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21 December 2019

UK's Curious Customs Stamps (2)


Same Sky Burning the Clocks
Location: Brighton
Timing/Date: 21st December
BackgroundSame Sky Burning the Clocks is a highly popular community midwinter folk festival where participants carry paper clock lanterns that are made of willow wands and figures.
The procession culminates on the beach, where the lanterns are set alight and a fireworks display takes place.
As this was established in 1994, it is an example of a successful modern tradition.
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Other stamps of the Special Customs series:
- World Gurning Championships

8 comments:

  1. 1994, indeed a young tradition!

    The shortest day of course is celebrated for ages, and don't we owe our christmas date and christmas tree to a pre-christian winter solstice celebration?
    I read about the ancient Romans who celebrated Saturnalia, and the Persians nowadays still celebrate Yalda, while in some other countries San Thomas is celebrated in honour of the solstice.
    Anyhow, the fact that the days will get longer again (o.k., in our hemisphere only), I always welcome with a lot of happiness and enthusiasm :-)

    Happy Winter Solstice!

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  2. I think that is really great to include a modern tradition in this set of intriguing stamps.

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    Replies
    1. I wonder how old should be something to be considered "a tradition"...

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    2. I suppose anything can be a new tradition - maybe if you do it three years in a row?

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  3. Sounds like a fun celebration to me!

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Thank you for coming. All your comments make me extremely happy.