This was Manchester’s seventh annual St. George’s Day Parade and the Sealed Knot English Civil War re-enactors, (covering events that also affected Scotland and Ireland from 1640 to 1660), have participated with great pride since the first parade.

The event has grown into a major carnival over the years, and the people of Manchester have always shown tremendous support, lining the streets, cheering, waving flags and applauding as the procession passes by. With colourful floats, brass bands, look-alikes of kings & queens of yesteryear, the heroes of the armed forces, lots of school-groups and a group of belly dancers, the event is always wonderful.

Before Sunday’s march, we had a Saturday stall in Albert Square, right in front of the town hall. People were thrilled to be able to see and handle real muskets and swords they might normally only see in a glass case in a museum display. Lots of people asked to be photographed with us, and we were interviewed by several local newspapers and radio / TV people. There was much more to see in the square too, with owls and falcons, Morris dancing, songs by Katy Spitfire (in the tradition of Vera Lynn), jazz saxophonists, and more besides. Several people dressed as St George and the Dragon was well represented too, with his agents including a Welsh Dragon.

Sealed Knotters came from Manchester, Rugby, and further afield to take part. One lad flew in from Las Vegas to join in the celebrations. Sir Philip Skippon’s Regiment (To whom I belong) were joined by members of Godolphin’s Regiment.

We gave a traditional salute to the Lord Mayor of Manchester and other dignitaries responsible for making the parade go so smoothly.

The Knotters retired to a local pub to celebrate the success of the Saturday and braved both the rain and the hangovers to turn out for the parade itself on the rainy Sunday. The public were not put off by the weather either, and as the march progressed, it seemed to warm up nicely, with the inclement rain starting again only as we finished and we soon returned to the pub for a few more beers to wrap up a fabulous weekend.

A huge thanks you to all The Sealed Knotters, especially Mark Scoular, and Becca Blaylock, and thanks to the staff of Bar Fringe and the people of Manchester.

The events as reported in the Manchester Evening News http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1491969_pictured-2000-turn-out-to-see-2012-st-georges-day-parade-in-manchester

Sir Philip Skippon’s Website http://skippons.thesealedknot.org.uk/skippons.thesealedknot.org.uk/Welcome.html

The Sealed Knot Society http://www.thesealedknot.org.uk/

Arthur Chappell.

This is pre-eminently the spring festival of Bharat. The trees are smiling with their sprout of tender leaves and blooming flowers. With the harvest having been completed and the winter also just ended, it is pre-eminently a festival of mirth and merriment.

The festival of Holi is synonymous with water balloons, pichhkaris or water guns, gulaal, bhang and mithai. Different regions of India celebrate this festival in different styles. Be it Phagwa in Bihar or Hola Mohalla in Punjab, the fun and frolic remains just the same.

Perhaps the most popular and colorful among these various styles is the one played at Barsana near Mathura in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Known as Lath mar Holi, it is played a few days in advance of the actual day of the festival. People flock in thousands to be a part of the traditional festivities. Legend goes that Lord Krishna came to his beloved Radha’s village – Barsana – on this day and teased her and her friends. However, women of the village used lathis (sticks) to drive him away. Since then, men from Krishna’s village, Nandgaon, visit Barsana every year to play Holi in the town which also has the distinction of having the only temple dedicated to Radha in India.

During Holi, practices, which at other times could be offensive, are allowed. Squirting colored water on passers-by, dunking friends in mud pool amidst teasing and laughter, getting intoxicated on bhaang and reveling with companions is perfectly acceptable. In fact, on the days of Holi, you can get away with almost anything by saying, “Don’t mind, it’s Holi!” (Hindi = Bura na mano, Holi hai.)

There are things in life that make little sense, I’m going to tell is certainly one. I LOVE Mardi Gras, one of my favorite annual events, even when I am not a believer and does not make sense to love him, since not even believe in their bases. But such nonsense, color and crazy I can. Nationally, the carnival bore me a little, because big and carnivals pretty few and far from where I live. For my area are depressing, no other word.

But the frenzy, people on the streets uninhibited, letting go, the exuberance and the primitive, that’s what attracts me to Mardi Gras. In addition, I can not connect the festival with this century. When I think she drags me to another time, fewer and simpler technology. I have a habit of longing for the early twentieth century or the late nineteenth as if he had ever lived in them, otherwise it makes no sense, and Mardi Gras makes me yearn for those days I did not live much longer. I think that is the strongest foundation of my fascination.

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, culturally rich and beautiful. Probably my love for the city is due to its colonial style and my aforementioned unwarranted longing.

It is also another thing that attracts me, Mardi Gras is celebrated around the world, but for me the ideal is that of New Orleans. It makes me so very easy to close your eyes and invoke the smell of mother forest, mixed with the excitement and frenzy of the people gathered in the street, fried sweet coffee and river. I love, love is something I * U *

The mamemaki custom is usually performed by the toshiotoko of the family, the male born on the correlating year with the animal of the Chinese zodiac (2012, the Year of the Dragon); or by the male of the head household. Roasted soybeans or fortune beans (as they are called) are either thrown at a family member wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask, or out the door while everyone says “鬼は外! 福は内!” or “Demon out! Luck in!” and then slamming the door shut. The beans symbolically purify a home from evil spirits bringing bad health and misfortune. At Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, Setsubun is celebrated all over the country with both priests and invited guests throwing soybeans. 

It’s also customary to eat roasted soybeans to bring in good luck. You eat one for every year of your life, i.e. your age, and in some areas, you eat the same as your age and then one more to bring in luck for the coming year. I prefer edamame, as they are called in Japan, to be boiled then roasted. They are a healthy, addictive snack to enjoy – I just can’t get enough of them. 

Image Source

Maru, the neko or cat from Japan celebrating Setsubun. He was chosen to wear the ogre mask, much to his chagrin. *lol* At his feet are the roasted soybeans. 

Image Source

Here Maru is given one of the 4 dry-roasted soybeans, the same as his age. He’s just a cute little boy, so young and carefree. *lol*

In March, Jaipur in India’s Rajasthan district, is THE place to be, to bear witness to the hugely popular Elephant Festival, celebrated every year on the occasion of the festival of colours known as Holi, with a unique concept.

This stunningly colourful festival is celebrated all over India, but in combination with the Elephant festival of Jaipur, gets some extra spice added to it, the extremely loud and spectacularly painted beasts the major attraction in their truly incredible outfits. 

Perfect venue for this annual occasion is the famous Chaugan ground in Jaipur, the festival beginning with a amazing parade of decorated Elephants, lots of differing activities on offer for enjoying during the celebrations.

Onlookers get treated to the sight of Elephants racing each other, competing as mounts in, polo-matches and forming great obstacles in tug-of-war competitions, so spectators can really enjoy seeing Elephant at their best. The competitive mahouts each decorate their own Elephants from head to toe from head to tail in outrageous splendour with exceptional attention to detail, vying for Best Decorated Elephant first prize.

Elephants are believed enjoy the festivities as much as people, also dancing and playing games. Festival visitors can enjoy live folk dances and music programs, the day reviving memories of the Jaipur royalty by enjoying glorious Elephant rides.

All the huge beasts are beautifully decked with floral motifs, providing superb backgrounds for tourist photography. Holi tourists play the game of Holi mounted on these painted Elephants, another unusual treat, something different for the tourists to enjoy.

Since the so-called Puranic times in India, Elephants have been seen as precious and majestic, their supremacy also well illustrated in Hindu Mythology, at the time of Samudra Manthan – when demon and Gods were busy churning the ocean – according to legends the Gods fortunately received Airavata the Elephant which later became the vahana – divine vehicle – of Indra, and subsequently a symbol of royalty in Indian culture. Most noticeable feature of the Jaipur festival is that all Elephants taking part have to be female. A truly exceptional destination for an unforgettable experience.

This may be the only place on earth where having fun comes from saluting the cryogenic remains of a human being.  That’s right a frozen body is the root for all this merrymaking and there’s a lot of it.  For example, wouldn’t you like to enter a Coffin Racing event?  How about some ice turkey bowling or polar plunging?

World’s Greatest Frigid Festival

All of this … er, … fun takes place in the little town of Nederland, Colorado.  The 2012 festival takes place on March 2 through 4 and you are invited to what the locals call the “Most Frigidly Fun Festival.”  You can catch some highlights of previous festivals at www.frozendeadguydays.org.

What might have caused otherwise normal people to turn the remains of a frozen human into a festival?  It all began when Grandpa Bredo Morstoel  – the 109-year-old frozen dead guy who really is in a state of suspended animation in the hills above Nederland – died in 1989.  Born in Norway, his death started an unbelievable, yet true, saga.  He was shipped to a cryonics facility in California and was placed in liquid nitrogen for four years.  In 1993 he was transported to Colorado where he was placed in the keeping of his daughter Aud and her son Trygve Bauge who wanted to build their own cryonics facility in Colorado.  But Grandpa, it seems, had some visa problems.  The laws of Nederland made it illegal to store frozen body parts in one’s home. Aud got the local city council to change the law, something that created a great deal of publicity. That brought Bo Shaffer into the picture.  In 1995 he saw an ad for a job as the “Ice Man.”  The job entailed a monthly delivery of 1600 pounds of dry ice to keep Grandpa in good condition – that being a minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  Shafer also started tours for just about anyone who asks – including folks who think Grandpa is a great spot for trying to make contact with their own dearly-departed friends and relatives.

Cryonics Mardi Gras

Seeing a gold mine in Grandpa’s frozen figure, the town launched what they call a “Cryonics Mardi Gras.”  Among the events, locals trek up to Grandpa’s resting place to toast him with a few brews, as well as other libation.  Apparently lots of folks think it’s a great way to have fun.  The Chicago Tribune even named the little festival of the frozen as one of the country’s top 100 not-to-be-missed U.S. festivals.

So, if you are tired of the same-old vacation destinations and want to have a totally different kind of experience, why not visit Grandpa and lift a glass or two in his honor.  We’ll supply the ice.

Click here for more articles by The Writin’ Cowboy.

When we talk about new year, you may think of the date of January first. Well, it may be wrong if you are in China. For Chinese, the new year is not on the date of January first, but falls on different date every year. This is because some traditional festivals, including Chinese New Year, are set by the lunar calendar, which is different from the Gregorian or the solar calendar that is accepted and used throughout the world.

Chinese New Year therefore falls on January first according to the lunar calendar, which is about one month later than the solar calendar. It is the most important festival for Chinese, and often lasts for about half a month.

There are lots of celebrations in the festivals: wearing red or colorful clothes, firing crackers, putting Spring Festival couplet on the doors, dragon dances, lion dances, of course there are lots of traditional foods they eat on the festival: dumplings(jiao zi), Niangao, fish.

People take the long festival to enjoy quality time with their family members, and try to visit relative, and wish each other happy new year. Children are the most excited ones, of course, they can get many red papers containing money as gifts from their parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They can also receive lots of sweets from neighbors when they wish a happy new year to them.

The celebration can last until the Lantern Festival, which is another traditional festival for Chinese. 

Image via Wikipedia

You don’t need to don your kilt or dance the highland jig to party like the Scots, but there are a few traditions that you can partake in to ring in the New Year in style.

Before Midnight on December 31st,

·         Make sure you have eaten a hearty steak pie, or stew for dinner.  A quick internet search will provide ample tasty recipe ideas. This will help to soak up the alcohol excess which is mandatory for any Scots celebration.

·         Shortbread and black bun (rich fruit cake) are also traditional fare for this festival.

·         Be prepared for an all-night celebration.  Scottish revelers take to the streets of the major Cities, and Edinburgh holds one of the largest and most spectacular street parties in the world. 

·         Wear weather appropriate attire, no kilt necessary. 

After Midnight,

·         Share the moment with your loved ones, but also strangers too.  Learn the words to the Scottish Bard’s rendition of Auld Lang Syne.  The Scot’s just adore Robert Burns, and this is one way of honoring him.  The song encourages everyone to let go of the problems of the year gone by, and look forward to the new year.

·         Wish as many people as you see, a very happy New Year, even the strangers who have not yet made your acquaintance.

·         It’s customary to have a wee dram of whiskey at the stroke of midnight, but not sure how feasible this is if you are celebrating on the streets.

·         Fireworks at the stroke of midnight are a tradition that originated with the pagan celebrations of using fire to ward off evil spirits.

Since celebrating the New Year is related to the hope of better times ahead, the Scots – a historically superstitious population, have a few rituals to prevent bad luck in the coming year.  For those who do not participate in the street celebrations in Scotland’s cities, it is customary to visit with friends and neighbors.  But you must NEVER visit without presenting your host with a gift, a bottle of whiskey, shortbread or a black bun is the norm but symbolic items including salt and coal.

·         It is traditional to clean house on Hogmanay, to cleanse the home of last years’ dirt.  It is also expected that everyone will pay off all their debts before the New Year arrives.

·         Visitors will be sent away if they arrive before midnight to prevent bad luck.  First-footers are made welcome after midnight.

·         Traditionally, the man of the house will open the back door of the house to let out the old year, and then open the front door to welcome the new into their home.

·         Your first-footer will ideally be dark-haired and this is probably where the fantasy of a “tall, dark handsome stranger” originated.  Lighter haired first-footers were deemed as unlucky because they resembled the Vikings, which usually meant trouble for the Scots.

One final note, Hogmanay celebrations must be LOUD. Whether you use traditional Scottish music, your favorite contemporary band, or play your own instruments, the noisier the party the farther away you will scare away evil spirits. 

Feel free to share your Hogmanay Stories in the Comments section below.

Happy Hogmanay, A guid New Year to ane an’ a’!

 Lyrics to Robert Burns’ Auld Lang Syne: http://www.robertburns.org/works/236.shtml

Other Articles by Donnah Clark:

The Positive Effects of Caring:  http://healthmad.com/alternative/the-positive-healing-effects-of-caring/

The Scam Artists are at it Again:  http://socyberty.com/crime/the-scam-artists-are-at-it-again/

The Next Outbreak:  http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/the-next-outbreak/

Looking for a New Planet to Inhabit?: http://scienceray.com/technology/looking-for-a-new-planet-to-inhabit/

Gullible Gossipmongers: http://donnah-clark.quazen.com/arts/gullible-gossipmongers/

The Scottish Interpretation of the English Language:  http://socyberty.com/languages/the-scottish-interpretation-of-the-english-language/

Human Trafficking:  The Fastest Growing Illegal Enterprise:  http://socyberty.com/issues/human-trafficking-the-fastest-growing-illegal-enterprise/

10 Steps that will Ensure you have a Successful Semester: http://donnah-clark.quazen.com/kids-and-teens/college-life/10-steps-that-will-help-ensure-you-have-a-successful-semester/

Mexico’s Children and the Pursuit for Profit:  A Double Tragedy: http://socyberty.com/society/mexicos-children-and-the-pursuit-for-profit-a-double-tragedy/

Social Media and You:  Don’t Become The Prey: http://webupon.com/social-networks/social-media-and-you-dont-become-the-prey/

Sleep Patterns, Fussy Eating and Behavioral Problems:  What’s the Connection?: http://healthmad.com/mental-health/sleep-patterns-fussy-eating-and-behavioral-problems-whats-the-connection/

Insightful Child: http://socyberty.com/society/insightful-child/

Managing your Diet without Soy: http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/managing-your-diet-without-soy/

10 Money Saving Tips for Students: http://donnah-clark.quazen.com/kids-and-teens/college-life/10-money-saving-tips-for-students/

Yes, we are celebrating the festival of lights today, the symbol of victory of good on evil. However, are our ways are correct? On the other hand, are we really doing that, the right way? No, I think we shall have to mend, if we really want to do that.

We leave the evil there where it was every year and add-up some more evil to our credit. We shall not be able to eradicate the evil if we shall concentrate on lights, firecrackers and sweets alone.

We shall have to go a bit deeper and do the needful to be able to celebrate Diwali in its full value. I wish you a nice time. I wish you all a very happy Diwali with all the joy and prosperity, which is the basic of this festival.

However, for myself I thank God that I am not in Delhi but in Bangalore and saved from the deafening firecrackers. You know this festival has become more of a symbolic value rather than its actual values, which are very different.

 I am so sorry to see people wasting so much money, as billion and billions of Rupees wasted, on this single day, which could be, utilized for a noble cause.

Happy Diwali to all my friends.

This year, the festival begins today in India and lasts for like 5 days – till friday – when it culminates with Bhai Dooj, a day on which sisters invite their brothers (and their families) home.

Wish you all a very Happy Diwali!