Traditional Winter Festivals in December
Each year it seems that the seasons change a little, and become less defined, yet certain traditions and festivities prevail to this day.
Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year (and longest night), falls on the 21st or 22nd December, and is observed worldwide in many different ways. The Hopi Indians celebrate Soyal, one of their most important ceremonies, in which they call the sun back from its winter slumber.
A Brief History of Father's Day
This day of celebration for fatherhood is said to date back to the early 1500s when the Catholic Church supported its celebration on Saint Joseph's Day, otherwise known as 'The Feast of Saint Joseph'. The day reveres the "Nourisher of the Lord" (as referred to in Catholicism) or "the putative father of Jesus" (as known in Southern European tradition), and so was a fitting time to mark appreciation for Fathers.
Looking After Our Green Spaces and Britain's Urban Wildlife
You don't have to live in rural areas to find a wealth of wild animals in the UK. In Britain's towns and cities, it is possible to spot birds of prey, urban foxes, bumblebees, and tufted ducks to name just a few. The Wildlife Trust states, “The green spaces of our towns and gardens bring nature into our daily lives, brightening our mornings with birdsong and the busy buzzing of bees”.
