The stations of the sun : a history of the ritual year in Britain

From the twelve days of Christmas to the Spring traditions of Valentine, Shrovetide, and Easter eggs, through May Day revels and Midsummer fires, and on to the waning of the year, Harvest Home, and Hallowe'en; Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. His comprehensive study covers all the British Isles and the whole sweep of history from the earliest written records to the present day. Great and lesser, ancient and modern, Christian and pagan, all rituals are treated with the same attention. The result is a colorful and absorbing history in which Ronald Hutton challenges many common assumptions about the customs of the past and the festivals of the present debunking many myths and illuminates the history of the calendar we live by. __Stations of the Sun__ is the first complete scholarly work to cover the full span of British rituals, challenging the work of specialists from the late Victorian period onwards, reworking our picture of the field thoroughly, and raising issues for historians of every period. From The Twelve Days Of Christmas To The Spring Traditions Of Valentine, Shrovetide, And Easter Eggs, Through May Day Revels And Midsummer Fires, And On To The Waning Of The Year, Harvest Home And Hallowe'en, Ronald Hutton Takes Us On A Fascinating Journey Through The Ritual Year In Britain. His Comprehensive Study Covers All The British Isles And The Whole Sweep Of History From The Earliest Written Records To The Present Day. Great And Lesser, Ancient And Modern, Christian And Pagan, All Rituals Are Treated With The Same Attention. The Result Is A Colourful And Absorbing History In Which Ronald Hutton Challenges Many Common Assumptions About The Customs Of The Past And The Festivals Of The Present, Debunking Many Myths, And Illuminates The History Of The Calendar We Live By.--jacket. Ronald Hutton. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. List of Maps and figures The Origins of Christmas The Twelve Days The Trials of Christmas Rites of Celebration and Reassurance Rites of Purification and Blessing Rites of Hospitality and Charity Mummers' Play and Sword Dance Hobby-Horse and Horn Dance Misrule The Reinvention of Christmas Speeding the Plough Brigid's Night Candlemas Valentines Shrovetide Lent The Origins of Easter Holy Week An Egg at Easter The Easter Holidays England and St George Beltane The May May Games and Whitsun Ales Morris and Marian Rogationtide and Pentecost Royal Oak A Merrie May Corpus Christi The Midsummer Fires Sheep, Hay, and Rushes First Fruits Harvest Home Wakes, Revels, and Hoppings Samhain Saints and Souls The Modern Hallowe'en Blood Month and Virgin Queen Gunpowder Treason Conclusions Notes Index Comprehensive and engaging, this colourful study covers the whole sweep of ritual history from the earliest written records to the present day. From May Day revels and Midsummer fires, to Harvest Home and Hallowe'en, to the twelve days of Christmas, Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. He challenges many common assumptions about the customs of the past, and debunks many myths surrounding festivals of the present, to illuminate the history of the calendar year we live by today. Comprehensive and engaging, this colourful study covers the whole sweep of ritual history from the earliest written records to the present day. From May Day revels and Midsummer fires, to Harvest Home, Halloween, and the twelve days of Christmas, Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. He challenges many common assumptions about the customs of the past, and debunks many myths surrounding festivals of the present, to illuminate the history of the calendar year we live by today. From May Day revels and Midsummer fires, to Harvest Home, and Hallowe'en, to the twelve days of Christmas, Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. This comprehensive and engaging study covers the whole sweep of history from the earliest written records to the present day. This text describes the ritual year in Britain, covering festivals such as Christmas, Easter, May Day and Halloween. It covers all the British Isles and the whole sweep of history, from the earliest written records to the present day.