National Trust calendar - no Christian festivals

Yes, Dinahmo, Castle Drogo. To be fair, last time I went it was undergoing a makeover because it leaked! It has taken nearly ten years and cost £15 million, as you do! Father Christmas is back this year - now there's a non religious figure acceptable to all. 🎅

Oh, and there's a lovely picture of a Christmas tree beside the spaces for the week 23-29 December.

The 2024 National Trust diary, a copy of which I have, lists St Brigid's Day, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday (which is also St Valentine's), St David's Day, St Patrick's Day (and the public holiday in Ireland the next day), Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, St George's Day, Halloween, All Saints' Day, St Andrew's Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (which is also St Stephen's Day). I think this is a reasonably representative selection of Christian festivals. The non-Christian religious festivals are also listed, as are the secular Bank Holidays.
The business about the calendar for volunteers - and for their guidance only - has been wildly exaggerated.
Incidentally, at the AGM we were all asked to stand, if we were able, to observe the two minutes' Silence, as it was Armistice Day. We also saw a brief film showing a field full of silhouetted soldiers and poppies commemorating WWI.

Joseann

Not far from us, on Dartmoor, is what I think is the last UK castle to be built in the early 20th century. The owner was something to do with importing tea from India, but his uncle (?) was on the organising committee of the anti-slavery conventions. It's a NT Trust property, but I find it very dark and chilly despite it being a new build!

Castle Drogo - architect Edwin Lutyens. I haven't managed to get there yet.

fancythat

That sounds bad op.

They pull the stunts as they, along with others, want to change things.
It is all backfiring[Dutch result, riots in Ireland] but that wont stop them trying I dont think.

Right wing politics and horrible protests about migrants? How on earth is that connected to the NT internal staff calendar?

MaizieD

We had a teacher at the school I worked at who was Islamic. He said Ramadan was fine in the winter but very hard in the summer.

( Ramadan occurs in the 9th luna month of the Islamic calendar.
A very wicked thought. Does the Islamic calendar show Christmas and Easter? 🙄 )

Easter falls in The middle of Ramadan in 2024.

Our neighbours are Muslim, they give us gifts on their holy days as well as Easter & Christmas, we tend to reciprocate (which is why I try to know when they are)

We had a teacher at the school I worked at who was Islamic. He said Ramadan was fine in the winter but very hard in the summer.

( Ramadan occurs in the 9th luna month of the Islamic calendar.
A very wicked thought. Does the Islamic calendar show Christmas and Easter? 🙄 )

Ramadan moves 9-11 days earlier each year. It is all to do with the luna month, Ramadan occurs in the 9th luna month of the Islamic calendar.

Your prejudices are showing ladies!!

Technically, Ramadan is a moveable festival as well! I think it depends on the sighting of the new moon at Mecca.

cleaning
Correction - closed

And they are just cleaning the chandelier and mentioned Del Boy 😂😂😂

😁
Ha ha, just as I typed that the Countryfile reporter talks about the two weeks in the year when Dumfries House is cleaning for dusting and cleaning!

The conservators asked him to take his shoes off.

Joseann

Callistemon especially the carpet cleaners for all those muddy Le Chameau Wellies which have traipsed their way through the place.

Some of those carpets are extremely old!
And the drapes. (I won't call them curtains).

The thought of all that dusting makes me feel the need to lie down in a darkened room.

Callistemon especially the carpet cleaners for all those muddy Le Chameau Wellies which have traipsed their way through the place.

Yep.
My diary has a printed entry for Christmas Day next to the date, but I still write Christmas Day on the page with stars all around!

Joseann

Maybe the calendar is just a timetable or chart for volunteers, and you only pay attention to what actually concerns you.

eg
1st December: Put up Christmas Tree
5th January: Take down decorations and organise New Year Cleaning
10th January: Take down chandeliers for cleaning (do not employ Trotters Independent Traders this year).

Whoops, that was in support of MazieD’s last post.

Maybe the calendar is just a timetable or chart for volunteers, and you only pay attention to what actually concerns you.

And, what’s more, no NT volunteer or staff member - for whom this guidance was produced - had a problem with it, unless you believe that one volunteer, six years later, complained to the Restore Trust.

Anyway, the whole bonkers thing has provided the NT Comms team with some great social media marketing opportunities, which they’ve taken with great humour.

Not far from us, on Dartmoor, is what I think is the last UK castle to be built in the early 20th century. The owner was something to do with importing tea from India, but his uncle (?) was on the organising committee of the anti-slavery conventions. It's a NT Trust property, but I find it very dark and chilly despite it being a new build!

I quite like the empty châteaux to be found in France, Dinahmo, especially the older ones, because they give the opportunity to appreciate the architecture. I think some of them add in furniture to make the rooms more authentic, but it doesn't always work! This one I visited in June even had fake food!

The NT call it a calendar. See page 4. So a calendar it is! MaizieD is trying to split hairs by saying it is not on sale but who even said it was? We have yet to be provided with evidence that it is a “document”

You can call it whatever you like, Primrose, but it isn't on sale to the public and it isn't anything to get agitated about.

According to Lost Heritage around 2000 large country homes have been demolished since 1800 so, to my mind, we should be glad that the NT and other historic houses associations are taking care of them

Yes, indeed.

Surely at this time of year the NT are starting to shut down the houses because they do most of the cleaning and renovation and repairs ready for the start of the next season

No, Christmas is a very busy season usually.
Christmas trees, carols, wreath making (how pagan! 😁), mulled wine, mince pies etc

How about this for a National Trust tree?

Freya5

Marmin

Should anyone be interested in this, a quick visit to the Trust's home page shows a range of Christmas celebrations at many properties as always. A search for calendars shows a similar range of traditional publications, including advent calendars.
If the Trust has also published a calendar for non Christian members of other faiths then well done I say.

Why would they publish a non Christian calendar.
On my calendar for next year, I have every blooming holiday going, even to thanksgiving. I don't practise any other religion, so why a different one for non Christians. Just another stupid idea from overpaid officialdom. Or are non Christians offended by our celebrations. Most aren't I'm sure. Those that are, well tough. Can't please all the people all the time can we.

Freya. Here it is from the horse’s mouth

nt.global.ssl.fastly.net/binaries/content/assets/website/national/pdf/everyone-welcome.pdf

The NT call it a calendar. See page 4. So a calendar it is! MaizieD is trying to split hairs by saying it is not on sale but who even said it was? We have yet to be provided with evidence that it is a “document”. 😉