11/02/2008: "UK traditions"

i read a piece written by danny baker this week, about Beano boys
have to say i cant stand him normally, but he hit the nail right on the head with this, so ill give him some credit!

Read the full article here

which brings me nicely onto the erosion of UK traditions.
all the occasions throughout the year that i was involved with, they are being destroyed!
halloween
funfairs? fireworks? - hard not to be cynical when these are designed to part you from your hard earned brass and have nowt to do with the occasion at all - duck apples, trick or treating, witches and gory horror dressing up, pendle hill and spooks, even mischief night, why have they stopped?
bonfire night
normally a night, now its the weekend before or the weekend after
involves beer? bombarded with firework sales for two weeks at every supermarket and formally empty shop?
yet more funfairs... most dont even have a bombfire!
what happened to everyone in the area giving unwanted furniture to the kids to put on their bombfires? adults lighting the fire on november 5th, all the mums and dads bringing one box of fireworks and watching each others, sparklers for the lil uns, mums making treacle toffee, toffee apples, baked spuds cooked on the fire as it goes out....

and then we have the pinnacle of the year (for me and mine anyways) Christmas
not just for the kids, its a time of the year to have a beer and laugh with friends and family, giving presents that neednt be huge, its about good food and company, carols, the nativity, etc, its about a series of events over two weeks, where we can all celebrate, ending with a fantastic party celebrating a new year!

many people i speak to, dont give a jot about christmas, its a huge marketing ploy to part us from our money (which is definately true), people hate having to drag themselves around to family dinners, they dont sing carols or visit church, moan at the snow and the cold, or are forced to work, etc.

our house is always decorated, we start with a real christmas tree (hunted down at a farm nearby) we have decorations, crackers with our meals wearing silly hats, no gifts opened until father christmas has been, plenty of drinks in for visitors, have carols playing around the house, etc.
you dont see hindus giving up on duwali do you!

if us "miserable" brits doint uphold traditions - then todays sprogs wont pass those traditions onto their kids, and so it erodes even more.
last year, brass was tight, so we all went out shopping on christmas eve with a Ł20 limit, and bought as much as we could for that amount, we picked up some cracking bargains and we had plenty to open christmas morning after father christmas had used his magic key, to deliver our pressies.
we had a crackin feed, all kinds of meat, we had home made mince pies, carols playing, decent tele, friends visiting for drinks, we had a blast.

but one of the most important things, is thinking of others.
for many christmas can be a sad and lonely time, why not surprise the old lady sitting in the nursing home window, that you pass every week? she might not have any family!
check on your neighbours, speak to them, help them out with shopping or decorations, youll be surprised how a bit of courtesy goes along way to making christmas a happy time for them.

cmon britain.... you can do it!