Welcome to March, the month where you can celebrate the first day of spring twice (today is the meteorological first day and Friday 20th is the start of astronomical spring or vernal equinox), a month where Lent continues and there is a special Public Day of Humiliation on the 10th (thanks to the Puritans) just in case you’re wavering in your abstinence, the weatherlore gets all beastly with lions, lambs, hoggs, birds, mice, ox, adders and peacocks, and we have our first Friday the 13th of the year (there are two, the next is in November).
So, the Everyday Lore Project is about to celebrate its second month anniversary. When I started, I was feeling a bit casual about writing up my folklore experiences every day, but turns out Reality is 100% that bitch, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’m bit knackered now. Plus I had a wobble last week after missing some really fun day-specific folklore because I didn’t read about it in time. But I’m finally accepting I’m just going to have to live with my Folklore Fear Of Missing Out and pick up the bits I’ve missed another year. Especially as this month contains a lot of Other Life which will pinch things even more.
Anyhow, enough about me, what about you? What traditions, rituals, events and superstitions are coming your way this month? How will you protect yourself against Friday the 13th? What, if anything, are you doing to celebrate Cornish Perrantide? And how about your whooping it up traditions for International Women’s Day (yep, women like to whoop)? A #FolkloreFOMO post a chance for you to join in with the project and tell me what you do. After all, folklore is all around us, it’s not just the big things like Easter or the equinox, it’s the little things like making fritters for your Dad, or not walking on the cracks in the pavement, or seeing your friends at a regular event.
A #FolkloreFOMO post is also a chance for me to ask the Folklore Hive Mind for ideas to try out this month. Although the calendar is pretty packed, there are still some spaces, so if you know of any talks, events, groups, clubs, podcasts, books, etc, big or small, you think I should be paying attention to, please let me know either in the comments below, on Twitter or via email.
So, now on to this month’s sneak preview:
7 March – I’ve been invited to a Doctor Who Day. What should I wear?
8 March – I’m making ‘A Strong Female Character Prayer Candle’ for International Women’s Day. I’m leaning towards either a Buffy or an Uhura one, but who else could I find strength and courage from?
25 March – As it’s Lady Day, I’m going fairy hunting at dawn. Where around Brighton would you suggest I might go?
Let me know your thoughts. You can also follow and tweet me @lilithepunk and through the hashtags #EverydayLore and #FolkloreFOMO on Twitter, and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog below. Have a lovely March! And as it’s St David’s Day, don’t forget to wear a leek in your hat! And I’ll be posting again later with what I’ve been up to this afternoon…
Diolch a Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!
