Happy St.Georges Day 23 April

[David Johnson]

You are showing your complete and utter ignorance.

"St Georges Day celebrations weren't big years ago and they aren't big now but the other festivals are now big which means St Georges Day, relatively speaking, is tiny".

St George's Day was a major feast and national holiday in England on a par with Christmas from the early 15th century. It waned in the 19th Century.

"Georges Day celebrations weren't big years ago and they aren't big now but the other festivals are now big which means St Georges Day, relatively speaking, is tiny. The fact the others are now big means that the smallness of St Georges Day has become particularly noticeable, and the unfairness of that stands out. Why did Livingstone enlarge all these other ones and not St Georges Day?"

Max, I have news for you. Politicians do not decide whether festivals are big or not. Do you think if a politician said there should be no New Year Celebrations there would be no New Year celebrations in the UK?

It is simply because St Georges Day has no real "raison d'etre" unlike Eid and Diwali. SO Eid and Diwali are not "big" because Livingstone "made them big". It is because they actually have huge meaning for Hindus and Muslims throughout the year and has done for many centuries.

Eid is a festival which celebrates the end of the fast of Ramadan which is practised by many millions of Muslims throughout the world. Diwali is a kind of business New Year and is celebrated by many millions of Hindus throughout the world.

As for St Georges Day, what is that about? That is what I mean about raison d'etre. Best for you to drop a line to Boris.

[Cuntybollocks]

Oh Essex Lad, why so bitter?.

Is it because St Andrews day is a bank holiday up here in Jock Land?.lol!!

[max_tranmere]

"It is simply because St Georges Day has no real "raison d'etre" unlike Eid and Diwali. SO Eid and Diwali are not "big" because Livingstone "made them big". It is because they actually have huge meaning for Hindus and Muslims throughout the year and has done for many centuries."

I see you make no reference anywhere in your response to St Patricks Day. That WAS decided by politicians to be an event involving closing off numerous London main streets, to have floats, performers and so on. Unless you think it was somehow magic that all this happened and everyone got up in the morning and it was just there. St Georges Day is not that big, it could be if those who decided to make St Patricks Day (yes, it was people who decided) to make it a bigger event. The issue of the London Eye being green for St Patricks Day and not being lit up like an English flag is also the result of decisions made by people. Unless you think it just went green by itself. There are a lot of people on Facebook who have joined the "make St Georges Day a national holiday" page, and if it was a big event in London and other cities that involved floats, performers, and all the things big festival/processions always have, it would be a great day and everyone would enjoy it. It would also illustrate to people that politicians do care about the customs, ways, heritage, traditions of the native people and that their way of life is seen as important in England. I feel it is under threat and disappearing further all the time. This might stop people who are angry and lost with regard to all this from joining far-right parties also. You should live in London David and see what I mean: almost nobody speaks English here, you see a lot less flags hanging out of windows during big football tournaments than you did just 10 or 15 years ago, and the people in charge viewing the national day as a big thing, marking it and having a massive do in London, would make a lot of people feel a whole lot better.

[one eyed jack]

All the negative comments just reinforces my opinion that brits at large, generally dont really care for things like this.

Follow me on this:

Brits bang on how they are overlooked compared to other cultures in this country but the truth of it is, the reason why is because a majority of todays brits really dont give a hoot about tradition

One only has to look at how a lot of brits see the Royal family as a waste of time, Maggie Thatcher and her funeral all got dissed for being a waste of money last week and you complain how the country has gone to the dogs when its really down to people like yourselves to make a big deal of it and keep the traditions alive.

Dont wait to watch what other people are doing and criticise from behind your lap top. Get out there, do something. Organise a piss up in celebration with your mates. I know a few groups of brits that have but like a lot of brits these days they regard things like this among other traditions as "a load of bollocks"

That is such a shame.

Before anyone comes back at me with "bollocks!" let me ask this...What did you do to celebrate it? huh? HUH!?

[one eyed jack]

The irish celebrate St Patricks Day probably because they have a stronger sense of family, tradition and community than the English

I mean no offence with that comment but its an observation I've noted over the years since childhood.

[David Johnson]

What you don't seem to understand is that the English don't have the same sense of distinctiveness that say, the Irish have. I suspect that this is linked to Irish immigrants going to every corner of the world and taking their festivals and culture such as music with them. St Patricks Day is celebrated in every developed country in the world. It ain't all down to Ken Livingstone, Max.


You obviously must think the English are weak and fucking useless.

The Notting Hill Carnival didn't grow so big because of Ken Livingstone. As I have previously said Diwali and Eid have been celebrated by hundreds of millions of people worldwide through the centuries. Tey didn't need encouragement and large amounts of funding from the British government. It would have happened anyway. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated all over the world.

If there is this pent-up demand for a St. George's Day Festival as you suggest, why the hell hasn't a group of people, not necessarily politicians, organised it?

The reason is that most people ain't interested . Get over it Max.

I will bail out of this now.

[Porn Baron]

I think we English are happy in our skins. We don't need to justify to others who we are or what we stand for. Other nations don't have the same confidence in themselves.

[David Johnson]

I think it is worth remembering that there are hundreds of folk festivals around England each year.

Bonfire Night has a long history which is celebrated throughout the land.

Then there is all those obscure festivals going back centuries like cheese rolling. Midsummer Night celebrations like Stonehenge, Last Night at the Proms etc etc. New Years evening is obviously huge. There is a great 3 day folk festival in Fleetwood near Blackpool every year which has stuff like clog dancing etc etc.

There just isn't a special one day event each year like St Patricks Day.

[Essex Lad]

Porn Baron wrote:

> I think we English are happy in our skins. We don't need to
> justify to others who we are or what we stand for. Other
> nations don't have the same confidence in themselves.
>
Exactly.

[locationsfinder]

St George was from Asia Minor and the red and white cross flag is the standard of the Kings of Aquitaine, very French.