silver Posted April 15, 2022 Author Share Posted April 15, 2022 Today of course is a major Christian festival, Good Friday, in commemoration of Christ's death on the cross. Traditionally this was the day to have Hot Cross Buns, which are spiced fruit buns marked with a cross. Served warm (not hot), sliced and buttered. For reasons of pure commercialism, shops have started selling versions with chocolate, chocolate and orange, salted caramel, and even worse, savoury versions like cheese and mamite, chilli, and bacon. Yuk You can't improve on the traditional recipe. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted April 17, 2022 Author Share Posted April 17, 2022 Happy Easter! Just so many customs associated with this day that I wouldn't know where to start. Except that chocolate eggs are -relatively recent (1873 in the UK, though French and German ones were made in the 19th century but not widely available). But eggs as a symbol of rebirth pre-date Christianity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikasister Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreacher Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 1 minute ago, Mikasister said: why are the hands holding big brussels sprouts? ohhhhhhhh they're earth, i get it now "Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2022 is Invest In Our Planet." I was surprised to learn this started in 1970. I don't remember ever even hearing of Earth Day until the 1990s & definitely never did anything for it back then. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 Today is St. George's Day! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 19 hours ago, kreacher said: why are the hands holding big brussels sprouts? ohhhhhhhh they're earth, i get it now "Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org (formerly Earth Day Network) including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2022 is Invest In Our Planet." I was surprised to learn this started in 1970. I don't remember ever even hearing of Earth Day until the 1990s & definitely never did anything for it back then. I'd never heard of it in the 70s/80s either and I was an active member of Friends of the Earth then 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 3 hours ago, TinyLove_CJ said: Today is St. George's Day! Never sure quite how St George ended up as England's patron saint - he wasn't even English! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted April 23, 2022 Share Posted April 23, 2022 3 hours ago, silver said: Never sure quite how St George ended up as England's patron saint - he wasn't even English! As an animal lover, I'm not too keen on him either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 (edited) I posted about this already last year in the Oldlings thread. It was on the 25th April this year. Text from last year: Today the Sechseläuten took place in Switzerland. The Sechseläuten (Zürich German: Sächsilüüte, "The six o'clock ringing of the bells") is a traditional spring holiday in the Swiss city of Zürich celebrated in its current form, usually on the 3rd Monday of April, since the early 20th century. Following the parade of the Zünfte (guilds), the climax of the holiday is the burning of Winter in effigy, in the form of the Böögg, a figure of a snowman prepared with explosives. The custom of burning a rag doll called Böögg predates the Sechseläuten. A Böögg (cognate to bogey) was originally a masked character doing mischief and frightening children during the carnival season. Popular tradition has it that the time between the lighting of the pyre and the explosion of the Böögg’s head is indicative of the coming summer: a quick explosion promises a warm, sunny summer, a drawn-out burning a cold and rainy one. The shortest time on record is 5:07 minutes in 1974 and the longest is 43:34 minutes in 2016. This year it took 12:57 minutes, which predicts a beautiful summer. This year it took for the first time not in Zurich but in the Canton of Uri at the Teufelsbrücke (literally translated: Devil's Bridge) place because of the pandemic (last year it was cancelled due to the pandemic ). That's why this year, for the first time, the Böögg didn't have a broom in his hand, but a trident, and also other special effects like green smoke, to also drive away the corona virus, that it doesn't usually have. I'm not from Zurich, but I can remember standing in front of the TV as a child with my family every year at six o'clock sharp to see how long it would take the Bööggs' head to explode. Picture 2019 Video 2019 https://www.dw.com/en/a-zurich-tradition-the-sechseläuten/av-48309848 Picture 2021 Video 2021 https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/zentralschweiz/uri/boeoegg-auf-der-teufelsbruecke-hier-explodiert-der-schneemann-ld.2126833 Edited May 6, 2022 by Prisca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted May 4, 2022 Share Posted May 4, 2022 Happy Star Wars Day!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted May 4, 2022 Author Share Posted May 4, 2022 7 hours ago, TinyLove_CJ said: Happy Star Wars Day!!! Happy Star Wars day to you too (We used to have a lightsabre emoticon but not any more ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted May 6, 2022 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Ok, today is: The International No Diet Day No Pants Day International Tuba Day 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted May 6, 2022 Share Posted May 6, 2022 4 hours ago, Prisca said: Ok, today is: The International No Diet Day No Pants Day International Tuba Day Not my fault that they invented such strange days. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted May 6, 2022 Share Posted May 6, 2022 Just now, Prisca said: Not my fault that they invented such strange days. Imagine if someone celebrated everything at once. Not dieting, while wearing no pants, while playing the tuba! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted May 7, 2022 Share Posted May 7, 2022 7 hours ago, TinyLove_CJ said: Imagine if someone celebrated everything at once. Not dieting, while wearing no pants, while playing the tuba! Of course, in the UK, pants means undergarments. Which is an interesting visual. Puts a different spin on playing the tuba too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 Happy Mother's Day to the USA, German-speaking countries and all countries that celebrate it today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 It's also apparently National Teachers' Day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikasister Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 5 hours ago, Prisca said: Happy Mother's Day to the USA, German-speaking countries and all countries that celebrate it today. In Spain was last Sunday 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted May 8, 2022 Share Posted May 8, 2022 6 hours ago, silver said: It's also apparently National Teachers' Day I found different dates for National Teachers' Day, also the 8th May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted May 8, 2022 Author Share Posted May 8, 2022 And it's World Donkey Day too! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted May 13, 2022 Share Posted May 13, 2022 13 May 2022 Friday the 13th: 13 Facts About the Unluckiest Day in the Calendar By Aparna Kher Friday the 13th is thought by many to be the unluckiest day in the Gregorian calendar. Here are 13 facts about this day of ill repute. Friday the 13th is considered to be an unlucky day by some and lucky by others. 1. It's Unclear Why It Is Feared Very little is known about the origins of the day's notoriety. Some historians believe that the superstitions surrounding it arose in the late 19th century. The first documented mention of the day can be found in a biography of Italian composer Gioachino Rossini, who died on a Friday the 13th. A 1907 book, Friday the Thirteenth, by American businessman Thomas Lawson, may have further perpetuated the superstition. Others believe that the myth has Biblical origins. Jesus was crucified on a Friday, and there were 13 guests at the Last Supper the night before his crucifixion. The 7 days of the week Another account suggests that the day has been associated with misfortune since 1307 when on a Friday the 13th, the French king gave the orders to arrest hundreds of Knights Templar in France. History behind Friday the 13th 2. Yet, the Fear Is Very Real So real that one scientific name wasn't enough. The fear of Friday the 13th is also called friggatriskaidekaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia. Now say that 10 times really fast! Friggatriskaidekaphobia comes from Frigg, the Norse goddess of wisdom after whom Friday is named, and the Greek words triskaideka, meaning 13, and phobia, meaning fear. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is also derived from Greek: paraskeví translates as Friday, and dekatria is another way of saying 13. 3. ...And Very Common! Experts say that friggatriskaidekaphobia affects millions of people and estimate that businesses, especially airlines, suffer from severe losses on Friday the 13th. Triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13, is even more widespread. So much so that many high-rise buildings, hotels, and hospitals skip the 13th floor, and many airports do not have gates numbered 13. In many parts of the world, having 13 people at the dinner table is considered bad luck. 4. Friday the 13th Can Come in Threes A bit of bad news for all of you who suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia—all years will have at least one Friday the 13th. The good news is that there cannot be more than three Friday the 13ths in any given calendar year. The longest one can go without seeing a Friday the 13th is 14 months. When is the next Friday the 13th? 5. Blame Sunday For a month to have a Friday the 13th, the month must begin on a Sunday. Don't believe us? Check out our Calendars and test it for yourself. 2021 had one Friday the 13th—in August. 6. Friday the 13th Patterns Repeat in the Calendar There is a calendrical method to the madness of Friday the 13th. Whenever a common year begins on a Thursday, the months of February, March, and November will have a Friday the 13th. This will happen 11 times in the 21st century. The February-March-November pattern repeats in a 28-year cycle. In the 21st century, the period began in 2009. In 2015, 6 years later, Friday the 13th occurred in February, March, and November. This won't happen for 11 more years until 2026, and we'll have to wait again for 11 years until 2037 to see the February, March, and November trilogy. The 12 months of the year This pattern will repeat itself starting 2043, 6 years after 2037. 7. Even During Leap Years Three Friday the 13ths can occur in a leap year as well. If January 1 of a leap year falls on a Sunday, the months of January, April, and July will each have a Friday the 13th. In the 20th century, this happened in 1928, 1956, and 1984. And in the 21st century, this will happen four times in 2012, 2040, 2068, and 2096. Notice something interesting? Yes, it is the 28-year cycle again! 8. Fittingly, Alfred Hitchcock Was Born on the 13th The master of suspense was born on August 13, 1899—so Friday, August 13, 1999, would have been his 100th birthday. He made his directorial debut in 1922 with a movie called Number 13. Unfortunately, the film was doomed from the start and never got off the ground due to financial troubles. Other celebrities and well-known personalities born on a Friday the 13th include actors Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen; novelist and playwright, Samuel Beckett; and former President of Cuba, Fidel Castro. 9. It's an Unlucky Day Only for Some Friday the 13th is not universally seen as a day of misery. For example, in Italy, Friday the 17th and not Friday the 13th is considered to be a day that brings bad luck. In fact, the number 13 is thought to be a lucky number! In many Spanish speaking countries and in Greece, Tuesday the 13th is seen as a day of misfortune. 10. ...And Research Suggests That It May Not Be Unlucky After All There is very little evidence to show that Friday the 13th is indeed an unlucky day. Many studies have shown that Friday the 13th has little or no effect on events like accidents, hospital visits, and natural disasters. 11. The Day Inspired One of the Highest-Grossing Film Series The commercially successful Friday the 13th enterprise includes 12 horror movies, a television series, and several books that focus on curses and superstitions. Even though the films and the television series consistently received negative reviews from critics, they have a considerable following. The mask worn by the key character in the movies, Jason Voorhees, is one of the most known images in popular culture. 12. ...And a Country to Raise Safety and Accident Awareness Since 1995, Finland has dedicated one Friday the 13th in a year to observe National Accident Day. The day aims to raise awareness about safety—on the roads, at home, and at the workplace. 13. An Asteroid Will Safely Fly By the Earth in 2029 On a Friday the 13th! Friday, April the 13th, 2029, to be exact. When 99942 Apophis was discovered in 2004, it was thought to have a small chance of colliding with Earth. But you can rest easy because since then, scientists have revised their findings which show that there is absolutely no risk of the asteroid impacting the Earth or the Moon. https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/13-things-friday-13.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyLove_CJ Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 August 1st is Yorkshire day!!! I'm from Yorkshire and yet I've never read into the origins of this day until now! 😅 Dates back to August 1st 1883 when the then British Empire abolished the Slavery act. It was William Wilberforce (famous Yorkshire MP) who campaigned for this. However Yorkshire day wasn't actually set in stone until the creation of the Yorkshire Ridings Society in 1975. Since then every August 1st Yorkshire Lord Mayors, Mayors and councillors gather at a different Yorkshire Town to celebrate and read the Yorkshire declaration: "I, [Name], being a resident of the [West/North/East] Riding of Yorkshire [or City of York] do declare: That Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York, with these Boundaries of the Current Year of 2022 years' standing; That the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire; That all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshiremen and women; That any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the aforementioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status. These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2022. God Save the Queen!" Happy Yorkshire day! Let's all celebrate by eating a copious amount of Yorkshire puddings! 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted August 1, 2022 Author Share Posted August 1, 2022 Ey up thyssen! Fancy a brew? Yorkshire Day eh? Ee bah gum - I'm chuffed t'bits. (I did live for some years in the People's Republic of South Yorkshire. Wonderful times). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prisca Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 8 hours ago, TinyLove_CJ said: August 1st is Yorkshire day!!! I'm from Yorkshire and yet I've never read into the origins of this day until now! 😅 Dates back to August 1st 1883 when the then British Empire abolished the Slavery act. It was William Wilberforce (famous Yorkshire MP) who campaigned for this. However Yorkshire day wasn't actually set in stone until the creation of the Yorkshire Ridings Society in 1975. Since then every August 1st Yorkshire Lord Mayors, Mayors and councillors gather at a different Yorkshire Town to celebrate and read the Yorkshire declaration: "I, [Name], being a resident of the [West/North/East] Riding of Yorkshire [or City of York] do declare: That Yorkshire is three Ridings and the City of York, with these Boundaries of the Current Year of 2022 years' standing; That the address of all places in these Ridings is Yorkshire; That all persons born therein or resident therein and loyal to the Ridings are Yorkshiremen and women; That any person or corporate body which deliberately ignores or denies the aforementioned shall forfeit all claim to Yorkshire status. These declarations made this Yorkshire Day 2022. God Save the Queen!" Happy Yorkshire day! Let's all celebrate by eating a copious amount of Yorkshire puddings! 😁 I remember that we talked about it last year. Unbelievable that already a year has passed. Happy Yorkshire Day Today is also @crazyaboutmika's wedding anniversary. And Benin and Switzerland have their national day. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hero Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 33 minutes ago, silver said: Ey up thyssen! Fancy a brew? Yorkshire Day eh? Ee bah gum - I'm chuffed t'bits. (I did live for some years in the People's Republic of South Yorkshire. Wonderful times). Aye, I'm reet parched. Nowt fancy mind, a mug of builder's will do. Ta! I understand it perfectly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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