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Also, happy first day of Kwanzaa. And, if you are of the Welsh persuasion, today would be Gwyl San Steffan, otherwise known as St. Stephen’s Day. Apparently, according to Wikipedia, in Wales of olden days, Gwyl San Steffan was celebrated very much like a messy BDSM play party:
Yeah. Um. So...okay, then! Really, really happy this particular holiday didn't carry forward into the 21st century.Some activities that took place on this day seem peculiarly Welsh, including that of "holly-beating" or "holming." In this, it was customary for young men and boys to slash the unprotected arms of female domestic servants with holly branches until they bled. In some areas it was the legs that were beaten. In others, it was the custom for the last person to get out of bed in the morning to be beaten with sprigs of holly and made to carry out all the commands of his family.
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5 comments:
I grew up in Northern England as a child, but i've never heard of that Welsh holiday. Haha so weird.
yes Happy Kwanzaa to you, too!
These days we content ourselves with beating each other up on the rugby field.
The Tudor Boxing Day tradition was to stone small birds. Lovely.
We celebrate St. Stephen's Day in Ireland as well. Traditionally, there was something unpleasant involving a wren. Now, it's just happy day off after Christmas.
Here in Canada, Boxing Day should be renamed Shopping Day. I find it strange that all the best sales take place after Christmas. Perhaps, the old tradition of sharing with those less fortunate on boxing day should be revived, and would be a more "Canadian" thing to do.
Happy Holidays to all.
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