[Sca-cooks] December 28th Holiday Exchange

[kingstaste at mindspring.com]

DEC 28
Arachne’s Day - Ancient Greece - A mortal weaver girl who was bold enough to
challenge Minerva, the Weaver of the Gods, to a contest.  She finished at
the same time and had an equally good fabric, which enraged the Goddess.
Minerva slit the cloth and beat Arachne about the head and shoulders with
the shuttle.  Arachne hung herself, and Minerva took pity on her and changed
her, the noose, and the warp into a spider and its web, leaving Arachne with
her weaving talents.

Feast of the Holy Innocents (1 AD) Patron Saints of Babies and Choirboys.
72 Jewish boys under the age of 2 murdered by Herod trying to get rid of
Jesus. Their feast “Childermas”, was celebrated in England until the 17th
century by whipping children while they lay abed.  Many people consider the
day unlucky, avoiding all work and starting new projects.  Perhaps because
Herod's plan failed and Jesus escaped, many Catholic contries consider it a
sort of April Fool's Day, or the “Feast of Fools”. A highly satirical
blasphemous parody of the Mass was celebrated in Churches, and a good time
was had by all. An elaborate description of the day's excesses can be found
in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

In Mexico, El Dia de los Inocentes is known as that “unluckiest of days”,
but it has evolved from sadness to good-natured trickery. Even the media
join the fun, often running bogus news stories and radio reports.

Lady Day

Vikings Burn Paris (856)

Westminster Abbey Consecrated (1065)

First Shakespearean Play Produced (1594) “Comedy of Errors” at Gray's Inn