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Category: Celebrations (Page 3 of 6)

Header picture of scottish flag and Robert Burns for Beginners Guide to Hosting Your Own Burns Night

Beginners Guide to Hosting Your Own Burns Night

25/01/2024 / / 0 Comments

Beginners Guide to Hosting Your Own Burns Night

Hosting a Burns Night Supper is a wonderful way to celebrate the life and poetry of Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet. Burns Night is typically held on or around January 25th, the poet’s birthday. Here’s a beginner’s guide to hosting your very own Burns Night Supper:

The Gathering

Gather friends and family together at your chosen venue, whether it’s your home or a communal space. Decorate with Scottish flags, tartan tablecloths, and candles to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Encourage guests to wear something Scottish whether that be traditional kilts, tartan scarves, or sashes. Less formal options could be a Scottish sports shirt or your ENU hoodie!

Menu

The centrepiece of the meal is the traditional haggis. Not a meat eater? Many stores now have vegetarian and vegan alternatives. Haggis is traditionally served with neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes). BBC Food provides a guide to Burns Night Food. Serve Scottish whisky for toasts (non-alcoholic whisky is now available too, or you could opt for Irn-Bru!)

The Procession and Address to the Haggis

This is a key part of the evening. Traditionally, a piper plays during the procession of the haggis to add to the ceremonial atmosphere. Not everyone knows a bagpipe player, so you can also find some music on YouTube, Spotify, or Tidal. The host or a chosen guest then recites or reads Burns’ famous poem, “Address to a Haggis,” before cutting into the haggis and serving.

Toasts

Begin with a welcoming toast to the guests, followed by a toast to the immortal memory of Robert Burns. Other traditional toasts include the Lassies (a toast to women) and the Reply to the Lassies.

Scan of old book of Robert Burn's poetry

From The Edward Clark Collection at Edinburgh Napier University

Poetry and Songs

Incorporate readings of Burns’ poetry throughout the evening. “Tam o’ Shanter” and “A Red, Red Rose” are popular choices. Have someone lead the group in singing Burns’ songs like “Auld Lang Syne.” You can find a list of his works available on Library Search.

Entertainment

Consider playing music, particularly Scottish folk music (Spotify and YouTube have several pre-made playlists) or organise a quiz or trivia game related to Scottish culture or Robert Burns.

 Thank You and Farewell

End the evening with a thank you to your guests and a farewell toast. Express your appreciation for their company and participation in the celebration. Remember, the key to a successful Burns Night Supper is to create a warm and festive atmosphere that honours the spirit of Robert Burns and Scottish culture. Enjoy the evening!

By IanSudlow-McKay

 

Read about Robert Burns in our article on his life “Burns Night’

Picture of Jane Austen for Jane Austin Day

Jane Austen Day

16/12/2023 / / 1 Comment

Jane Austen Day

Picture, if you will, a walnut tripod table by a window in a country house. It’s tiny, with twelve sides and a moulded edge. Imagine a small figure writing at this table in secret, on small scraps of paper, alive to the sounds of footsteps carrying visitors into the room. Notice as this person swiftly hides those scraps away from prying eyes. The image you now have in your mind is that of Jane Austen, perhaps the best-loved author in the English-speaking world. Imagine a world without those scraps and their transformation into the six sparkling novels that she completed. How impoverished that world would be.

Jane Austen: A life

Jane wrote in secret because she was a young, unmarried woman in the late 18th century, and it was considered unseemly for ladies to indulge in anything as vulgar as writing fiction.

Luckily for us, she privately pursued her literary passions throughout her tragically short life, and the novels she bequeathed us – all published within a six-year time frame – have been in print ever since. The many television and cinematic adaptations of her work attest to the fact that literary audiences today are as hungry for her work as they were 200 years ago.

Jane Austen lived a quiet, unspectacular and financially constrained life in southern England. She rarely travelled and never married, and yet her keen and witty observations of societal norms and her brilliant insights into human relationships sing out from every page of her works. Her novels were instantly popular, but she was only identified as their author a few months after she died.

Today we celebrate Jane’s birthday, and she lives on through her characters who are as fresh and modern today as they were when she wrote them into existence: Elizabeth Bennett, the Dashwoods, Fanny Price, Emma Woodhouse, Catherine Morland, and Anne Elliot.  Oh, and the dashing Mr Darcy (be still, my beating heart!)

Resources for Jane Austen Day

You’ll find all her novels on LibrarySearch.  Why not binge-read them over the holidays.

In order of publication:

Sense and Sensibility (1811)

Pride and Prejudice (1813)

Mansfield Park (1814)

Emma (1815)

Persuasion (1817)

Northanger Abbey (1817)

For more information:

The Jane Austen Society UK

Or why not check out the film adaptations on Box of Broadcasts.

By Lesley McRobb

Read more on the blog by Lesley. Such as National Poetry Day

Luciadagen (Santa Lucia Day) candle wreath for blog post

Luciadagen (Santa Lucia Day)

13/12/2023 / / 0 Comments

Luciadagen (Santa Lucia Day)

History

On 13th December Scandinavians commemorate Luciadagen the so-called “Festival of Lights” celebrating Santa Lucia. This stems from the fourth-century martyrdom of the Italian Saint Lucia and is an important winter celebration in Scandinavian countries. In earlier centuries the Norse celebrated the winter solstice, but after converting to Christianity sometime around 1000 AD, they incorporated the legend of Santa Lucia into their celebrations. Having long, dark winters with areas above the Arctic Circle not seeing the sun for up to 2 months, may have influenced them to commemorate a saint associated with light. The modern festival combines elements of both pagan and Christian traditions.

It is believed that Lucia took food and water to Christians hiding in the catacombs of Rome to avoid persecution from the Romans who worshipped pagan gods. Being underground the catacombs were dark. Unable to carry the supplies and a lantern, legend has it that Lucia designed a version of a headlamp, wearing a wreath of candles on her head to light her way. She was killed by in 304 AD after refusing to give up her vow of chastity and marry a pagan.

Celebrations Today

Nowadays on December 13th towns in Scandinavia mark the day with a procession of children, dressed in white tunics with lit candle wreaths on their heads to symbolise Lucia’s headlamp. Younger children tend to wear imitation candles or tinsel. As the procession progresses, the song Santa Lucia is sung along with traditional songs. The procession will be led by a girl who has been chosen to be the town’s Santa Lucia. The festival is meant to bring hope and light at the darkest time of the year. At home, families observe the festival by having one of their daughters (usually the eldest) dress in white and serve lussekattar (saffron bread) and coffee to symbolize Lucia bringing food and water to those in hiding.

With strong Nordic connections, it’s not surprising that Orkney has adopted the tradition, incorporating a Santa Lucia or St. Lucy (the English version) procession into the Kirkwall  Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

We wish all our Scandinavian staff and students a happy Luciadagen and you can use Library Search to learn more about traditions, festivals and saints.

Let’s not forget our Italian staff and students because although the modern-day celebration of Santa Lucia is generally associated with Scandinavian countries. It is also observed in some parts of Italy, Lucia’s homeland. The feast is a Catholic celebrated holiday with roots that can be traced back to Sicily. St. Lucia is the patron saint of the Sicilian city of Syracuse.

Learn more about this using librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

Read more about Christmas traditions on out blog with the article: Spanish New Year

By Vivienne Hamilton

Photo by Photo by Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash

Mickey Mouse

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

18/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

November 18, 2023

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

Who’d have thought the creation of a character with small stature and a plucky attitude would go on to become a household name and a global sensation symbolising hope, optimism, courage, resilience, positivity in the face of adversity, friendship and connection, creativity, imagination, perseverance, and leadership. The list of his attributes is endless.

The History of Mickey Mouse

Created by Walt Disney and Uniwerks at Walt Disney Studios, Micky Mouse made his debut appearance on November 18th, 1928, in the black and white feature film Steamboat Willie. It was the first animation synchronized to music and sound effects and premiered in New York.  Mickey’s first appearance and his unique characteristics and behaviour caught the audience’s imagination and connected him deeply in the hearts and minds of the American people during the great Depression.

The idea for Mickey Mouse came when Walt Disney lost creative control over his earlier creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whilst working for Universal Studios. Similarities between the two characters can be seen in the early days.

Mickey Mouse Fandom

However, through the ages Mickey went on to become the most recognizable and loved mascots of Disney Characters and appeared on a range of merchandise, comic strips and inspiring the theme park, Disney Land. In fact, People became so absorbed in the character that they began to ask more in-depth questions, to understand what made Mickey Mouse who he was, and to understand his appeal to so many people from around the world. Questions included:

  • What’s Mickey’s middle name?
  • What’s Mickey’s favourite food?
  • What were his first words he spoke?
  • Is Minnie Mouse his girlfriend?
  • Is Mickey Mouse married?

Do you know the answer to any of those questions?

Legacy of Mickey Mouse

Did you also know he was the first cartoon character to speak, and the first cartoon character to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Back during the time of single-cell animation, Mickey Mouse cartoons could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to complete and a seven-and-a-half-minute animation could include more than 10,000 drawings.

In 1935 the film Bad Concert saw Mickey’s transition into the world of technicolour. In 1993, Mickey Mouse’s toon town opened in Disneyland. And in 2024 Mickey appeared in his CGI form, in Mickey’s Twice upon a Christmas.

It’s true to say that Mickey Mouse means a lot to many different people. And his character has been analysed for its mass appeal and its symbolism. With so much information out there for you to peruse through and an incredible legacy of his own, all that remains to be said is……

Happy 95th birthday, Mickey Mouse

Why not head on over to Box of Broadcast and see the documentary about Walt Disney.

by Mo Almas

From one pop culture to another, read about Barbie

Photo source by Brian McGowan

Merchiston book stock

International Student Day 2023

17/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

International Student Day 2023

International Student Day is celebrated on the 17th of November. A day to celebrate our diverse student community. Student life can be difficult to navigate for anyone, but international students face challenges. We want to raise awareness and offer support.

Origins of International Student Day

This is a day of commemoration. On this day in 1939, Nazis stormed the University of Prague. The students who stood up and resisted were rounded up and arrested,9 student leaders were killed and more than 1200 students were sent to concentration camps. In 1941, the Council of International Students in London chose this day to celebrate international students. (Studyinternational.com)

It has now become a ‘’nonpolitical celebration of the multiculturalism of their international students’’ (Wikipedia). Therefore, it has become an occasion to ‘celebrate all students, especially those who have gone to great lengths to attain further education’ (daysoftheyear).

International Students and Edinburgh Napier University

We’ve welcomed students from more than 180 countries.

If you are looking to move to Edinburgh and study at Napier University, you can find out more information here on how we can support you as an international student.  And we have more information on starting the processing. And if you are already studying here, you can find out the support Napier offers.

International Students and the Library

For any student, libraries can be daunting. We’ve created a little guide filled with information on using our libraries. You can find on the library webpages. This covers both using the library online or in-person. And remember, if you need any help, library staff are here to help, you can email (library@napier.ac.uk) or call (0131 455 3500) or visit the help desk.

We have a training and events calendar that highlights useful sessions, and you can always for a personalised library tour.

And you can read more on library information on the blog.

Image of a book and pen with writing forNational Poetry Day 6th October

National Poetry Day

05/10/2023 / / 0 Comments

National Poetry Day 5th October 2023

Today is National Poetry Day, a celebration that has been marked on the first Thursday of October since its inception in 1994. William Sieghart is a publisher whose stated aim is to help people “drop their fear of the p-word” . To that end, Sieghart founded this celebration of excellence in poetry, and since that first day,  NPD has reached an audience of more than 500 million people.

The celebration is not yet 30 years old, but poetry itself is as old as humanity. It may, in fact, be our oldest form of artistic expression; it certainly predates literacy. The word poetry comes from the ancient Greek poieo meaning “I create”, and humans have been creating down the centuries, using poetry to articulate every emotion as well as to record oral histories, and important events, to entertain and to offer prayer.

There are dozens of different types of poetry, from haiku to limerick, ode to epic.  But maybe you prefer one of the more modern free-verse forms. Maybe you’ve even had a go a writing a few of them yourself.  If you’d like to test your poetry skills on a wider audience, why not check out the various competitions currently open for submission. Find out more here:

National Poetry Library Competitions

The theme of this year’s National Poetry Day is Refuge.  Read more about the theme here:

About National Poetry Day – National Poetry Day

Library Resources for National Poetry Day

Of course, we have a huge range of poetry resources that you can access via LibrarySearch.

LibrarySearch Library Catalogue 

We have books on how to read it, how to write it, how the greats do it, and why it matters. We also have access to the Poetry Archive which houses recordings of poets reading their own work out loud. It features the works of contemporary poets alongside historic records of Seamus Heaney, W.B. Yeats, T.S. Eliot and many others.  Of course, we may be biased, but we believe that one of the best poems within the archive, is Library Ology, written and presented by Benjamin Zephaniah. You can listen to it here:

Library Ology – Poetry Archive

Or how about checking out Poets on Screen, a library of 879 video clips of poets reading their own and other poets’ work. We may be biased, but we love this tender and moving poem – The Keepsake – written and read here by Fleur Adcock (spoiler alert – it features witty librarian jargon).

The Keepsake Read by Fleur Adcock – Literature Online – ProQuest

Learn more about the power of reading in our post on International Literacy Day.

By Lesley McRobb

 

Image source: Unsplash Álvaro Serrano

Bakewell Tart

National Bakewell Day

11/08/2023 / / 0 Comments

National Bakewell Tart Day

The flaky, buttery pastry, a good amount of jam and sweet frangipane and the little cherry on top literally is the cherry on top. It’s the Bakewell tart, a legend among baked goods, a classic in baking. National Bakewell tart day is a new celebration, only starting in 2020. Grab a Bakewell tart and let’s get into this delicious day.

History of the Bakewell Tart

Bakewell Tart is accredited to Mrs Graves, the landlady of the White House Inn in Bakewell, Derbyshire England. It was originally called Bakewell Pudding. It was referred to as a pudding due to the original recipe. The cooks were asked to make a jam tart but instead of putting the almond paste into the pastry, they put it on the jam. This created an egg custard which resembled a pudding.

The date of creation is debated, some cite it as early 1820, while others claim 1860. However, it is found in a cookbook dated 1845. From 1900, the Bakewell pudding became the Bakewell Tart. This was mainly due to the egg custard being replaced by a frangipane. Soon a cherry topped, and it became the ‘Cherry Bakewell’. Finally, they were made smaller and became individual. It became the Bakewell Tart that we know today.

Additional Reading

Read about more days of the year here

In the mood for some cooking or baking, check out each well-being collection at our libraries for some cookbooks.

 

Photo source Alan Stephenson

Image of crops for blog post Lughnasa Celtic Harvest Festival

Lughnasa Celtic Harvest Festival

31/07/2023 / / 0 Comments

Lughnasa Celtic Harvest Festival

Lughnasa is one of four traditional Celtic harvest festivals.  It happens at the end of summer when the grains are ripening, but have not yet been harvested. Usually celebrated on the 1st of August, it marks the end of summer and the beginning of the second half of the year. It occurs halfway between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.

A History of Lughnasa

Lughnasa is an ancient Gaelic holiday, said to be in honour of the pagan god Lugh, and his mother Tailtiu. As well as the usual traditions of feasting and gathering, it is believed that this was when the Tailteann Games were held. Games included “the long jump, high jump, running, hurling, spear throwing, boxing, contests in swordfighting, archery, wrestling, swimming, and chariot and horse racing. They also included competitions in strategy, singing, dancing and story-telling, along with crafts competitions for goldsmiths, jewellers, weavers and armourers.”[Source]

Lughnasa is still celebrated today in Ireland as a holiday. It includes music, dancing, stories and crafts. Furthermore, One modern-day legacy of Lughnasa is “Reek Sunday”. This involves climbing up a mountain or hill. In Ireland, many people climb up Croagh Patrick in Co. Mayo., also known as “the Reek” hence the name “Reek Sunday.”

The Myth

The myth that Lughnasa is based on according to Máire MacNeill who wrote on it back in1962 is the following:

“[it involves] a struggle for the harvest between Lugh and Crom Dubh, another mythical god who stores the grain, which Lugh seizes for humanity. Often, this is portrayed as a struggle for ‘Eithne,’ a woman who symbolizes the grain. Also, Lugh combats and destroys another figure representing blight. ‘Óenach Tailten’ or ‘Aonach Tailteann’ was a ceremony held during Lughnasadh in commemoration of Tailtiu [Lugh’s mother].” Source  

The four feast days

As well as Lughnasa, there is Samhain, Imbolg and Beltane. These are all based on the harvest periods and seasons. Samhain is celebrated on the 31st of October and is linked to Halloween celebrations. People leave gifts for the dead to appease their spirits and festivities and bonfires are often lit. Imbolc or Imbolg is celebrated on the 1st of February and is a lesser know celebration. It marks the beginning of spring and rebirth of the land. The final festival, and a very big one for Edinburgh is Beltane. It happens on the first of May and involves a lot of dancing and bonfires. Why not visit Edinburgh this year and attend our Beltain event on the top of Carlton Hill.

Read more on Scottish history at librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

By Juliet Kinsey

Photo by Polina Rytova on Unsplash

Read more on Scottish history and Festivals with articles on:

The Edinburgh Festival

Image of Cadbury Bournville Chocolate for blog post World Chocolate Day

World Chocolate Day

07/07/2023 / / 0 Comments

World Chocolate Day: Friday 7th of July 2023

Take a moment to indulge in World Chocolate Day!  

Did you know that approximately 1 billion people from around the world eat chocolates every day?  

This just shows that many of us cannot resist the temptation of chocolaty treats. Indeed chocolate is also the food of love! You might think chocolate is unhealthy, however dark chocolate has many health benefits. It creates a calm and happy mood, improves memory and even helps to keep that heart healthy… but remember everything in moderation! 

What is the story of chocolate? 

Chocolate begins from the pods of the cacao tree and is native to Central and South America. Pods g from the trunk and in the larger branches, which contain the cacao beans.  

Did you know cacao is the botanical name for the unfermented beans and cocoa is the manufactured product?  You can find more about the cocoa bean via our Library Search here: 

History of Chocolate

Chocolate can be traced back to the Mayans. It was consumed in liquid form for celebrations and complimented most meals. It was often combined with chillies, water and honey.  Furthermore, The Aztecs also believed that chocolate was sacred and used the cacao beans as currency- in fact, it was more valuable than gold!  

During the industrial revolution, chocolate boomed. Half of the cacao butter was removed for the chocolate liquor and resulting in a creamier and improved quality. It was the modern era for cost-effective, machine-based chocolate. 

John Cadbury opened the first shop in Birmingham in 1824 and has manufactured chocolate since. Due to the machinery, different types of chocolate have emerged and today it is a highly refined, edible confectionary.   

Fair-trade chocolate  

Fairtrade Chocolate supports changing the way cocoa is supplied, ethical working conditions and sustainable incomes for farmers and their families. You can recognise the fairtrade on products like this one below: 

Find more about Fair Trade here: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Chocolate/ 

Read more on Chocolate using LibrarySearch.napier.ac.uk

Let us know which is your favourite chocolate bar in the comments below?  

Find more information  

https://nationaltoday.com/world-chocolate-day/  

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-americas/history-of-chocolate  

Image by: shri-wntFdvFPu5I-unsplash

Happy Fourth of July American Flag

Happy Fourth of July Independence Day🎉

04/07/2023 / / 0 Comments

Happy Fourth of July Independence Day🎉

Also referred to as Independence Day, the Fourth of July marks the anniversary of the then 13 colonies declaring independence from the British crown. It has a rich history of celebrations throughout the United States.

On July 2nd 1776, the then continental congress voted for independence. Consequently, two days later the 13 colonies adopted the declaration of independence. Thomas Jefferson famously drafted the document. The Fourth of July has been celebrated ever since. Fun fact, as it was the 2nd of July that congress passed the decision on Independence, future President John Adams refused to celebrate American independence on the fourth of July and marked celebrations on the second. He would die fifty years later on July 4th 1826 (History.com).

Celebrations range from family barbecues to street parades. In addition, firework displays are notorious and have been part of celebrations since 1777, with the first reported in Philadelphia. Early celebrations included having mock funerals for King George III, and the firing of muskets and cannons.  These were followed up by a public reading of the declaration of independence (History.com). In 1870, it was recognised by Congress as a federal holiday, although it was not until 1941, that it would be a paid holiday for federal employees. It was in the late 19th century with the rise of leisure time that family get-togethers and barbecues became more common celebrations (History.com)

Whatever you are doing this year have a happy fourth of July Independence Day!

Read about other celebrations on our blog such as St.Patricks Day and Chinese New Year

Want to learn more about American History? Try Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk for all sorts of information. Need to know how to use it? Read our Guide here.

By Maya Green

Photo by Paul Weaver on Unsplash

 

 

 

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