[Sca-cooks] Easter Observances

[Kingstaste]

I have lots more, but I left them out of this list to keep it tailored to
Easter specifically.  But hey, go ahead and list them, there are tons of
festivals to observe the coming of Spring, why not celebrate them all?
Christianna

-----Original Message-----
From: sca-cooks-bounces+kingstaste=mindspring.com at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:sca-cooks-bounces+kingstaste=mindspring.com at lists.ansteorra.org] On
Behalf Of Susan Lin
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 10:13 AM
To: Cooks within the SCA
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Easter Observances

Are you interested in other holidays you do not have listed here?  There are
lots of Jewish holidays/festivals that could be added but if that is not
your intent I will not add them.

Shoshanna

On Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 10:03 AM, Kingstaste <kingstaste at comcast.net> wrote:

> I have been collecting information about holiday celebrations and
> observations for many years.  A lot of it is random and unedited, but I am
> going to throw it out here to see if it rings any bells for anyone.  I am
> always interested to hear family traditions that either confirm or debunk
> what I've found.
>
>
>
> Christianna
>
>
>
>
> MAR 21
>
>
> Vernal Equinox, First Day of Spring
>
>
> Mothering Sunday* - Feudal Europe - On Laetare Sunday (mid-Lent) in
spring,
> "fostered" children would go to visit their own families. A sweet cake
> called a "simnel"- named for simila=fine flour, plum cakes or cakes with
> almond paste baked inside were taken to their mothers.
>
> Origins in the Greek Goddess Cybele, the goddess of nature (whom the
Greeks
> got from the Phrygians) and Roman festivities held to honor motherhood.
>
> England - In the 17th Century, Christians went once a year to pay their
> respects to the cathedral or mother church of their religion. The huge
> gatherings gave so many people a chance to have family reunions that they
> began to call it "going a-mothering", and they brought their mothers
> flowers
> and cakes for the occasion. The custom died out in the 18th cent. But
> American soldiers stationed in England during WWII, who observed the U.S.
> Mother's Day, reminded the English of their own tradition and contributed
> to
> its revival.
>
>
>
>
> MAR 27
>
>
> Ceremony of Washing - Ancient Rome - Traditional Spring Cleaning Day
>
>
>
> Vikrama Samvat * - Hindu -  The beginning of Spring, when the Goddess of
> Nature is bedecked as a divine bride.  A combination of bitter neem leaves
> and sweet jaggery is eaten, to signify conflicting aspects of human life:
> joy and sorrow, success and failure, ecstasy and agony.
>
>
>
> Holi* - Hindu - To celebrate the end of the spring harvest and the end of
> winter in India and, some people say, the time long ago when the evil
witch
> Holika was burned, people light bonfires on the eve of Holi. The next day
> children and adults throw water and colored powders at each other. Soon
> everyone is covered with the colors of spring. It is a holiday of mirth
and
> merriment.  Games depicting the pranks of the infant Krishna are played by
> boys singing and dancing.
>
>
>
> Festival of Ostara - Saxon - "Season of the Growing Sun".  A 2 day 'Coming
> of Spring' festival.
>
>
>
> Alp Aufzug* - Switzerland - "Ascent" marks the time when herdsmen lead
> their
> goats and cattle up to mountain pastures for the summer. Considered the
> beginning of spring, everyone wears bright costumes, decorate the best
> animals with flowers, and parade with the pails and cheese-making
> equipment.
>
>
>
>
> Sunday before Easter
>
> Palm Sunday* - Christian - Commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
People
> greeted Him by waving palm branches, and today many churches distribute
and
> bless palms as part of the service.
>
> Pax Cakes Distribution* (16th Cent) Hereforshire, England - Under the will
> of Lady Scudomore, cakes and ale were presented to the congregation at the
> Palm Sunday service to promote peace and good fellowship.
>
>
>
> Seschselauten* - Switzerland - On the first day of Zurich's Spring
> Festival,
> The "Six O' Clock Ringing", there's a children's parade through town. On
> the
> second day, dressed in medieval costumes and carrying banners, members of
> the town's historic craft guilds march the same route. The tailors chase
> the
> children with huge scissors. The bakers hand out pastries. At 6pm when the
> bells chime, everyone gathers in the town square where the Boegg, a big
> white figure of winter stuffed with straw and firecrackers, goes up in a
> burst of flames.
>
>
>
> Ra-Ra* - Haiti - Every day between Palm Sunday and Easter groups of
> people-The Ra-Ra- come down from the hills to dance for money. Each dancer
> is dressed in a red shirt and carries a red flag. Some of them beat drums;
> some crack whips; some carry kerosene lanterns. As soon as the crowd sees
> the group's leader, they cry "Ra-Ra!" The dance celebrates spring but also
> mourns the death of Jesus. Throughout the 3 days before Easter the Ra-Ra
> dance intensely, and on Easter Sunday they stop.
>
>
>
> Maundy Thursday, Royal Maundy (14th Cent) Britain's oldest charity, it was
> started by Edward III.  Until 1689 the sovereign went to Westminster Abbey
> the day before Good Friday to wash the feet of the poor.  Since James II,
> special minted coins have been given out instead.
>
> Green Thursday - The Thursday before Easter, the day that Jesus washed the
> feet of the disciples.  In Czechoslovakia, "Judases"- cakes made to look
> like twisted ropes- are made and dipped in honey to suggest the fate of
> Judas on this day.  Honey is a preventative against disaster. On this day
> they also bake a lamb-shaped cake for the Lamb of God to be served on
> Easter
> Sunday.
>
>
>
> Good Friday* - Christian - Commemorates the day Jesus was convicted of
> treason against the Roman Empire and crucified. Many people observe the
day
> with solemn services or processions that reenact Jesus' walk to His death,
> carrying his own cross. Supposedly on His way to Golgotha, He stopped at
> the
> door of a woman who was baking and asked for bread.  She thought he was
> just
> a poor misfortunate sentenced to die, so she brought him in and gave him
> bread and water.  Legend says He has blessed all women who bake on Good
> Friday.
>
> Hot Cross Buns - traditionally associated with Good Friday.  Early
> Egyptians
> offered their moon goddess cakes marked with horns symbolic of the horned
> ox
> they sacrificed at the altar. Early Greeks presented horn-inscribed cakes
> to
> Astarte and other deities.   The Romans ate cross-bread at sacrificial
> feasts, and the Saxons inscribed loaves with a cross in honor of Eostre,
> the
> goddess of light (See Easter).
>
> Marble Championship - Tinsley Green, Sussex, England - In 1600 two rivals
> dueled over a lover with a game of marbles.  Since then, there has been a
> marbles championship held in their memory.
>
> Bermuda - In the 19th century, a teacher who had trouble explaining Jesus'
> Ascension into heaven brought his class to the highest hill on the island,
> where he launched a kite with an image of Jesus. When the line ran out, he
> cut it, and children have flown kites on Good Friday ever since.
>
>
>
> Vigil of Easter* Many churches celebrate the day between Jesus'
Crucifixion
> and His Resurrection, with an Easter vigil service. Worshipers reflect on
> His suffering and death. Mexico- many people make ugly effigy of Judas,
> stuff it with firecrackers, and hang it over a street. Then they ignite
the
> evil Judas and he explodes. Children scramble for the candies and little
> gifts that spurt out of him.
>
> White Saturday - Czechoslovakia - is the favorite time to decorate the
eggs
> that have been taken to church and blessed.
>
>
>
> Easter* - Christian - Celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus. Mary Magdalene
> and some companions visited the tomb of Jesus, and the Angel of the Lord
> appeared and told them He was risen. Legend has it that the sun jumps for
> joy on Easter morning, so many churches have sunrise services. In the 8th
> century the Venerable Bede suggested that the word "Easter" may have come
> from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and
> fertility. Saxons ate cross-inscribed loaves in her honor.  Her symbol was
> a
> hare, which may explain the custom of the Easter hare, or rabbit, who
> brings
> Easter eggs. The egg may have become a special Easter symbol of rebirth
> because eggs were long one of the foods forbidden during Lent. The use of
> Easter Eggs among Christians came into use around 700 AD.  The tradition
of
> coloring eggs probably began with medieval travelers to Egypt and Persia,
> where people colored eggs for their spring festivals.  Red eggs symbolized
> the Blood of Christ, a chicken meant the fulfillment of one's dreams, the
> sun presages good luck,  flowers for love and understanding, good health
is
> assured by a deer or a stag, and prosperity by a pig.  In Lancastershire,
> England, the children participate in Pace-Egging, where they roll Easter
> eggs down a hill.  It was said to commemorate Christ's tomb stone rolling
> away from the crypt.   Norsemen also had the word Eostur, Eastur, Ostara,
> or
> Ostar, meaning season of the growing sun.  (This is the latest day on
which
> Easter Sunday can occur.  The earliest day on which it can fall is March
> 22nd.)
>
> Lambri* - Greece - "Bright Day" is how Greeks describe Easter. The night
> before, all lights go out. At midnight, a priest enters holding a candle,
> proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ. His candle is used to light the
> candles every person holds. The church bells ring, ships sound their
> whistles, and firecrackers go off. Afterward, people celebrate with
> dancing,
> roast lamb, and Easter eggs, which Greeks dye red only.
>
>
>
>
>
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