Happy St. George’s Day

Btw, it’s up to us, the population of England to make celebrating our day special.

I would like to add Roses sum up England for me, love this flower and the many different beautiful varieties 🥀

Whitewavemark2

Quite interesting.

In our sister countries they have cultural identities like distinct language, clothing, food and the knowledge that they were once independent countries.

I wonder what the English can claim as distinct.

Morris dancing!

We could have a virtual dance (my knees won't allow the real thing).

Happy St George’s Day, everyone! 💐
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

I think the reason that Ireland, Scotland and Wales have apparently stronger "identities" is because they were "conquered nations" by the English so those who wanted to keep their identities have as it were an uphill battle and the flag therefore expresses those efforts.

Indeed, although of course it doesnt go for every case, it is often nations that had to "fight" or still do have to fight for their identity or very existence that have the strongest feelings about flags.

Even the USA, remember, had to fight the English for their nationhood.

It's been a very long time since England just as England had to hold fast to an ID and therefore their flag.

We were the conquerers: indeed, we tried to plant our or the Union Jack flag around the world. the fall of our Empire and the gradual erosion of the Commonwealth still has meant we have not been actually attacked. Really, what Empire did was to give our flags a different set of meanings that resided in being "on top". Therefore a complex relationship between the Union Jack and England flags.

This doesnt mean to say we should don't celebrate today, but it does show why, compared with other nations, its meaning is somewhat diffuse, unless it's a footie match. Because we enter the Olympics, for example, as the UK, not as England.

Oh, how to put a damper on a happy thread!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

On the contrary Allira - someone upthread asked why, in comparison with other flags/countries, we were not the same.

So simply I answered

And I cannot understand, why does my answer put a damper on? surely its better to see "why?"

^Far from it^: it gives us a reason to work hard on defining that identity, like lists and examples.

Has roast beef and Yorkshire pudding been mentioned?
I would also add talking (and complaining!) about the weather although I guess that applies to the UK as a whole!!

Wyllow3

On the contrary Allira - someone upthread asked why, in comparison with other flags/countries, we were not the same.

So simply I answered

And I cannot understand, why does my answer put a damper on? surely its better to see "why?"

^Far from it^: it gives us a reason to work hard on defining that identity, like lists and examples.

I agree, I didn’t read your points as “miserable” or “negative” just informative

Allira I’m completely up for a virtual
Morris Dance, never fails to make me giggle watching

Dancing round the Maypole but that is usually on 1st May!
I'm getting the ribbons untangled ready.

Is it also a factor that while Saints Andrew, David and Patrick have genuine connections with their countries, St. George was a Cappadocian who died before England existed, indeed before the Angles and Saxons ever set foot in Britain?

I agree, I didn’t read your points as “miserable” or “negative” just informative

I just said put a damper on a happy thread
But perhaps that is an English trait? We mustn't celebrate too much, we must remember our Imperial past!

We can't escape - or change our past, but we can change the future *☺️

Wyllow3

We can't escape - or change our past, but we can change the future *☺️

Fair enough!

Anyway, I daren't get the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 out here (not that we have one!).
I'll go and mulch the roses instead.

grumppa

Is it also a factor that while Saints Andrew, David and Patrick have genuine connections with their countries, St. George was a Cappadocian who died before England existed, indeed before the Angles and Saxons ever set foot in Britain?

Now that was curious, so I looked it up

"St George is connected to the English flag—a red cross on a white field—primarily through his adoption as England's patron saint in the 14th century and the historical use of this symbol by Crusaders and English soldiers. The flag became the national emblem of England by the 15th century and serves as the foundation for the Union Jack"

Perhaps we could change it to roses as in the White and the Red roses of England 🙂

Happy St George's Day.

My family is Irish but I was born here and I love England.

A lot of European countries have palaces and castles. They are not unique to us.

I think talking about the weather is the most English/ British thing.

People tend to laugh about Morris dancing, but I think it’s fun.

grumppa

Is it also a factor that while Saints Andrew, David and Patrick have genuine connections with their countries, St. George was a Cappadocian who died before England existed, indeed before the Angles and Saxons ever set foot in Britain?

Yes a dark skinned immigrant with a beard.

Enjoy your roast dinners.

Don't want to spoil your joy with a teeny bit of pedantry.
Saint Andrew the Patron Saint of Scotland wasn't a native.
Saint Patrick wasn't Irish.
And it doesn't matter.
Enjoy your afternoon tea, with your gorgeous porcelain ware, in your lovely English country gardens, with beautiful spring flowers.
Happy Saint George's Day.

I’m proud to be English. Happy St George's Day.
What a magnificent country we have!

Good thread GG13

So Saint David is the only saint of a country in which he was born and died. The other three were not.
Hey Ho Happy St George's day!!

I wouldn’t like to see us acting like the Americans, pledging allegiance to the flag every day at school. Low-key patriotism, please! Nothing showy. We are English, after all!

Saint George in Spain is called Sant Jordi / Santo Jorge and is celebrated in Barcelona & Girona and the significance of this festive day is one gives a rose and a book to their loved ones.

It is a beautiful holiday.

Happy St George's Day, cup of tea anyone? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

I think it depends who is asking the question, ‘where are you from’
I think I probably identify as much as a Yorkshirewoman as “English’ within the UK itself.

I’m very aware abroad to be specific ie English as opposed to Scottish or welsh or Irish
But it’s easiest to say from the UK or Britain.

I'm proud to be English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿