For the majority of people living in England, St George’s Day is just another ordinary working day. But did you know you can follow tradition simply by wearing a red rose in your buttonhole whilst sitting at your desk in the office? Us English are not tuned in to celebrating our National Day, unlike the Americans who put on huge firework displays to mark Independence Day (4th July) or the Irish who choose St Patricks Day to drink plenty of Guinness (a good excuse for us too) and host huge street parades. How about this St George’s Day, we get down to our English roots on coach holidays and celebrate by doing quintessentially English things?
More than a quarter of people living in England don’t know that St George is our Patron Saint. Did you? If not, here’s a brief history…
St George’s Emblem, a red cross on a white background, is the flag of England and features as part of the British ‘Union Jack’ flag. But who was the ‘real’ St George? Many believe that he was a dragon-slaying, lion-hearted knight who rescued the princess from her fate to be sacrificed to the dragon monster. He was in fact a brave Roman soldier who protested against the torture of Christians by the Romans and died for his beliefs. In 1222, the Council of Oxford declared 23rd April to be St George’s Day and he replaced St Edmund the Martyr, as England’s Patron Saint in the 14th century. England called upon St George to save the country in times of great peril.
If you’re looking to get down to your English roots to celebrate the life of our Patron Saint, then why not check out our top 10:
1. Visit Wimbledon to see the world famous Tennis Championships
The 125th Wimbledon Tennis Championships will take place between 20th June and 3rd July 2011. If you’re lucky to get tickets for this extremely popular tournament, you are guaranteed to see some of the finest tennis players from across the world. Will Rafael Nadal regain his Mens Singles title for another year or will the mighty Novak Djokovic be his downfall. Place your bets now to see whether there will be a repeat of the John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut world record breaking match. And don’t forget to enjoy a glass of Pimms & Lemonade and their world-famous strawberries & cream up on Henman Hill/Murray Mount!
2. Enjoy a pub lunch in The Cotswolds
If you’re looking for something particularly English to do on St George’s Day, then you can’t go wrong by heading to The Cotswolds and perhaps enjoying a pub lunch whether it be a Ploughmans or Home-cooked roast dinner – we’ll leave that decision to you! If you’ve never been to The Cotswolds before then now is the time to do so and explore beautiful cities such as Bath or Cheltenham to name but a few. This secluded little gem is well known for its gentle hills, sleepy villages and for being so characteristically English.
3. Watching a game of cricket on the Village Green
This has to be a typically English thing to do especially if the British Weather improves and it is dry enough for a game on the Green. Sometimes the locals will dig out their deckchairs, find a spot in the sunshine and cheer on their Village Team – hopefully to victory!
4. Enjoy a picnic in the park
Picnics in the park are definitely an age-old tradition in the UK and you don’t have to travel far to take part. You could gather the family together and head over to your neighbourhood park or if you happen to be up in London and it’s a sunny day, why not nip to the shops, grab a sandwich and find a perfect picnic spot in Hyde Park or St James Park. So if the weather is good, pack that hamper and head to the park to celebrate St George’s Day this year!
5. Enjoy a cream tea in Cornwall
There’s nothing like sitting back in an ‘olde worlde’ cafe/restaurant and enjoying Afternoon Tea with friends or family. This quintessentially English tradition usually involves a pot of tea for two accompanied by home-made scones (fruit/plain) with jam and clotted cream. This is certainly a treat that you shouldn’t miss especially when in South West England – how about combining Tea with a tour of the beautiful city of Exeter?
6. Enjoying a display of Morris Dancing in a local village
You can’t get anymore English than this, can you? You’ll usually find displays of Morris Dancing in quaint countryside villages and it involves small groups of men (and women) wearing hats and having bells on their shoes that jingle when they dance! Some usually have batons which they will tap together during their dance routine. These dancing displays are also particularly popular over the May Day Bank Holiday where there is dancing around the May Pole to enjoy too.
7. Tuck into fish & chips at the seaside
Another typically English dish has to be a portion of Fish & Chips and where better to enjoy this mouth-watering experience then on one of England’s finest beaches? You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to seaside resorts along the South Coast of England but visits to places such as Bournemouth, Eastbourne, Hastings or Brighton are a must. Afterwards you can wander around these traditional resorts, check out the beachside amusements or if it’s warm enough, take a dip in the sea!
8. Go punting on the River Thames in Oxford/ River Cam in Cambridge
Visit one of these unique University cities and enjoy punting on the river this St George’s Day? If you would prefer to admire the beautiful scenery instead of fumbling for the rudder then local students will be more than happy to take you punting on their boats OR you could always have a go at it yourself but, beware, it’s not as easy as it looks!
9. Build sandcastles or ride a donkey along the beach in Blackpool or Skegness
Get the family together whilst in the North of England and head to popular seaside resorts such as Blackpool or Skegness for a traditional day out by the sea. Treat the kids to a donkey ride along the beach or sit back and watch as your little ones try to build sandcastles whilst waiting for the obligatory call for help from you!
10. Go to Ascot Ladies Day and show off your fancy hats
Similar to Wimbledon, Royal Ascot is a typically English sporting affair and this year is no exception as the event celebrates its 300th anniversary. Royal Ascot takes place between 14th and 18th June and no lady should miss the Gold Cup meeting as this is when the spotlight turns from horseracing to fashion. On Ascot Ladies Day (Gold Cup), ladies are encouraged to dress to the nines and make sure they have their fancy hats on display.
Have we inspired you? What are you going to do for St George’s Day? Is it just another working day or will you be out celebrating it this year?