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.
Italy’s Pagan Santa Claus: The Story of La Befana, the Christmas Witch
Who is la Befana, the Italian Christmas witch?
The Burning Heart of Scotland’s Yule – Charring the Old Wife
Plant lore is the verdant heart of Scottish folk holidays and traditions. Nature’s gift and sacrifice is found in the burning heart of Yule – the Yule log of ash or birch.
Merry Christmas & Seasons Greetings from #FolkloreThursday!
What a year it’s been! The end of 2016 is nigh, and it’s hard to believe all of the amazing things that have happened over the last twelve months. To name but a few, we launched the splendiferous #FolkloreThursday website, interviewed for The Independent newspaper, the BBC invited us down to the Tower of London to […]
Food & New Beginnings: How We Celebrate by Eating Circles
We humans, love to eat and we love to celebrate with food, from weddings to birthdays to a Sunday family lunch. Whilst our customs might be different, all around the world we celebrate new beginnings, whether that is a new year, a new marriage or a new baby. And while the food we serve to celebrate new beginnings may be slightly different in our own corner of the globe, there seems to be a universal theme in the type of food we eat. We celebrate the new with circular-shaped food.