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Weird Halloween Traditions to Find Love and a Spouse
Throughout the ages, people have tried to divine things about their future spouse. Here are a few strange Halloween traditions to do just that!People want to know things about their future spouse, and they have forever. Humans are curious creatures. We also like the idea of magic and fortune-telling. Since the Celtic Druids, people have…
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The Origin of Saint Patricks Day in the Middle Ages
Every year on March 17th, people in many countries and faiths gather to celebrate Saint Patricks Day. But why?Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was the man who brought Christianity to Ireland in the first place. Saint Patrick is also a real man. In fact, most of the factual information we have…
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Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras in the Middle Ages
Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, was a popular holiday in the Middle Ages, and people still celebrate it. But what was Mardi Gras?Mardi Gras was the last day before the forty days of Lent (see my post about Lent and Easter here). During Lent, people had to give up eggs, fatty foods, meat, and gluttony.…
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Did People Celebrate Birthdays in the Middle Ages?
Did people celebrate birthdays in the Middle Ages? Now that is an interesting question. People did not generally celebrate birthdays in the Middle Ages. Birthdays came from a pagan celebration, so, of course, the church didn’t like them. Christmas, on December 25, celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ (see my post about Christmas here). However,…
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Valentine’s Poems and Love Letters in the Middle Ages
Many people might think valentine’s are an invention of modern times. The original valentine’s were an invention of the Middle Ages. Valentine’s likely come from the stories of Saint Valentine, the holiday’s namesake. Which was the first valentine? Nobody knows, but the oldest recorded valentine poem came from Charles, the duke of Orléans. He sent…
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Valentine’s Day and Courtly Love in the Middle Ages
Where did Valentine’s Day come from? How was Valentine’s Day in the Middle Ages celebrated? And what was courtly love?Valentine’s Day in the Middle Ages wasn’t about love for a long time, but it was a day to celebrate a martyr saint or two by the name of Saint Valentine. One of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s…
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What Happened During Easter in the Middle Ages?
Easter in the Middle Ages was full of celebration. Why was Easter so special? During Easter, people feasted on all the things they couldn’t eat during lent and watched plays about Jesus Christ. Throughout the week, they played games and enjoyed their break. Easter in the Middle Ages was a fun break, a time of…
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What Was Christmas Like in the Middle Ages?
Christmas in the Middle Ages was very different from today. It was raucous, long, and full of tradition, but it was fun. Christmas was twelve days long and sported great traditions and a few bad ones. People went wassailing, participated in the Festival of Fools, feasted, drank other alcohols that weren’t wassail, burned Yule logs,…
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Why Did People in the Middle Ages Celebrate Saints?
People would celebrate saints in the Middle Ages; most holidays in the middle ages were saint’s days. There were many saints, and people celebrated many, but why would you revere a bunch of dead people for being martyrs or mothers of famous martyrs or virgins? In general, people celebrated Saints because they wanted help, wished…