Saturday 23 April 2011

Its St. George's Day - possibly

It appears there is confusion over whether or not it is St. George's Day, with some maintaining it is and others stating that it has been moved to 2nd May in view of the Easter weekend. My own personal view is that I consider every day is St. George's Day, purely on the basis I was sufficiently lucky in the lottery of life to be born an Englishman.

13th Spitfire has a thoughtful post on St. George's Day asking: who are we; whilst The Anger of a Quiet Man has an alternative take on the subject and GoodnightVienna another. Reverting to 13th's post, I suppose, on reflection, I fall into the camp of being nationalistic rather than patriotic - not on the basis we are so much better than any other nation, although of course we are - but on the basis that this country is mine with odd, nay quirky, traditions, humour, routines, whatever; and if any immigrant should find even one portion of that abhorrent to him/herself then I would be grateful if they would cease whingeing and just bugger off - saving them and us so much hassle!

6 comments:

giant bee said...

Amen to that last statement ! Happy St. George's Day folks :)

WV - nosang.. yes I did ...

banned said...

This country may be yours, and mine, but also any other bugger who manages to sneak in and then start demanding that we change the way we do things (I await a visit from the Race Hate Police).

subrosa said...

I think it's Monday from the chat on Twitter this morning. Don't know why you couldn't have it on Good Friday myself.

Anyway you can celebrate all over again can't you? x

TomTom said...

The England you speak of was Protestant England and its ascendancy against Protestant Holland in trade and which created Protestant America itself destroyed by the influx of Irish into Boston after 1847.

Protestant England was self-confident and vigorous until it became enfeebled and destroyed itself with a lunatic war in South Africa with the Boers and thereby alienated itself from Germany its natural ally on the European Mainland.

Protestant England broke itself on The Somme and limped into Disbelief.

The country lacks Self-Confidence or Vigour and is shrunken and dessicated and incredibly lazy to the point where instructions adorn public washrooms telling them how to wash their hands !!!

Edward Spalton said...

There is no deep-laid plot in the changing of the date for celebrating the feast of St. George. It happens because St George is a saint of the Church (not just an excuse for English football flags) and Easter is a movable feast.

Easter is the supreme Christian festival of the year, marking the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Our Lord, outranking every other Christian celebration. So St. George (and every other saint) has to step aside for a few days. I think it will fall on another date next year too.

I am sure that, as a soldier, George would understand this entirely.

To do otherwise would be like mixing up Trooping the Colour (the Queen's official birthday parade) with Guardsman Bloggs's birthday party.

With best wishes for St. George's day when it comes.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

gb: One day, one day!

b: You and me both, I suspect!

SR: Yup, I shall have one now and save one for later!

TT: Agreed, as always.

ES: Your reasoning accepted.