British/local traditions

Solstice ceremonies at Stone Henge

Most enjoyable thread for a French born!! I knew many but not all!! How fun!

Burning the clocks in Brighton 21 December

pncake races at olney, first foting, bringing in a lump of coal on new year's day S Yorkshire/Derbyshire carol singing in pubs in December, Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, Whittlesea straw bear, plough monday plays, the burry man, mischief night,brass bands, coconutters in Bacup, pace eg plays in the Calder valley, mumming plays, rushcarts, Castleton garland day, Far too many to mention calendarcustoms.com/ and there are no doubt more than here

Lent isn’t a British tradition it’s a religious one and Shrove Tuesday as well. Pancake day on the other hand is definitely British, although a lot of other countries have a special day of using up all the goodies before Lent.

Aka Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras in other countries.

I haven't read all the replies, but Morris Dancing immediately came to mind. Also the Lord Mayors Show in London, swan upping, Trooping the Colour, the Changing of the Guard, and egg and spoon races. Thinking about them makes me miss London again.

What a fun thread! Here are some Scottish ones:
Stonehaven fireballs at Hogmanay.
Cleaning the house and opening the windows at midnight on Hogmanay to let the old year out.
Paying all your debts on Hogmanay.
A "scramble" at a wedding - the father of the bride throws out pennies for the local children to collect
Blackening the bride-to-be - not such a nice one!

The Maldon mud race

CHanging of the guard

Silver sixpences or charms in Christmas puddings. Making a wish on your first mince pie or when stirring the Christmas pudding.
Boat races (there are different versions on lots of rivers)
Beating the bounds
University Rag Weeks
Travelling fairs (Nottingham Goose Fair, Hull Fair, Newcastle Hoppings-all the same circuit)
New Year or Christmas swims.

mischief night is the day before plot, so 4th November, you might ring doorbells and run away, tie strings to door bells and run away, take gates off their hinges, steal wood from another bonfire, understand in some parts of the country it happens on 30th october

Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, May Day dance around the pole, Scottish dancing, Irish dancing,

Setting the Christmas pudding alight with flaming brandy.

Tooth fairy

The British monarchy.

Borders common ridings.

The sad decay of folk traditions and the inhibiting influence of Christianity on folk traditions.

Preston has Easter egg rolling every Easter Monday on Avenham Park
and Preston Guild every 20 years which has provided the old saying-
Once every Preston Guild.

Does Nottingham still have the Goose Fair (or Fayre) I wonder?

This is a proper regional/social history, love it! Appleby horse fair, selling lucky white heather door-to-door, door-to-door sales people selling household items from a suitcase - more likely a sports bag these days - or travelling knife/garden tool grinder (not sure if that's different from other countries). Bride traditions - 'something old something new, something borrowed, something blue', throwing the bouquet, carrying over the threshold. A few not so fun too - closing curtains as a mark of respect for a deceased neighbour, covering mirrors in the deceased's house.

Cheese rolling, maypole dancing, afternoon tea (everything stops for tea) how to queue, country fairs, blessing the apple trees, beating the boundary’s etc

Sunday roast (Dad rolling back from the pub, late)
Breakfast fry up.
Yorkshire puddings .
Welsh cakes.
Village fete, tombola
School fete.
Jumble sales.
Lots of these don't seem to happen any more.

Stir up Sunday, always an occasion on The Archers.

Pantomimes, Carlin Sunday, Hot Cross Buns