Midwinter Celebrations: Yule, Saturnalia, and Christmas Folklore
Christmas traditions have evolved through the centuries, many of them have ancient origins linked to the midwinter festivals of Yule and Saturnalia
Top 5 Winter Solstice Celebrations Around the World
The winter solstice has been celebrated in some form all around the world for centuries. Individual human cultures often mixed magic with religion in acknowledgement and celebration of this important astronomical event. Here we briefly look at five of these festivities from around the world, before discussing why they were so important to our ancestors and concluding with what science has to say today.
Open the Door and Let Us In: Mummers at Midwinter
The appearance of a Turkish knight, Beelzebub, and a horse’s skull mark out a centuries old winter tradition in rural communities across Britain.
Origins of Breaking the Wishbone: Horseshoes, Groins and Chicken Ouija Boards
‘Breaking the wishbone’ is a tradition around the world in the days after a Sunday roast, Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Protection and Punishment: Beliefs About Angels in Tudor and Stuart England
In Tudor and Stuart England, angels were believed to deliver messages, protect the godly, carry souls to heaven, punish sinners, and carry out God’s will.