Deep in the mists of time, it is said, Mothing Sunday was when the Beaker People celebrated the incoming of spring.
On the Sunday before the Vernal Equinox (the ancient Folk spent all the working week making beakers) they would head out for the woods after dusk with ancient tea lights in ancient Chinese hanging lanterns. If the first moth of the spring flew clockwise round the lantern, then a good harvest and no more snow was assured. If, on the other hand, the moth flew widdershins, it was an baleful and evil-foretelling moth. The Beaker Folk, being a practical bunch, would therefore kill it and wait for a happy moth to turn up.
If the Chinese lantern caught fire, the Beaker Folk would blame "cheap foreign imports" and bemoan the decline of the local lantern-making industry since everybody got into making beakers.
When the first Anglo Saxons became Christians, they realised that they could no longer tolerate these pagan goings-on. So they extended Mothing Sunday to Mothering Sunday. Mothers not being inclined to fly aroud Chinese lanterns, the entire hanging-lantern import business went into serious decline, to be replaced by the rise of late-night garages selling daffodils.
I never knew that late night garages sold daffodils? Shows that I lead a sheltered life.
ReplyDeleteI do know that late Night Clubs sell a version of musical madness that reminds me of my 1960's Dance Halls. The only difference is that the girls don't sit demurely waiting to be asked, but aggressively point scantily clad bodies at you and order you to dance.
I have this on good authority from my 17 year old grand daughter I hasten to add.