Trick or Treat!

31 October was, of course, Halloween – a time of ghosts, bats, and carved pumpkins.

Halloween (All Hallows Eve)

Halloween cartoon-style graphic with pumpkins, bat, spider and a skull
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

01 November is All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows Day, which is dedicated to all Christian saints, whether known or unknown. It is also used as a day to remember the dead.

The night before All Hallows Day is known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. It is said that the souls of the dead roam the night during Halloween.

Continue reading “Trick or Treat!”

Summer Holiday Events at the Building Centre

If you have a budding architect, environmentalist or artist aged 7-12, they might be interested in these summer events at the Building Centre, 26 Store Street, WC1E 7BT.

Club 1:Art with Thatch
Date:Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 August 2023
Time:11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Entry fee:£12
Unleash your child’s creativity by creating ‘paintings’ on thatch canvas and experimenting with material strength and pop art techniques.
Club 2:Buildings with Natural Beauty
Date:Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 August 2023
Time:11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Entry fee:£12
Your child will explore vertical plant growth and create living “canvases” while discovering the textures and colours of natural materials used in cob and adobe buildings.

Events need to be booked first, then a registration form filled in to confirm the details.

For more information click here

Eid Mubarak

Image by Suhail Suri from Pixabay

Eid Mubarak to all celebrating Eid al-Adha (“Feast of the Sacrifice”), celebrating the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail at God’s command. However, before Ibrahim could do so, God rewarded his faith by providing a lamb to sacrifice instead.

So in commemoration, special prayers are said at this time, people wear new clothes, and they visit friends and family and exchange food and gifts. If they can afford it, an animal (usually a goat or a sheep) is also sacrificed, and the meat distributed: one third to the poor, one third for friends and relatives, and one third for the family.

Eid al-Adha also traditionally forms the culmination of the annual Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca.

Eid Mubarak

Silhouette of a mosque on a green background with a row of lanterns across the top
Image by john peter from Pixabay

Tonight is the start of Eid al-Fitr, when Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan.

Under normal circumstances, the whole community comes together for special Eid prayers, and afterwards they all have large family celebrations, and food (especially sweet food) and decorations. Many people buy new clothes to wear at Eid. Some parts of the world have large street parties.

So to all those celebrating Eid this year – Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid), and let us all hope that next year you can celebrate properly.

Ramadan 2021

Lantern with Islamic verses in font of evening light
Image by Ahmed Sabry from Pixabay

The Muslim month of Ramadan starts on 12 April 2021.

During this holy month, Muslims are not allowed to eat food or drink anything, even water, during daylight hours. Many people will devote more time to prayer and charity during this month, as it is believed that good works done during Ramadan have greater benefit. It is one of the five pillars of Islam.

The first meal of the day is called suhur, and is taken before sunrise. People try and eat foods that will stop them being hungry as long as possible. So it might be eggs, beans, porridge, bran muffins, fruit and yoghurt.

At sunset the fast is broken with a meal called iftar, usually some dates to start, along with a drink of water. Then after the sunset prayers, the main meal is eaten. This can be a large banquet of a meal with a variety of dishes, salads, juices and sweets.

At the end of the month of Ramadan is the festival of Eid-al-Fitr, and celebrates the return to a more normal routine.

So Happy Ramadan, or Ramadan Mubarak.

Easter

Painted Easter eggs
Image by anncapictures from Pixabay

This weekend is Easter (for Catholics and Protestants), the holiest part of the Christian year, commemorating the crucifixion (on Friday) and resurrection (on Sunday) of Jesus. Orthodox (Eastern) Christians celebrate Easter in a few weeks (Why? It’s a long story …).

But for many people Easter is also a spring festival, celebrating new life and growth as the world wakes up after winter. That is why there are Easter eggs (symbolising new life and rebirth), and the Easter Bunny (representing growth and fertility – “breeding like rabbits”!)

So Happy Easter, and don’t eat too much chocolate!

Passover

A pile of matzo crackers symbolising Passover
Matzos Image by Ri Butov from Pixabay

We are currently in the time of the Jewish festival of Passover (Pesach in Hebrew), celebrating the release of the Hebrews from slavery in ancient Egypt. The festival lasts for eight days and started last Saturday evening. The name comes from Biblical story where the Hebrews were “passed over” by God and not afflicted with the tenth plague of Egypt.

The festival starts with the Passover Seder, a ritual feast that also involves retelling the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The story is discussed, kosher wine is drunk, bread without yeast is eaten, and there is the Seder plate, with symbolic foods.

During the remaining days, people are required to avoid all leaven or yeast. People also try to only do necessary work, and prefer to spend time with family.

The seventh day of Passover is another festival, celebrating the parting of the Red Sea that enabled them to leave Egypt.

So have a happy and kosher Passover, or Chag Pesach kasher V’Sameach.

Happy Holi

Children covered in coloured powder as part of the Holi festival
Children celebrating Holi Image by shekharchopra85 from Pixabay

Sunday 28 March is the Hindu festival of Holi, the “Festival of Colours”, celebrating the coming of spring, and the love of the god Krishna and the goddess Radha. Its most distinctive feature is the great fun that people have throwing coloured powder over each other. Any one is fair game, no matter who it is!

It is the second biggest Hindu festival after Diwali.

Traditionally, people visit friends and family, and share sweets including sweet filled flatbread, deep-fried flour balls soaked in yoghurt, and sweet deep-fried dumplings.

So, Happy Holi.

Nowruz: Iranian New Year

Persian Nowruz Haft-sin table, with garlic, [painted eggs, goldfish, apples, vinegar, book, pomegranate seeds, sumac, hyacinth, a coin, a mirror and a candle
Nowruz haft-sin table. Image by Gabriele M. Reinhardt from Pixabay

Today, 20 March 2021 is Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. This ancient tradition has been celebrated for over 3000 years.

It is said that Persian king Jamsid saved the world from a winter that threatened to kill everything and everyone. He had a throne made from gems, and had demons raise him into the sky where he shone like the sun.

People from Iran and Central Asia often have a table in their house with various items (similar to the picture) symbolising the new year, growth and prosperity. There are various other new year customs, which you can read about here.