Children's Customs

Customs kept by or for children: begging rhymes, souling, egg rolling, barring out the schoolmaster.

Customs

The year ahead

Monday 26 October Hunter’s Moon

Thursday 29 October

Thu 29 Oct from 18:00
Custom

Punkie Night

St George’s Hall, Hinton St George, Somerset

Monday 9 November New moon

Tuesday 24 November Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December New moon

Thursday 24 December Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January New moon

Wednesday 13 January

Wed 13 Jan All day
Custom

Hen Galan in Cwm Gwaun

Dyffryn Arms, Pontfaen, Pembrokeshire

Friday 22 January Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February New moon

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Monday 1 March

Mon 1 Mar from 18:00
Custom

Lanark Whuppity Scoorie

St Nicholas Parish Church, Lanark, South Lanarkshire

Monday 8 March New moon

Monday 22 March Worm Moon

Monday 29 March

Mon 29 Mar 11:00 16:00
Custom

Preston Egg Rolling

Sets off from Avenham Park, Preston, Lancashire

Tuesday 6 April New moon

Tuesday 20 April Pink Moon

Saturday 1 May

Sat 1 May 13:30 16:00
Custom

Knutsford Royal May Day

Sets off from Knutsford Heath, Cheshire

Monday 3 May

Mon 3 May 10:00 16:00
Custom

Holywood May Day

Sets off from The Maypole, Holywood, County Down

Thursday 6 May New moon

Thursday 20 May Flower Moon

Friday 4 June New moon

Saturday 19 June Strawberry Moon

Sunday 4 July New moon

Saturday 10 July

Sat 10 Jul from 15:00
Custom

Grasmere Rushbearing

St Oswald’s Church, Grasmere, Cumbria

Sunday 18 July Buck Moon

Monday 2 August New moon

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August New moon

Wednesday 15 September Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September New moon

Friday 15 October Hunter’s Moon

From the old calendars

1 to 25 of 142 entries

28 October

31 October

1 November

2 November

4 November

5 November

Folklore from the old calendars

Guy Fawkes’ Day Still kept EnglandAn Act of 1606 made the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot a holiday, and by Chambers's day it was one of the most joyous days of the year for English boys.
Remember the Bonfire at Walthamstow No longer kept EssexOn Bonfire Night the bonfire boys of Walthamstow chanted the Gunpowder Plot rhyme, asking for a stick and a stake for King George's sake, and then gave three halloos.
The Islip bonfire rhyme No longer kept OxfordshireThe boys who carried the guy round on the Fifth had many local versions of the rhyme.
The Purton bonfire No longer kept WiltshireFor weeks before the Fifth the boys of Purton went to every house begging faggots, with a rhyme threatening to take two if they were refused one, and one hard farmer lost a new pump to the fire.

17 November

23 November

5 December

6 December

Folklore from the old calendars

Breaking the master’s cellar door at Curry Rivel No longer kept SomersetOn St Nicholas's Day the schoolboys of Curry Rivel, who were taught in a school inside the church, had a barrel of good ale brought into the church.
Cocks and pence at Wye School No longer kept KentHasted recorded that the master of Wye School in Kent, founded by Archbishop Kempe in 1447, was to teach grammar free to rich and poor alike.
Orders, Master, orders No longer kept YorkshireAround St Nicholas's Day, the schoolboys' patron, northern grammar school boys shut their master out and chanted for their orders before letting him back in.
The boy bishop Still kept WiltshireOn St Nicholas's Day a chorister was chosen as boy bishop and, with a boy dean and chapter, carried out the bishop's offices until Holy Innocents' Day.
The boy bishop’s dinner at Lambeth No longer kept London, SurreyOn St Nicholas's Day the boy bishop of Lambeth and his company were given a dinner at the parish's expense.
The child bishop sings to Queen Mary No longer kept LondonIn 1554 the boy bishop of St Paul's and his company were admitted to Queen Mary's privy chamber and sang before her on St Nicholas's Day.

Customs

Monday 26 October🌕 Hunter’s Moon

Thursday 29 October

Punkie Night

Monday 9 November🌑 New moon

Tuesday 24 November🌕 Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December🌑 New moon

Thursday 24 December🌕 Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January🌑 New moon

Wednesday 13 January

Hen Galan in Cwm Gwaun

Friday 22 January🌕 Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February🌑 New moon

Saturday 20 February🌕 Snow Moon

Monday 1 March

Lanark Whuppity Scoorie

Monday 8 March🌑 New moon

Monday 22 March🌕 Worm Moon

Monday 29 March

Preston Egg Rolling

Tuesday 6 April🌑 New moon

Tuesday 20 April🌕 Pink Moon

Saturday 1 May

Knutsford Royal May Day

Monday 3 May

Holywood May Day

Thursday 6 May🌑 New moon

Thursday 20 May🌕 Flower Moon

Friday 4 June🌑 New moon

Saturday 19 June🌕 Strawberry Moon

Sunday 4 July🌑 New moon

Saturday 10 July

Grasmere Rushbearing

Sunday 18 July🌕 Buck Moon

Monday 2 August🌑 New moon

Tuesday 17 August🌕 Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August🌑 New moon

Wednesday 15 September🌕 Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September🌑 New moon

Friday 15 October🌕 Hunter’s Moon

From the old calendars

28 October

31 October

1 November

2 November

4 November

5 November

17 November

23 November

5 December

6 December

21 December

24 December

25 December

Image credits

Monday 26 October Hunter’s Moon

Monday 9 November New moon

Tuesday 24 November Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December New moon

Thursday 24 December Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January New moon

Friday 22 January Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February New moon

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Monday 8 March New moon

Monday 22 March Worm Moon

Tuesday 6 April New moon

Tuesday 20 April Pink Moon

Thursday 6 May New moon

Thursday 20 May Flower Moon

Friday 4 June New moon

Saturday 19 June Strawberry Moon

Sunday 4 July New moon

Sunday 18 July Buck Moon

Monday 2 August New moon

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August New moon

Wednesday 15 September Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September New moon

Friday 15 October Hunter’s Moon