Pancake races

Pancake races are traditional British Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) events where participants race while carrying a frying pan and flipping a pancale. Dating back to 1445, this custom typically requires runners to toss the pancake at the start and finish, often wearing aprons and scarves, in a fun celebration before Lent.

Key Details About Pancake Races

Origins: Tradition states the race began in 1445 in Olney, Buckinghamshire, when a woman, hearing the church bell (the "shriving bell") while cooking, ran to church still clutching her pan and pancake, according to Historic UK.
How They Work: Participants race along a set course (often 415 yards) while tossing their pancake into the air and catching it again in the pan. The pancake must remain intact to win.
When They Occur: Always on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins.
Rules & Costumes: Many races require participants to wear traditional attire, such as aprons and headscarves.
Purpose: Traditionally, this was a way to use up luxury ingredients like milk, eggs, and fat before the fasting period of Lent.

Alex Fox

Valentine's Day Disco

A Valentine's Day disco is a themed party or dance event held around February 14th, featuring music, dancing, and romantic or heart-themed decorations. These events range from family-friendly kids' parties with games and activities to adult "silent discos," dating nights, or anti-Valentine's events designed to celebrate friendship or being "over it".

Key aspects of a Valentine's Day disco often include:

Music and Dancing: Events feature DJ sets playing romantic hits, pop tunes, or specific themes like "romance vs. rebellion" or 70s/80s disco.

Alex Fox

Camphill Bake-Off

Camphill MK Communities hosts regular, community-focusd bake-off competitions for residents celebrating creativity and skill, such as their Valentine's Day events. These, along with artisan bakery goods, are part of the community's vibrant life, often featuring themed creations.

Key Details About Camphill Bake-Offs:

Events: The community holds specialized, themed, or annual bake-offs, including a Valentine's Day event.
Purpose: These events foster community, friendship, and skill-building for adults with learning disabilities.
Locations: Activities often take place in, or support, the Camphill MK campus, including the Camphill Cafe.
Inclusivity: The events are inclusive, with residents from various houses participating, such as Kirklington, MP, and Sunwood.

Alex Fox

Comminity Assembly

These are some photographs  of residents and staff having a community assembly at the Chrysalis Theatre in Camphill Milton Keynes. We usually have these assemblies every month in the community so that we can discuss issues and bring up news about events happening in the community.

Alex Fox

Candlemas

Candlemas (February 2) is a Christien festival marking the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple and the Purification of Mary, occuring 40 days after Christmas. It symbolizes Jesus as the "Light of the World," traditionally involving the blessing of candles, and marks the final end of the Christmas-Epiphany season.

Key Details and History

Biblical Roots: Based on Luke 2:22-40, Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem in obedience to Mosaic law, where the prophet Simeon proclaimed Jesus as "a light to lighten the Gentiles".
Name Origin:

 The name derives from the tradition of blessing candles for church and home use on this day, symbolizing the light of Christ

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Timing: It falls 40 days after Christmas (Dec 25), frequently on Feb 2, marking the official end of the Christmas season in many traditions, including medieval England.
Symbolism: It represents a pivot point in the Christian calendar, moving from the Nativity towards the events of Lent and Easter.
Customs: Common traditions include holding candlelight processions, eating crêpes (especially in France), and keeping nativity scenes displayed until this date.
Weather Lore: Similar to Groundhog Day, it is associated with superstitions predicting the length of winter.

Alex Fox

Bean Throwing Ceremony

On Sunday 1st February, there was Setsubun, the Bean Throwing Ceremony at the Buddhist Temple in Willen.
Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan. The name means ‘seasonal’ division, but usually the term refers to the spring Setsubun, properly called ‘Risshun’ celebrated on February 3^rd as part of the Spring.
There were prayers for about an hour then there was a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the last year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. We performed this ritual by throwing lots of beans into the air in a darkened room (also saying loudly to rid us of any evil spirits) and then picking them up afterwards and putting them into paper bags with some sweets that had also been thrown into the air.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mkbuddhism

Alex Fox