Folk Calendar

Thursday 31 December

New Year's Eve

Happy birthday to June Tabor (79 today)

Born on this day: E. J. Moeran (1894)

Friday 1 January

Born on this day: George Petrie (1790) and Margaret Barry (1917)

Folklore from the old calendars

First-footing in Edinburgh Still kept Midlothian, ScotlandIn Scotland the new year was let in at midnight with a hot pint of spiced ale and spirits, carried from house to house in a kettle.
Riding the Stang on New Year’s Day No longer kept Cumberland, WestmorlandA writer in the Gentleman's Magazine of 1791 reported that in Westmorland and Cumberland crowds gathered early on New Year's morning carrying baskets and stangs, or stout poles.
The Hutton Conyers Pie Court No longer kept YorkshireThe lord of the manor of Hutton Conyers held his court on the first day of the year, when the shepherds of six townships around the moor came to keep their right of sheep-walk.
The Falkirk Guisards No longer kept StirlingshireIn the Daft Days around the new year, bands of guisards went from house to house in Falkirk acting a short play in which Galgacus, the Caledonian chief, fights and kills Jack, a doctor haggles over his fee and raises him, and Judas comes round with the bag for money.
The New Year Wassail Bowl Still kept Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, WarwickshireAt the New Year the head of an English household gathered his family round a bowl of spiced ale called lamb's wool and drank their health with the old greeting wass hael, and the bowl went round.
Jack of Hilton No longer kept StaffordshireHilton Hall in Staffordshire kept a hollow brass figure about a foot high, known across the county as Jack of Hilton, which was filled with water and set by the fire so that steam blew from its mouth like a bellows.
Coventry God-cakes No longer kept WarwickshireAt Coventry it was the custom to eat God-cakes on New Year's Day.
New Year’s Gifts No longer kept EnglandGiving presents on New Year's Day was once general in England, though by Chambers's day it had shrunk to parents and elders giving to children.
The Fair First-foot at Preston Lore and belief LancashireA gentleman of Preston told Notes and Queries that for many years he had called on an elderly lady early on New Year's Day at her own request, because he was fair-complexioned and so thought to bring good luck for the year.
Kiss ’em and Sugar Toast No longer kept EnglandA Table Book correspondent described seeing the new year in at a village party.
Juniper Smoke and the Dead and Living Ford No longer kept HighlandsHone gives an account from Stewart's Popular Superstitions of the Highlands of how the Strathdown Highlander let in the new year.
New Clothes on New Year’s Day Lore and belief EnglandHone notes from Forster's Perennial Calendar that many people made a point of wearing something new on New Year's Day and thought it unlucky not to.
New Year cakes at Cambridge No longer kept CambridgeshireA visitor to friends at Cambridge was woken at seven on New Year's morning by the familiar Good Friday cry of one a penny, two a penny, buns, all hot.
Take out, then take in Lore and belief LincolnshireIn Lincoln and the country round it people held that it was unlucky to carry anything out of the house on New Year's morning before something had been brought in.
Dancing at the stone of North Ronaldsay No longer kept OrkneyThe Statistical Account of Scotland described a great upright stone, some nine or ten feet high and four feet broad, standing in a plain on the Orkney island of North Ronaldsay.
Opening the Bible on New Year’s morning Lore and belief EnglandIn some parts of the country the Bible was consulted on New Year's morning to learn what the year would bring.
No light from the house on New Year’s Day Lore and belief EnglandEllis's edition of Brand gathers several warnings for New Year's Day.
Verses for luck at Eton No longer kept BuckinghamshireA manuscript account of Eton College written in 1560 records that on the feast of the Circumcision, New Year's Day, the boys played for small New Year's gifts before and after supper.
If the grass grows in Janiveer Lore and belief Northern EnglandA saying still heard in the north of England in Ellis's day warned against a mild start to the year: if the grass grows in January, it grows the worse for it all the year.
Summer till New Year, winter till May Lore and belief WalesThe Welsh held that if summery weather lasted until New Year's Day, wintry weather would last until May Day.
A needle and thread at Queen’s College Still kept OxfordshireOn New Year's morning at Queen's College, Oxford, the dean or bursar gave every fellow and scholar a threaded needle, saying take this and be a good husband.
Vervain from the grove of Strenia Lore and belief EnglandNew Year's gifts were said to go back to a bunch of vervain given to a Sabine king on the first day of the year.
A favoured youth for first-foot Still kept Northern EnglandThe first person over the threshold on New Year's Day was thought to shape the family's luck, above all the daughters', for the whole year.
The shoe left with the ale-wife No longer kept WestmorlandOn New Year's Day in Westmorland towns and villages the men lifted the women onto a ladder, pole or chair and carried them off to the nearest public house.
The bachelor first-foot at Stamfordham No longer kept NorthumberlandAt Stamfordham the first-foot on New Year's morning had to be a bachelor, and he usually carried in a shovelful of coals, though whisky was taking its place.
The hired Lucky-bird No longer kept County Durham, YorkshireIn the west of County Durham a man might be engaged in advance to be a household's first-foot, or Lucky-bird as Yorkshire called him, and was paid with a glass of spirits.
Nothing carried out on New Year’s Day No longer kept County DurhamIn the old farmhouses of County Durham nothing was allowed to leave the house on New Year's Day, though anything might be brought in.
Wishes through the keyhole in Cleveland No longer kept Northumberland, YorkshireEarly on New Year's morning the lads of Cleveland called a greeting through their neighbours' keyholes, wishing them a pantry full of roast beef and a barrel full of beer.
The cream of the well at Bromyard No longer kept HerefordshireAs midnight struck on New Year's Eve, people round Bromyard raced to the nearest spring for the first water of the year.
The globe of thorns and Old Cider No longer kept HerefordshireVery early on New Year's Day, Herefordshire farm boys wove blackthorn branches into a globe and singed it over a straw fire while the household stood round shouting "Old Cider".
New Year apple-trees at Monmouth No longer kept MonmouthshireOn New Year's Day little boys near Monmouth carried round a little tree made of deal, its branches tipped with apples that were gilded, covered in silver tissue, or floured and stuck with black and white oats.
Lads for hire as first-foot Lore and belief Shropshire, WorcestershireIn Worcestershire and Shropshire it was unlucky for a woman to be the first to enter the house on New Year's morning.
Le Fortresse dangerus No longer kept EnglandAgainst New Year's night in the Christmas of 1513 to 1514, Henry VIII had a castle with gates, towers and a dungeon built in the hall, garrisoned by six ladies in russet satin and gold.
Sir Thomas More keeps the gloves No longer kept LondonSuitors used to give New Year's gifts to the Lord Chancellor in hope of a favourable judgment.
Ferrers’s New Year’s robe No longer kept EnglandWhen George Ferrers of Lincoln's Inn was made Lord of Misrule to divert the young Edward VI, he had a different costume for Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Twelfth Day.
The Workington women’s club dinner on New Year’s Day No longer kept CumberlandWorkington had a friendly society of more than two hundred women, and every New Year's Day its members sat down to an annual dinner.
The monkish verses of unlucky days Lore and belief EnglandAn old monkish calendar gave the unlucky days of every month in a Latin verse, and for January it named the first and the seventh, days that cut like a sword.
Charming the first new moon of the year Lore and belief England, YorkshireTo learn whom she would marry, a girl went out on the evening the first new moon appeared after New Year's Day, stood over the bars of a gate or stile, and hailed the moon.
A New Year’s song at the door No longer kept EnglandAt the New Year people wished each other a good year whenever a gift was given or friends met, and singers came to the door with a New Year's song whose burden was a wish for a happy New Year.
Mumming in each other’s clothes No longer kept EnglandAt the New Year season men and women exchanged clothes and went disguised from one neighbour's house to another, sharing their Christmas cheer and making merry with dancing and singing.
All hail to the Moon after New Year’s Day Lore and belief EnglandAt the first new moon after New Year's Day, anyone wishing to see a future husband or wife went out in the evening, stood over the spars of a gate or stile, and hailed the moon with a rhyme asking it to reveal who that should be.
Crackling laurel for a plentiful harvest Lore and belief EnglandAt Christmas and the New Year laurel was thrown on the fire, and a loud crackling was taken to promise a plentiful harvest in the year ahead.
The wassailers’ blessing and the dry house No longer kept EnglandWassailers at the gate sang blessings on the household for the twelve months ahead, but a house that gave them no ale or beer was left with a parting reproach.
A crown under the chaplains’ plates No longer kept LondonThe last trace of the royal New Year's gift at court was a crown-piece laid under the plate of each chaplain in waiting on New Year's Day.
Lady Shelley’s New Year rewards at Maresfield No longer kept SussexEvery New Year's Day at Maresfield Park the industrious poor who had kept off parish relief were given prizes of up to two guineas.
Juniper before the cattle at New Year near Dingwall No longer kept Highlands, Ross and CromartyOn New Year's Day the Highlanders round Dingwall burnt juniper before their cattle.
Meat on the bench for Gobelyn Lore and belief EnglandIn the late Middle Ages some people left food and drink out on the bench overnight at the new year to feed a household spirit called Alholde or Gobelyn.
Leading the plough about the fire Lore and belief EnglandIn the late Middle Ages some country people began the year by leading a plough round the fire, so that they would fare the better all the year after.
Oidhche Choille, the night of the trees Lore and belief BanffshireOn the first night of January the people of Kirkmichael watched the wind with anxious attention, reading from it the weather for the whole year to come.
The royal well at New-year-field Lore and belief West LothianNear the house of Livingston stood the farm of New-year-field, where tradition held the Scottish kings had a hunting seat while they stayed at Linlithgow.
Thumb-holed cakes after New Year’s Day Lore and belief WalesWhen the first batch of bread was baked after New Year's Day, Welsh women made a small round cake for each person in the house, named it and pressed a hole in it with the thumb.

Monday 4 January

Happy birthday to Clive Gregson (72 today)

Folklore from the old calendars

Handsel Monday No longer kept ScotlandThe first Monday of the year was a great holiday for the Scottish peasantry and for children, the day for giving and receiving presents, or handsel.
Hansel Monday and the scholars’ king No longer kept Berwickshire, Dumfriesshire, Roxburghshire, SelkirkshireOn the Scottish Borders the Monday after New Year's Day was Hansel Monday, when presents of money were put into people's hands.
The Handsel Monday ale that cured a Tillicoultry collier No longer kept ClackmannanshireOn Handsel Monday in 1738 the neighbours of a bedridden collier at Tillicoultry came to make merry with him, and he drank his share of the new ale as it went round.
Handsel Monday by the fireside at Auchterderran No longer kept FifeThe people of Auchterderran kept only one holiday for merry-making in the whole year, Handsel Monday, and spent it at home.

Tuesday 5 January

Twelfth Night

Happy birthday to Georgia Ruth (39 today)

Born on this day: Fred Jordan (1922)

Wednesday 6 January

Born on this day: Bob Copper (1915), Pop Maynard (1872) and Sandy Denny (1947)

Folklore from the old calendars

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Still kept LondonOn Twelfth Day the king used to go in procession with heralds and the knights of the Garter, Thistle and Bath to the Chapel Royal at St James's, and offer gold, frankincense and myrrh in imitation of the Magi.
Cutting Off the Fiddler’s Head No longer kept Isle of ManWaldron's history of the Isle of Man says that through the twelve days of Christmas every barn was in use and every parish hired fiddlers at the public charge.
The King of the Bean No longer kept EnglandOn Twelfth Night a large cake was baked with a bean inside, and the family and friends cut it by lot: whoever found the bean was King of the Bean for the night, and in England there was always a queen too, sometimes found by a pea.
The Hobby Horse of Paget’s Bromley No longer kept StaffordshirePlot's Natural History of Staffordshire records a Twelfth Day custom at Paget's Bromley, now Abbots Bromley, which had gone out by the seventeenth century.
The Twelfth Night Wassail at Court No longer kept EnglandThe Royalle Book of Henry VII's household laid down how the king kept Twelfth Day, going crowned in his robes and offering gold, myrrh and incense.
Lobscouse and Ponsondie No longer kept CumberlandIn Cumberland and other northern parts of England, Twelfth Night ended the Christmas holidays with a dance in a large room from seven o'clock until twelve.
Hazard for the groom-porter No longer kept LondonThe Gentleman's Magazine for January 1731 reported that on Twelfth Day the king and the Prince of Wales made their offerings of gold, frankincense and myrrh at the Chapel Royal, and that at night the royal family played at hazard for the benefit of the groom-porter.
Presents from the Twelfth Day king and queen No longer kept EnglandWhoever was chosen king and queen on Twelfth Day was once expected to give each other handsome presents and to entertain the whole company.
Stang and swill on Old Christmas Day No longer kept CumberlandIn Cumberland it was a regular Old Christmas Day custom to catch every man in reach, carry him to a public-house on a pole, and fine him a pint of beer.
The Piddle Hinton Old Christmas dole No longer kept DorsetOn Old Christmas Day the rector of Piddle Hinton handed every poor parishioner a pound of bread, a pint of ale and a mince pie.
Yule straw in Aberdeenshire No longer kept AberdeenshireIn parts of Aberdeenshire nobody worked during the three days of Old Style Christmas.
Aderyn bee y llwyd on Old Christmas Day No longer kept WalesOn Old Christmas Day a party in Wales went from house to house with the Aderyn bee y llwyd, the bird with the grey beak, made from the skull of a horse with false eyes and ears, ribbons and coloured paper.
Buying fire with a pin Lore and belief HerefordshireOn Old Christmas Day in Herefordshire nobody might borrow fire from a neighbour; it had to be bought with some trifle, such as a pin.
The Lady Mary’s Twelfth Night banquet No longer kept GloucestershireIn November of about 1525 the council of the young Princess Mary's household wrote from Tewkesbury to Cardinal Wolsey asking how she should keep the coming Christmas.
The Chapel gentlemen’s Twelfth Night play No longer kept EnglandAt the court of Henry VII the Christmas plays were acted by the gentlemen of the King's Chapel, who were well rewarded for playing on Twelfth Night.
Regan the trumpeter and the King of the Bean No longer kept EnglandEdward III's court had its King of the Bean on Twelfth Day.
A bean, a pea and a forked stick on board ship No longer kept EnglandHenry Teonge, chaplain of an English warship, recorded Twelfth Day 1676 at sea in rough weather past Zante.
The golden mountain at Richmond No longer kept SurreyOn Twelfth Night in the second year of Henry VIII a pageant like a glittering golden mountain, with a golden tree of roses and pomegranates on top, was wheeled up to the King in the hall at Richmond.
The first maske in England No longer kept EnglandOn the night of the Epiphany in the third year of his reign, Henry VIII and eleven others came in disguised after the manner of Italy, in long gold garments with visors and caps of gold.
The Lord Mayor’s Twelfth Day sermon at St Paul’s No longer kept LondonOn the afternoon of Twelfth Day the Lord Mayor, the aldermen, all the crafts of London and the bachelors of the Mayor's company went in procession to St Paul's to hear a sermon, after the old custom.
The king’s gold, frankincense and myrrh Still kept EnglandEnglish kings made an offering at the high altar on the Epiphany of gold, frankincense and myrrh, in memory of the gifts of the three kings.
Maidens with the wassel-bowl on Twelfth Night No longer kept EnglandOn Twelfth Night poor maidens carried a wassail bowl of spiced ale with apples from door to door, singing to be let in and hoping for a gift.
The fond-plough on Twelfth Day No longer kept EnglandOn Twelfth Day the youths of each parish or township dragged a plough from village to village, begging money to make merry with that evening.
A Twelfth-tide King chosen at Whitehall No longer kept LondonFor Twelfth-tide at the court of Charles I, Herrick's Star-Song turned the old game of choosing a Twelfth Night king and queen to the Epiphany, with the singers promising to wassail the Christ child at nightfall, choose Him king and make His mother queen.
The riche mount on Twelfth Night No longer kept Kent, LondonOn Twelfth Night in the fifth year of Henry VIII, while the court kept Christmas at Greenwich, a pageant mountain called the riche mount was drawn into the great hall by four wild men.
The Devon carol-singers’ Twelfth Day feast No longer kept DevonCarol singing on Christmas Eve was very general in Devonshire, and the singers pooled the money they were given at the houses.
Nailing coat-tails at the Twelfth-cake shops No longer kept LondonOn Twelfth Night London boys crowded round the pastrycooks' windows, full of iced Twelfth-cakes, and nailed the coat-tails of onlookers to the window frames.
The Anti-Gregorians’ Old Christmas at Worcester No longer kept WorcestershireWhen the calendar changed in 1752, many country people round Worcester went on keeping Christmas by the old reckoning, which now fell on Twelfth Day.
Turning shirts on the night of Epiphany Lore and belief WalesWelsh girls who wanted to see their future husbands washed linen after the household had gone to bed, set it before the fire to dry and watched to see who came at midnight to turn it.

Thursday 7 January New moon

Born on this day: Dave Cousins (1940)

Monday 11 January

Plough Monday

Tuesday 12 January

Happy birthday to Matt Molloy (80 today)

Wednesday 13 January

Happy birthday to Frankie Armstrong (86 today)

Thursday 14 January

Sunday 17 January

Born on this day: Matt McGinn (1928) and Mike Waterson (1941)

Wednesday 20 January

Born on this day: Billy Thom (1937) and Francie McPeake (1917)

Thursday 21 January

Friday 22 January Wolf Moon

Saturday 23 January

Sunday 24 January

Born on this day: Michael Chapman (1941)

Monday 25 January

Burns Night

Born on this day: Ewan MacColl (1915)

Tuesday 26 January

Happy birthday to Ashley Hutchings (82 today)

Friday 29 January

Saturday 30 January

Born on this day: Kevin Danaher (1913) and Paddy Keenan (1950)

Sunday 31 January

Born on this day: Alan Lomax (1915) and Michael Coleman (1891)

What’s on: folk sessions, morris, customs and folklore

Thursday 31 December

Friday 1 January

Monday 4 January

Tuesday 5 January

Wednesday 6 January

Thursday 7 January🌑 New moon

Monday 11 January

Tuesday 12 January

Wednesday 13 January

Thursday 14 January

Sunday 17 January

Wednesday 20 January

Thursday 21 January

Friday 22 January🌕 Wolf Moon

Saturday 23 January

Sunday 24 January

Monday 25 January

Tuesday 26 January

Friday 29 January

Saturday 30 January

Sunday 31 January

Image credits

Thursday 7 January New moon

Friday 22 January Wolf Moon