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.
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.
New Year Celebrations: Herrings in Bonnets at Hogmanay?
In a strange old custom, the Dundee dressed herring is dressed in a crepe paper skirt and bonnet combination in bright colours, tied to ribbons, and carried through the streets and into homes on Hogmanay night.
Kissing under the Mistletoe? Not in Medieval Herefordshire
Mistletoe is the stuff of folklore. It is found in Norse, Greek and Roman mythology, a plant of power and magic.
Winter Folklore: The Creatures of Christmas
From the animals that witnessed the Nativity, to the robins on our greetings cards and Santa’s reindeer, the creatures of Christmas truly animate the magic of the festive season.