Calendar of unusual Customs and Traditions in England, Scotland and Wales APRIL/EASTER

April A long time ago the year was marked out with special days which marked the passing year. These were days of celebrations where people would do things, eat things or make things which they would not normally do. Folk, Fact and Sayings about April Walpurgis Night, Beltane Eve Celtic Fire Festival celebrating the coming of summer. Easter (See also our Easter Pages ) Palm Sunday Pax Cakes In 1570, to encourage good neighbourliness among parisherners, Lady Scudamore arrange for five shillingsworth of cake and ninepenn'orth of ale to be provided every Palm Sunday in four Herefordshire churches. Nowadays small biscuits stamped with the image of the Pascal Lamb and the words ' God and Good Neighbourhood' are distibuted at the church doors after the service. Good Friday (See also our Good Friday page) Hot-Cross Buns Service St Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield. Starts 11.30 In a ceremony that dates back hundreds of years, 21 widows are given money and hot-cross buns after the church service Hot cross buns Easter Bun Ceremony A London pub in Bromley-by-Bow, holds an annual Easter Bun ceremony on Good Friday. Each year a sailor adds a hot cross bun to the many that hang already in commemoration of a poor widow who baked a bun for her only son that never returned from sea. Midgely Pace Egg Play - Calder Valley, West Yorkshire Easter Saturday (Visit our Holy Saturday Page) Nutters Dance - Bacup, Lancashire The Bacup Nutters Dance traditionally takes place on Easter Saturday in the small Pennine town of Bacup. Each year a team of folk-dancers with blackened faces dance through the town from boundary to boundary. Visit our Easter Saturday page for more information Easter Sunday (See also our Easter Sunday Page) Egg Jarping and Egg Rolling - See our Easter Day page Easter Monday (See also our Easter Monday Page) London Harness Horse Parade- Easter Monday South of England showground, Ardingly, West Sussex. The first parade occurred in 1885 to encourage drivers to take a humane view of their horses. Today a huge variety of vehicles can be seen in action from rarely used horse drawn fire engines to the Harrods delivery ‘unicorn’ which is used every day. Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking At Hallaton in Leicestershire, the Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking, an unruly rugby game between the village of Hallaton and Medbourne, takes place every Easter Monday. Click here to find out more on our Easter Monday page World Coal Carrying Championship - Nr. Wakefield in Yorkshire On Easter Monday, The World Coal Carrying Championship takes place in the village of Gawthorpe, in Yorkshire. Contestants run for one mile, carrying a 50kg bag of coal. History behind the custom The contest dates from an incident at the Beehive Inn in 1963, when Lewis Hartley said to Reggie Sedgewick: "Ba gum, lad, tha' looks buggered!" to which an affronted Mr Sedgewick riposted: "Let's 'ave a coil race from Barracks t' Maypole." And they did. Easter Tuesday Tuppenny Starvers Thanks to a bequest made in 1739, children attending morning service at St Michael's Church, Bristol, on Easter Tuesday are given enormous spicey buns to eat. At the time of the bequest, tuppenny buns, intended for the choir boys, were a special treat compared with the more usual penny ones. Second Tuesday after Easter (Hock Day) This day used to be held as a festival in England and observed until the 16th century. According to custom, on Hock Monday, the women of the village seized and bound men, demanding a small payment for their release. On the Tuesday of Hocktide the men similarly waylaid the women. The takings were paid to the churchwarden for parish work. Hocktide Festival - Hungerford, Berkshire Hocktide covers the Monday and Tuesday after Low Sunday which is the Sundy after Easter. It was once a time for sports and games, and for the collection for the church and parish. Hocktide Tutti-men The second Tuesday after Easter Hungerford is now the only place in the country still to maintain the annual Hocktide festival. The festival dates from the 14th century when Prince John of Gaunt gave the rights of free grazing and fishing to local 'commoners'. It has celebrated the granting of commoners’ rights for over 600 years. Hungerford has no Mayor; the senior citizen of the town is the Constable, and he s elected on the second Tuesday after Easter at a special Hocktide Court, as are also the Portreeve, Bailiff and the Court of Feoffes. The day begins with the Town Crier blowing his horn, calling together the Hocktide Court in the town hall. The court elects the Constable and other officers, and two "Tutti-Men". Each "Tutti-Man" carries a tall pole with a bunch of spring flowers (a tutti) tied to it with rbbons. There is an orange on the top. While the court continues, the "Tutti-Men" with their florally decorated poles are led through the streets by the "Orange-Man" to collect kisses from all the ladies resident in the High Street. The ladies receive an orange in return.

Dove of Peace For KIDS

Doves are a universal symbol of peace and make for a great reminder of peace and unity during Black History Month. Your child can craft a paper dove of peace, or an even an entire flock of them to hang around your home this February. This arts and crafts activity is a wonderful way to celebrate the spirit of Dr. King's fight for equality and the sacrifices made by countless many while striving for peaceful relations.

What You Need:

• White and black paper
• Craft sticks
• White fuzzy craft ball
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Compass (optional)

What You Do:

1. On white paper, have your child draw a large circle. The circle should have a diameter the size of the craft stick or slightly larger. If necessary, you can use a compass to help draw the circle. Cut out the circle.
2. Glue the craft stick on the circle so that it divides the circle in half equally. Set it aside to dry.
3. Once the circle has dried, have your child fold the halves of the circle together (imagine that the circle is a hot dog bun and the craft stick is the hot dog). This is the body of the dove.
4. Glue the tops of the halves together so that the craft stick rests on the inside of the folded circle, the stick will be the dove's back.
5. On a separate piece of white paper, trace your child’s hands on the white paper and cut them out. These are the wings of your dove. You should have two hands cut out for the two wings of the dove.
6. Turn the half circle so that the round part is facing down and the flat part is on top, creating the dove's back. Glue the wings to the body of the dove near the center on top of the flat part where the craft stick is located. Make sure you only glue near the wrist part of the hand so that the rest of the wing is free to move.
7. Glue the fuzzy craft ball to one end of the craft stick for the head and glue a triangle of white paper to the other end of the craft stick for a tail. The triangle should be about 3/4 the length of a craft stick. Set aside your dove to dry.
8. Glue googly eyes to the dove's head.
9. Cut a small triangle from the black paper for a beak and glue it beneath the eyes. Let dry.
10. On the ends of the wings and tail, help your child use scissors to cut small slits and fray the paper to give it a more feather-like feel.

You can attach a piece of string to your dove and can hang it above a commonly used doorway or on a doorknob where it will be a quiet reminder of the significance of the month and of the important events that have impacted the lives of African Americans throughout history.

Paper Plate Ring Toss

Remember playing ring toss at the county fair? Bring that fun home with this homemade version of your carnival favorite. Cut out the centers of paper plates, paint them, and you've got rings ready to be tossed! This game is a fun way to teach young kids about direction and number values, or teach older kids about addition! It's a great creative project to do any day you're yearning for the fair, and it stops boredom in its tracks!

What You Need:

• Paper plates (4-8)
• Black marker
• Scissors
• 3 bottles (glass or plastic)
• Sand, or water
• Tempera paint
• Paintbrushes

What You Do:

1. Cover the surface of your workspace with newspaper to protect your furniture from paint.
2. Have your child cut out the center of each paper plate. The border that remains will be the paper rings.
3. Using the tempera paint, have him paint each ring a different color. Encourage him to paint different designs and patterns on each ring. Allow the paint to dry completely.
4. Help him to fill the bottles with water or sand to help weigh them down so they don't tip during the game.
5. Have him use the black marker to write ascending numbers on each plate to create a point system, such as: 1,2,3 or 10, 50, 100.
6. Place the bottles on the floor, allowing enough room between each bottle which will allow the rings to land over the bottle without interference.
7. Give each of the players the same number of paper rings.
8. Have the players stand a few feet away from the bottles and toss the rings.
9. Add up the number of points for each ring that is successfully tossed over the bottle. Whoever ends up with the most points after all the rings are tossed is the winner!

Lomnice Biscuits are traditional pastry in Czech Republic

Lomnice Biscuits are traditional pastry goods named after their place of origin, the town of Lomnice nad Popelkou. They have been popular and sought-after sweets for more than two hundred years. In the middle of 2007, they gained a trademark of the European Union.

Biscuits have probably been produced in Lomnice nad Popelkou (map) since before 1800. In 1810, there were 20 small biscuit producers registered in the city. The most famous and largest of them was the company of the confectioner Michal Jína and his sons Antonín and Josef. The popularity and renown of their biscuits soon spread outside the borders of Bohemia and reached Austria-Hungary, as well as other European countries, and even as far as the USA. The biscuits won the “Grand Prix” at the 1927 World Expo. In 1948, the production premises were nationalised. The company went back to private ownership in 1989, when it was privatised by the company Nestlé, which terminated production in 1994.

A year later, the production of the traditional Lomnice Biscuits was revived by the company Vekos. Soon after, many other producers joined in and in 2005 the Association of Lomnice Biscuits Producers was founded. It is dedicated to maintaining the traditional recipes and procedures and the trademark of the product. The production of Lomnice Biscuits is very complex in relation to the handmade procedures, and it is virtually implausible to automate it. The biscuits are baked twice but are covered in powdered sugar before the second baking, which also makes them easily distinguishable from ordinary biscuits.

In 2007, Lomnice Biscuits gained the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) of the EU, which ensures that the product is made only in a particular geographical area and guarantees the uniqueness of the products to the customer.

Czech Holidays and Traditions

February 2: Hromnice
Similar to Groundhog Day, Hromnice roughly marks the middle of winter and is linked to dozens of weather-related proverbs and predictions.

March 19: St. Joseph's Day
Josef is one of the most common Czech names and sparks annual celebrations around the nation.

Easter
Read about Czech Easter customs, symbols, and the yearly Easter celebrations in Prague.

April 30: The Burning of the Witches
This peculiar Czech custom that says a final farewell to winter can still be witnessed in many Czech villages.

May 1: The Day of Love
May 1st is a day devoted to lovers and the Czech romantic poet Karel Hynek Mácha.

July 5: Day of Slavic Missionaries Cyril and Methodius
July 6: John Huss Commemoration
The "July holidays" honor three important names of Czech history.

November 2: All Souls' Day
Czechs visit cemeteries to remember and pay respects to their deceased loved ones.

December 5: St. Nicholas Tradition
St. Nicholas Day, an exciting holiday for children, reminds us that Christmas is not far.

December 24 - 26: Christmas
Learn about Czech Christmas customs and superstitions, see how the holidays are celebrated in Prague, and find out how to write your own Christmas card in Czech.

Make a Parachute Toy for KIDS

Looking for an outdoor distraction? Make this parachute toy! You probably have all the supplies you need, without a scramble to the store, and this activity is a blast. Plus, it gives kids an excuse to investigate and experiment—the backbone of kindergarten science.

What You Need:

• String
• Bandana or small piece of cloth
• Button with four holes
• Pipe cleaner, small stone, action figure or other small objects

What You Do:

1. Build the toy: Cut four equal pieces of string, about 18-24 inches in length. Thread each string through a separate hole in the button, then tie them together, leaving a few inches trailing at the bottom.
2. Lay out your bandana or cloth and stretch the other ends of the strings, taping one string to each corner of the bandana. Voila! You've got a parachute.
3. Make predictions: Ask your child what he thinks will happen when you drop the parachute. Will it matter if you drop it from a high height or a low one? Will it matter if you attach a stone or other object underneath the button? Will any of these things affect the speed the parachute falls or the path it takes? Have your child make predictions. Then take the chute out for some experimentation! Attach a figure weaved out of the pipe cleaner. Next, tie on something heavier. Drop the parachute from various heights and angles. What happens?

This is a great way for kids to explore and experiment, key elements of early science…and a lot of hand-on fun!

Leaf Banner

Capture a bit of fall and make a beautiful banner to display in your home. Have your child practice drawing familiar leaf shapes, cutting and threading to create a colorful, fiber arts banner. This project is a great way to practice creating consistent-sized shapes, while fine-tuning motor skills. Take a trip outside with your child and observe the fall surroundings while you collect fallen leaves in preparation for this fun nature craft.

What You Need:

• Multi-colored sheets of felt, cut in half
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Hole punch
• Yarn, cut in a 3' length
• Yarn, cut into 4" pieces (one for each leaf)
• Paper tape

What You Do:

1. With a pencil, have your child draw a different leaf on each piece of felt. Encourage him to make the leaves as large as possible to cover the majority of the area of the felt.
2. Encourage him to cut out each leaf.
3. Help him punch holes at the top of the cut-out felt leaves.
4. Tape one of the ends of the yarn into a tip to help it go through the felt holes more easily.
5. Have him thread the yarn through the felt leaves, then cut off the taped tip of the yarn.
6. Tape the banner in place and spread the leaves out so they are spaced equally across the string.
7. To help keep the leaves where you want them, thread a 4" piece of yarn through the hole in the first leaf, tie it around the yarn holding up the banner and make a bow. Repeat this action for each leaf.
8. Hang in a place of prominence to celebrate the season!

You and your child can make as many of these leaf banners as you like! They're easy to make and they'll look great hanging up in your home.