Are there any proper English traditions, for St Georges Day?

[SteveTheSeagull]

Bloody foreigners, coming over here and nicking the jobs off English born and bred saints

I actually never thought of it in that way

 

[Gwylan]

Celebrating Shakespeare's birth.

Now there's a proper Englishman.

Oh, and remember his death.

RIP Shakey.

Now, that's more like it. I'd be well up for a bank holiday on Shakespeare Day

(although [Pedant alert] We don't know that 23 April was Shakespeare's birthday as the date wasn't recorded, it's traditionally assumed as that day - but the 23rd is certainly the day of his death)

 

[narly101]

Food Diary for the day;

1) Full English breakfast, ensuring no chips are present in this meal.
2) Couple of English Real Ales in the spring sun (if it decides to show it's face today) for lunch
3) Roast Beef and Yorkshires (with English Mustard) with gravy you can stand a spoon up in, washed down with a chilled Spitfire

 

[narly101]

It was rank, cold scraps of shoddy bacon on mushy bread. Bleurgh. First time I've eaten in there for about 4 years. I was on a set once and craft services were provided by Starbucks. I must have tried every single combination of food and beverage in there 4 times over in a 3 month period ,mainly consisting of squashed sandwich type things. Put me off for years.

Starbucks - there's your problem right there. They do coffee, and really bad coffee. How anyone thinks that a bad coffee house can do anything resembling an edible English Breakfast bap is beyond me. Should have gone to a greasy spoon, most likely run by eastern Europeans, but understand the English breakfast more so than a yank company.

 

[heathgate]

I think if this day was a formal holiday, there would be a lot of traditions resurrected, whatever they are or were, ..... in this country we celebrate Paddy's day and even July 4th more than we do the 23rd.

 

[warsaw]

A recent poll on here had the majority on here as atheists, so why are showing devotion to some Catholic Saint from way back?

If we want to celebrate being English then why not use an ENGLISH MAN as a focus for our devotion, someone like Shakespeare or King Alfred?

Discuss

 

[Nibble]

Starbucks - there's your problem right there. They do coffee, and really bad coffee. How anyone thinks that a bad coffee house can do anything resembling an edible English Breakfast bap is beyond me. Should have gone to a greasy spoon, most likely run by eastern Europeans, but understand the English breakfast more so than a yank company.

I was in Cobham, there's one shite cafe that didn't open til 8:30 and then Starbucks. Was starving and don't like their coffee so had a tea. Believe me, I knew what I'd get. Needs must unfortunately!! Though I must say the calibre of Clunge in the Cobham Starbucks every time I've been is absolutely top drawer. Some of the most ****able women I've seen for a while in there today.

 

[heathgate]

St George's Day, wouldn't happen in Germany

Unity? Whit? Ascension?

 

[Return of the Rev]

Ummm go to a country pub and sing English country folk songs and watch some Morris Dancers. Sing Jerusalem and have a curry. Use a dildo.

This but not in that order

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

St George's Day, wouldn't happen in Germany

It would in Freiburg. Their coat of arms is the St George Cross.

 

[Gwylan]

A recent poll on here had the majority on here as atheists, so why are showing devotion to some Catholic Saint from way back?

If we want to celebrate being English then why not use an ENGLISH MAN as a focus for our devotion, someone like Shakespeare or King Alfred?

... said the man whose (not very English) username is that of the capital city of one of the most Catholic countries in Europe

 

[Fungus]

I agree with this. Most English people don't really have anything in common with St. George but I am sure a Saint Shekespeare Day would be fun. There could be performances of Hamlet. MacBeth and that other great English themed work, The Merchant of Venice....

And this might be perfect for NSC:

http://www.theguardian.com/children...shakespearean-insults-william-shakespeare-450

Top 10 best Shakespearean insults – to celebrate the bard's birthday

From tripe-visaged rascal to ass-head… William Shakespeare may have been born 450 years ago today (or thereabouts) but he sure knew how to put someone down in style. David and Ben Crystal, authors of the Oxford Illustrated Shakespeare Dictionary, help you work out which insults to use and when!

1.Hermia calls Helena a “painted maypole” - presumably because she is tall, thin, and wears a lot of makeup in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

2. Maria calls Malvolio “a time-pleaser, an affectioned ass” - a follower of fashion and a pretentious idiot in Twelfth Night.

3. The Welsh Captain describes Pistol as a “rascally, scald [scabby], beggarly, lousy, pragging [show-off] knave” in Henry 5.

4. Sebastian calls the Boatswain a “bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog” in The Tempest.

5. Kent says Oswald is a “knave, beggar, coward, pander [pimp], and the son and heir of a mongrel bitch” in King Lear.

6. Antonio describes Claudio and Don Pedro as “scambling, outfacing, fashion-monging boys” - quarrelsome, bluffing, and dandified in Much Ado About Nothing.

7. Sir Toby calls Sir Andrew “an ass-head, and a coxcomb, and a knave, a thin-faced knave, a gull!” - a simpleton in Twelfth Night.

8. Kent describes Oswald as a “base foot-ball player” - a game of the gutter that nobles would never dream of playing in King Lear.

9. Prince Hal calls Falstaff a “whoreson impudent embossed rascal” - literally, the son of a prostitute, and moreover one who’s swollen or bulging out, like a boil in Henry IV Part 1.

10. Doll harangues the Beadle who is about to arrest her: “thou damned tripe-visaged rascal … thou paper-faced villain” in Henry IV Part 2.

All these insults and much more can be found in David and Ben Crystal’s stunningly useful book the Oxford Illustrated Shakespeare Dictionary.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

The most common traditions judging on my Facebook and Twitter are;

Moaning about how it's not a bank holiday simply because we want a day off and not because we're Catholic and St. George actually resonates with us.

Remembering the scene when Basil Fawlty compares his wife to the dragon.

Going on about Englishness (whatever that is)

Moaning about foreigners whilst conveniently overlooking the fact good old George was from the Middle east.

Remember that poor dragon.

 

[pastafarian]

St George's Day, wouldn't happen in Germany

British Forces have been celebrating St Georges day in bases across Germany ever since that moustached one nut gave up the ghost

 

[Lord Bracknell]

There still are - B&H Scouting are doing one in Hove on Sunday.

And there's one in Lewes.

 

[Fungus]

The most common traditions judging on my Facebook and Twitter are;

Moaning about how it's not a bank holiday simply because we want a day off and not because we're Catholic and St. George actually resonates with us.

Moaning that Facebook want to ban their pictures of St George wearing the flag.

 

[loz]

And there's one in Lewes.

And East Grinstead.

 

[Gwylan]

And there's one in Lewes.

Thanks for this. We have to get to Lewes on Sunday and B&H Buses have not mentioned there's any disruption.

We'll go by train

 

[Soulman]

There still are - B&H Scouting are doing one in Hove on Sunday.

Also Church parades over Worthing. I used to attend the Goring one where my lads were Cubs/scouts.
obviously ONE scouting event in Brighton had to be changed a few years ago and someone thinks that is a yearly event lol.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Signal failurs at LB cant get more Englishthan that.