16th Century Festivals
"The Elizabethans celebrated too"
During the 16th century, in the Elizabethan era, many festivals and celebrations came into place. Some of these festivals include Valentine's Day, April Fools' Day, May Day, and many more.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started as the Lupercalia festival.The festival was celebrated on February 15th. It started with the sacrifice of goats and a dog. Then they would whip women with the hides of the animals, believing it would cause fertility. Later on, the Christian church would change Lupercalia to St. Valentine's Day
April Fools’ Day
All Fools’ Day, also known as April Fools’ Day, is a time for the traditional playing of pranks upon unsuspecting people the victim being known as the April Fool. Sending unsuspecting people on pointless errands was a particularly prized practical joke in the early days. Modern pranks tend to centre more on prank calls.
May Day
May Day is a festival celebrated the first day of the month of May. It is used to celebrate the coming of summer with lots of customs showing joy after a long winter. This festival involves many different customs such as Maypole Dancing, decorating houses, and crowning a May Day queen.
Citations
Mandy Barrow. British Life and Culture. Project Britain, 2013. Web. February 2, 2016.
Alchin, L.K. Elizabethan Customs & Festivals. Elizabethan Era. May 16 2012. Web. February 2, 2016.
Castelow, Ellen. The Folklore Year - April. Historic UK. 2016. Web. February 2, 2016.
Edmonton, Alberta. "History." History. N.p., 17 Feb. 2012. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.