Quick Reference
TRADITIONAL DATES IN GREAT BRITAIN
Chronology of Events | International Calenders | UK Dates | Seasons | Weddings | The Zodiac
| New Year's Day | Jan 1 | The beginning of the new year, celebrated in Scotland by the tradition of first footing |
| Twelfth Night | Jan 6 | A party after the Christmas break and before the return to work in the fields |
| Plough Monday | Monday following twelfth night | Previous year's corn dolly is ploughed back into the earth (see harvest home) |
| Burn's Night | Jan 21 | A celebration marking the birth of the poet Robert Burns |
| Valentine's Day | Feb 14 | Originally a Roman fertility rite, now a declaration of love |
| St. David's Day | Mar 1 | The patron saint of Wales |
| St.Patrick's Day | Mar 17 | The patron saint of Ireland |
| Shrove Tuesday | Pancake day | The last day before Lent and the opportunity to use up remaining dairy products |
| Ash Wednesday | First day of Lent, 40 days before Easter Sunday | |
| Mothering Sunday | The fourth Sunday in Lent | Traditionally a holiday when servants were able to visit their parents. Mother's Day is a US import |
| April Fools Day | Apr 1 | From the medieval Feast of Fools, a day of practical jokes |
| St George's Day | Apr 23 | The patron saint of England |
| Maundy Thursday | Last Thursday before Easter | Distribution of Maundy money by the Monarch |
| Good Friday | The Crucifixion of Christ, commemorated with hot cross buns | |
| Easter Sunday | The celebration of the Resurrection of Christ | |
| Mayday (Beltaine) | May 1 | Pagan fertility rite, celebrated in England with may poles and morris dancing |
| Ascension Day | May 28 | Ascension of Christ into Heaven |
| Oak Apple Day | May 29 | Celebration of the Restoration of 1660 marking the occasion when Charles II hid from Cromwell in an oak tree |
| Rogationtide | The 5th week after Easter | Crop blessing and beating the bounds; the re-defining of the borders of fields and property |
| Midsummer Day | Jun 24 | Summer solstice |
| Tynwald Day | Jul 5 | Holiday in Isle of Man |
| St James Day | Jul 25 | Start of the county fairs |
| Lammas-Tide | Aug 1 | Pagan festival. The blessing of sacramental bread and time of great fairs |
| St Swithun's Day | Jul 15 | 40 days of bad weather will follow if it rains on this day |
| Harvest Home | The blessing of the gathered harvest. A corn dolly is made from the last sheaf | |
| Michaelmas | Sep 29 | Livestock fairs, especially sheep. Tenancies are renewed and labour hired for the next year |
| Halloween | Oct 31 | The driving away of evil spirits |
| Guy Fawkes Night | Nov 5 | Marking the discovery of a plot to blow up Parliament in 1605 |
| Martinmas | Nov 11 | Similar to Michaelmas |
| Armistice Day | Nov 11 | The end of World War 1 |
| Remembrance Day | Nearest Sunday to Martinmas | Ceremony to mark the end of both World Wars |
| St. Andrew's Day | Nov 30 | The patron saint of Scotland |
| St. Nicholas' Day | Dec 6 | Yule logs, mumming plays and the return of Santa Claus |
| Christmas | Dec 25 | Originally a festival marking the winter solstice on Dec 22, now a religious ceremony commemorating the birth of Christ |
| Boxing Day | Dec 26 | A day for servants to go from house to house with collecting boxes |
| New Year's Eve | Dec 31 | Hogmanay, a traditionally Scottish celebration |
