners.
You can read more about Maundy Thursday on our website
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/maundythursday.htm
Do you have a similar custom in your country?
Palm Sunday
Today is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week.
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/palmsunday.htm
This is the day when Christians around the world remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It was a parade with excited people lining the roadsides, waving palm branches and shouting “Hosannah!” a word that sounds a bit to us like “Hooray.” We wave our UK flags at parades. They waved palm branches.
We call it Palm Sunday because of what happened during his entry into Jerusalem.
How do you celebrate Palm Sunday in your country?
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/palmsunday.htm
This is the day when Christians around the world remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It was a parade with excited people lining the roadsides, waving palm branches and shouting “Hosannah!” a word that sounds a bit to us like “Hooray.” We wave our UK flags at parades. They waved palm branches.
We call it Palm Sunday because of what happened during his entry into Jerusalem.
How do you celebrate Palm Sunday in your country?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
British Manners
Email from one of our visitors. We were surprised by her experiences in London and wonder whether you have experienced the same?
"I had the great pleasure of recently visiting your country and am dumbfounded by a curious custom I noticed while there. I always said 'please', 'thank you' and I waited my turn. I tried to be very careful when browsing in shops. However, I found that service staff would be quite blunt and I got yelled at on one occasion for looking in a restricted area that was not posted as restricted. This bluntess was quite common. While in England, I was ignored when asking a question, insulted, waws cut in front of while in queues, and otherwise treated in a manner that seemed quite hurtful for me. This is a vast difference than the Southwest US where I am from. People where I am from are very unlikely to yell at a customer even if s/he makes a mistake. Service 'with a smile', even when the customer is wrong, is the norm. "
"I think my worst experiences were in Camden and in the Train Stations. "
"I had the great pleasure of recently visiting your country and am dumbfounded by a curious custom I noticed while there. I always said 'please', 'thank you' and I waited my turn. I tried to be very careful when browsing in shops. However, I found that service staff would be quite blunt and I got yelled at on one occasion for looking in a restricted area that was not posted as restricted. This bluntess was quite common. While in England, I was ignored when asking a question, insulted, waws cut in front of while in queues, and otherwise treated in a manner that seemed quite hurtful for me. This is a vast difference than the Southwest US where I am from. People where I am from are very unlikely to yell at a customer even if s/he makes a mistake. Service 'with a smile', even when the customer is wrong, is the norm. "
"I think my worst experiences were in Camden and in the Train Stations. "
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