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English Pagan Fests Additional to the main 8 festivals which all Pagan recognise (i.e the 2 Equinox & Solstice and the 4 Cross-Quarter Days), the English have their own specific sacred or religious festive days of the year- just as any tribe across Europe have dates specific to their own traditions. (NOTE: England is just one country of the United Kingdom, it is a separate country/ principality from Wales, Scotland- and Cornwall). Here are some of the English ones: JANUARY: Plough Monday. 1st.Monday after Twelfth Nihgt. The traditional first day back on th land after Yule. Blessing of the orchards incantations for fertility. FEBRUARY4th.: English King Frost Day. The cold times are harshest in January and February. A time when the ground is purified by hard frosts and ice. King Frost (also called 'Jack Frost') is the spirit of the bright and hard season of the early part of the year. MARCH/APRIL: Eostre This is in fact what is called Easter. Which has nothing to do with Christianity. The fact that the festival is a moveable feast stems from Paganism because the feast of Eostre (the Saxon Goddess of the Quarters and of Spring) would have been celebrated by the English on the first Sunday after the full moon after the Vernal Equinox. The hot-cross bun which the English have on Easter is symbolic of the Goddess of the Four Quarters. APRIL 20th.: British Egg Rolling. There are many strange Pagan folk customs in England still practised, such as barrel-rolling, cheese-rolling and egg-rolling. This one involves rolling an egg over a specific distance without breaking it. Probably a fertility cult remnant. APRIL 23rd.: English Green Man Festival. The Green Man is the primeval spirit or god of fertility of the English and the dark and fecund forces of Gaia. He is usually depicted as a man's head with a vine or bush growing out of his mouth- and such carving can be seen in old churches across England. He may also be related to Cernunnos. APRIL 25th.: English Cuckoo Day: To the English the bird called the cuckoo is the herald of summer. In fact it is still eagerly awaited to hear the cuckoo for the firsts time, and many an Englishman's heart is gladdened to hear the first cuckoo of the year. APRIL 27th.: St.George's Day (England National Day). The red-cross on the white background is becoming more importnat these days. The Christian associations of "St.George" are diminishing. The image of the valiant knight opposing injustice, dishonours and chaos is perhaps more relevant. MAY 1st.: May Day. Traditionally across England a huge "May-pole" would be set up on village greens and teams of boys and girls would dance around this weaving in and out with coloured ropes until the pole was dressed (the pole of of course is a phallus symbol and relates to Irminsul). There is also the custom of the Queen of the May- a young maiden chosen to be the Queen of Summer. This day is also called sometimes the Battle of the Winter and Summer Kings. MAY 14th.: English Garland Day: Again heavily impregnated with fertility and harvests: the day would have been marked with the wearing of garlands and the decking fo sacred shrines with garlands. MAY 18th.: Feast of the English Horned God: The horned god of course is found all over Europe. This is the English version. God of hunting and hunted, god of forests and fecundity. Closely associated with Herne the Hunter (see below). MAY 29th.: English Oak Apple Day: Many events and customs are enacted on this day. The apple is a peculiarly symbolic fruit for the English- some say because of the mystic significance and occult power of life that the apple represents. MAY 31st.: English Holy Wells Day: The wells of the English countryside are important to the Englishpsyche and they may have got this from the Celts whom they invaded. Wells and springs are keenly protected these days in English villages. There are still (what was once national) "well dressing" ceremonies. SEPTEMBER 9th.: English Horned Dance: Traditionally groups of men with stag antlers on their heads would perform a strange dance with clashing of antlers. This may be a form of shapeshifting to induce the power of the forest and the stag into the tribe. OCTOBER 18th.: Festival of Herne The Hunter Herne comes in many forms: King Herla, Odin and the Wild Hunt, etc. He is the spirit of the forest, of truth, justice, fertility, he is the spirit of the Earth before man grew away from Nature. He beckons all humans still to renew bonds of friendship and empathy with Erda. NOVEMBER 5th: Guy Fawkes Night (or Bonfire Night). Supposedly concerbed with Guido Fawkes and his fellow Catholic conspirators who in 1605 attempted to blow up King James and the English Parliament. It is in fact a recent overlay onto the Gate of Winter: Samhain. However the fest has revived dramatically in the last 2 years and more bonfires are lit than ever before and great firework displays held and feast had all over the country. DECEMBER 24TH.: Anglo-Saxon Mother Night: Speaks for itself really. The dat befyre the traditional Yule starts. (usually poor Mum is slaving away in the kitchen getting the turkey stuffed and prepared for the Yule Day family feats!) DECEMBER 25TH.: Yule Day (Christmas Day). A big family day. Early morning. Often a walk. Cooked breakfast. Down to the pub. Back home for a large family meal. Giving of gifts either in the morning or after lunch. Children also get a stocking stuffed with treats in bed before breakfast. The Queen's Speech to the Commonwealth of Nations at 3pm. DECEMBER 26th.: Boxing Day. (St.Stephens Day). In Victorian times families would 'box up' their old clothes and gifts and give them to the poor and needy. Then it gradually became a important sports day. Also these days many traditional "Mummers Plays" (Pagan folk rituals) are held.
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