Days to remember in January 2024 - 2
Plough Sunday is the Sunday closest to the 5th day of January and this year will be on 7th January. It marks the beginning of the agricultural year, when the land is being prepared for sowing, and is a way to applaud the work of farmers. Notable services are held in Chichester and Exeter Cathedrals, Sherborne Abbey, in Dorset and Hedenham Church, in Norfolk. It is common for a ploughshare to be taken into the service and for farmers to attend with their tractors.
January 7th is St Distaff’s Day, though there is no Saint named Distaff. It was traditionally the day people returned to work after Christmas. It is also known as Roc Day and occurs the day after the Feast of the Epiphany, on 6th January. The distaff or roc is a tool used in spinning, designed to hold unspun fibres, preventing them from tangling. It was the mediaeval symbol of women’s work, and women of high or low estate would be occupied in spinning.
For men, Plough Monday is the traditional return to work for agricultural labourers. It is the Monday following the Epiphany and is 8th January in 2024.
Straw Bear Day is celebrated in the Fenland area of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk on the first Monday following Twelfth Night. In Whittlesea, Cambridgeshire, this year it will take place on three days in January, 12th, 13th and 14th. The Straw Bear is a man covered completely in straw who is led from house to house to dance to bring about a good harvest. On the final day the Straw Bear is burnt, though without the man inside it! The Straw Bear Festival is an opportunity to dress up and have fun, while raising money for charity.
I do hope the Straw Bear Man doesn't suffer with hayfever! I have never known about either of these days and find the traditions fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThe costume is quite heavy and visibility is somewhat impaired - great fun to watch, though, I should think.
DeleteFascinating Janice! Especially that straw Bear! We are busy making hay & silage here in New Zealand in the heat of summer!
ReplyDeleteThe Straw Bear costume is quite heavy so lots of liquid refreshment is required:-)
DeleteSome of the English traditions are just amazing, and amazing that they continue. There is one that is something like one of the major bridges over The Thames in London is closed for sheep to be herded over.
ReplyDeleteThat's the sheep drive over Southwark Bridge in September. They don't take over the whole of the bridge, so traffic can continue on the bits that aren't sectioned off.
DeleteThey still have a blessing of the plough and process it around the village with Morris Dancers at the church in my village. I've taken photos of it before but won't today as the weather is nasty
ReplyDeleteIt's good that these traditions are still observed - it's a connection with the land.
DeleteAll new to me. Love the straw bear!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
I believe it's quite an honour to be the Straw Bear - must be awfully stuffy in there:-)
DeleteI love reading about all these unknown to me traditions, and I find Straw Bear Day especially fascinating! xxx
ReplyDelete(Ann / https://polyester-princess.blogspot.com)
These odd little traditions thrive and are much-loved by those involved. x
DeleteIt's interesting how many customs are in different countries. I got to know Epiphany through Rick because the Italian children didn't get Christmas presents but on Epiphany. A witch brought the gifts. Here you get a special cake with a crown hidden in it! When Dario was little he got a present for Santa Claus (back then the big presents weren't given on Christmas, that changed. Except in Flanders. Then came Christmas with the important presents and then I had to find a witch on January 6th who also gave something small, but we gave that up when he got older.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to read about different traditions and nice to know we don't all do the same things at the same time.
DeleteI teared up reading this, I think because I love traditions and understand their importance in our lives.
ReplyDeleteIt would be sad to lose our traditions.
Delete"Without the man inside" seemed to be added as an afterthought. You had me really worried for a moment. Like The WIcker Man.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Being of a pedantic turn of mind I thought I'd better add that . . . we're not quite the savages we once were, though perhaps we are, just in different, more sophisticated ways.
Delete'Without the man inside' was very good news indeed. Probably made getting volunteers easier as well! I have never heard of either of these celebrations.
ReplyDeleteThe tradition goes down through the families, apparently. I like quirky traditions.
DeleteVery interesting but won't all this rain and flooding have affected it this year, so much damage to the land?
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I imagine the farmers are having a difficult time.
DeleteI always think it important to keep our traditions.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post.
All the best Jan
We need traditions to prevent us becoming homogenised.
DeleteLove this post. It's always nice to hear of the old traditions especially when they are still celebrated.
ReplyDeleteTradition links us to our ancestors and grounds us, I think.
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