Great British Saints from Palestine

[A Lost Iguana]

Well, while the 23rd is still upon us, I thought I would say that...

I do love my country of birth. Somewhat.

*waves a little English flag*  

[ficklefiend]

Hehe. Our patron saints do tend to be rather...tenuous in their links to the nation.  

[A Lost Iguana]

[ Message temporarily off-line ]  

[Invictus_88]

We usually have a parade for St George's Day, in the town. The British Legion turn out, as does every scout/guide/brownie/whatever group from the surrounding villages.

Didn't go this year though, for the first time in almost ten years.  

[A Lost Iguana]

Hmm, I was a Scout in my younger years. I think we would have a parade in the bigger town [Staines] as opposed to how we would march in Ashford [where we were based] for Remembrance Sunday.

I had forgotten about the such marches. The sad thing is that such things seem anachronisic with respect to "Modern Britain." I would prefer there to be more official goings-on to highlight the benefit the country has brought the world. Yes, a lot of ill has also befallen the world as a result of English action but there is plenty of time to point that out in the other 364 days of the year.

Look, the Iguana is patriotic and not cynical *shock* eek
Bwahaha, I'm still being cynical, though XD  

[and_solo_said]

St Georges day died when the council stopped blocking off the roads for the scout parade to the cathedral. Now they've even taken the goddamn flagpoles down.  

[Sashmo]

St Georges Day Was Rocking In London i hope everyone enjoyed st georges day aswell and drank a good bitter. had a good old fashioned english meal and sung all the songs just because it's fun lol right which saints next to celebrate he he (any excuse)  

[Invictus_88]

Sashmo

St Georges Day Was Rocking In London i hope everyone enjoyed st georges day aswell and drank a good bitter. had a good old fashioned english meal and sung all the songs just because it's fun lol right which saints next to celebrate he he (any excuse)

Next year, we should all do this.GBG St George's Day meet?  

[ficklefiend]

We don't celebrate St Andrews at all. Most people don't even know when it is.

I would take a wild stab at saying this comes from the religious nature of the day, so no alcohol or partying. It's the same reason we celebrate Hogmanay and Burn's night to such an extent.  

[illyrianth]

A Lost Iguana

I had forgotten about the such marches. The sad thing is that such things seem anachronisic with respect to "Modern Britain."

On a strangely similar note, the summer fair which we held every year in my village, started to trail off a few years back...to the point that the year before last, the whole thing was cancelled. It was put on again last year, but to be honest, it was barely worth the effort.

Seems to be that all the old, harmless fun ways of this country are going out of fashion. , just as much as the old celebrations and remembrances.

How far we have fallen as a nation...  

[ficklefiend]

I think our local gala will keep going for a while longer. We are trying to get a new village hall so we don't have much choice. Plus, they are tons of fun. This is the first year I am actually legal to drink at what is effectively a week long piss-up with relaxed views towards liscensing laws and I'm already booked for working behind the bar at the ceilidh. stressed

Wait..gala? village hall? ceilidh? community spirit??!

We must be going back in time. wink  

[Shadow of an Illusion]

ficklefiend

We don't celebrate St Andrews at all. Most people don't even know when it is.

I would take a wild stab at saying this comes from the religious nature of the day, so no alcohol or partying. It's the same reason we celebrate Hogmanay and Burn's night to such an extent.

I definately agree with you on the partying point.
Although I think there might have been a few more flags than usual St.Andrews and possibly a few mentions on the radio.


We don't have any fetes but the sea-queens and lifeboat gala are still going strong. And the 6th yrs organised the first school (well it was school hall, non-school people were welcome too) ceilidh for a while, I think it's going to start up again every year. Which is kind of an increase, although the church panto is off.  

[Invictus_88]

illyrianth

A Lost Iguana

I had forgotten about the such marches. The sad thing is that such things seem anachronisic with respect to "Modern Britain."

On a strangely similar note, the summer fair which we held every year in my village, started to trail off a few years back...to the point that the year before last, the whole thing was cancelled. It was put on again last year, but to be honest, it was barely worth the effort.

Seems to be that all the old, harmless fun ways of this country are going out of fashion. , just as much as the old celebrations and remembrances.

How far we have fallen as a nation...

In Market Lavington we have an annual "barrel rolling" competition, with a barbeque throughout. Usually in aid of the church roof fund or something. The pubs and villagers put together rival teams (mostly just on the day) and Wadworth's brewery donate two big wooden kegs and enough 6X for everyone. Then in a relay of four stages they race two teams at a time up Chalk Street (a very steep road).

First man downs a pint, rolls the barrel up to the second man, who downs his pint and rolls the barrel to the third...and so on until they get to the top of the hill or are sick.

They have a children's race too, with halves of lemonade. And a big tug o' war at the end, with about twelve to fifteen people each side. Generally, once all the teams have finished their competitions and the kids war has finished, there's a final one...which never goes very precisely. Bystanders, their children and their grandparents all help on various sides...nebulously pulling for a side or backing a side along family ties, pub allegiance or simply pulling for the underdog.

It's a good experience, I hope it lasts..  

[zzork]

We have a gala yearly in our remote Scottish town.

Unfortunately, any community spirit that might have prevailed is lost in a storm of cheap alchohol and cigarettes, which, while not always a bad thing, is certainly detrimental in an event where children are involved.

Last year I saw some stuff I really didn't want to see.  

[Shadow of an Illusion]

Invictus_88

In Market Lavington we have an annual "barrel rolling" competition, with a barbeque throughout. Usually in aid of the church roof fund or something. The pubs and villagers put together rival teams (mostly just on the day) and Wadworth's brewery donate two big wooden kegs and enough 6X for everyone. Then in a relay of four stages they race two teams at a time up Chalk Street (a very steep road).

First man downs a pint, rolls the barrel up to the second man, who downs his pint and rolls the barrel to the third...and so on until they get to the top of the hill or are sick.

They have a children's race too, with halves of lemonade. And a big tug o' war at the end, with about twelve to fifteen people each side. Generally, once all the teams have finished their competitions and the kids war has finished, there's a final one...which never goes very precisely. Bystanders, their children and their grandparents all help on various sides...nebulously pulling for a side or backing a side along family ties, pub allegiance or simply pulling for the underdog.

It's a good experience, I hope it lasts..

That barrel rolling sounds good.

The tug o' war reminded me of the shows. They normaly have one (YF group I think) plus things like pig/lamb racing.