In the Ritual Year, the year is divided into the four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. This roughly maps onto the monthly divisions too. Winter is December, January, February; Spring is March, April, May; Summer is June, July, August; Autumn is September, October, November. Each month, each season, comes laced with its own traditions, celebrations and feast days. At the beginning of each season, we’ll be giving a brief introduction to the Ritual Year in that season.
And, as the temperatures have started to drop, the leaves falling from the trees, it is about time we introduced the Winter season.
Winter has long been associated with cold weather and frost. Medieval sources like Bartholomew the Englishman’s The Proprieties of Things described winter as a time when ‘coldness has more mastery than moisture,’ characterised by freezing air and water, starkly opposing the life and warmth of summer. Symbolically, winter was linked to old age, poverty, and death, reflecting the season’s harsh realities while highlighting the promise of spring’s rebirth. For medieval farmers, it was a time of reduced agricultural work, with biting cold and snow making survival a daily challenge in their homes and storehouses.
This season was welcomed in, after a period of preparation, known as Blod-Monath (or, November), with the reflective time of Advent.
Advent, which begins on the Sunday closest to November 27th, marked a season of anticipation and preparation. In the medieval period, it was a time for reflection and repentance, observed with fasting and abstinence. Following Martinmas on November 11th, when communities feasted on the last of the fresh meat, households turned their focus to storing food for Christmas while contemplating the spiritual significance of the coming Messiah. This preparation culminated in the arrival of Christmas, a day of religious devotion and communal joy.
Christmas Day heralded the start of the Twelve Days of Christmas, a period filled with feasting, games, and merriment. After the restrictions of Advent, families indulged in the food and drink they had carefully preserved. Each day carried its own significance, beginning with St. Stephen’s Day on December 26th, a time for charity and giving that evolved into Boxing Day traditions. The days that followed celebrated saints, marked historic events, and reflected on faith. On Childermas, December 28th, Tudor children were symbolically whipped to remember the children of Bethlehem, yet the day also embraced role reversals where children briefly took charge. New Year’s Eve brought lively games and sports, while January 6th, Epiphany, marked the conclusion of the Twelve Days with celebrations of the Magi’s visit to Christ, symbolising His revelation to the world.
The end of the festive season transitioned seamlessly into the resumption of work with Plough Sunday and Plough Monday, immediately following Epiphany. Ploughs were blessed in churches, and mummers performed door-to-door, raising funds to support farmers and organising feasts that reignited the bonds of community.
January’s traditions continued with Wassailing, an ancient custom celebrated around January 17th to bless fruit trees and ensure a good harvest. Communities sang, toasted with spiced cider, and awakened the spirits of the orchards, bringing warmth and cheer to the heart of winter. February arrived with Candlemas, the Festival of Light, on the 2nd. This celebration, rooted in the biblical presentation of Christ in the Temple, involved the blessing of candles and processions that symbolised Christ as the light of the world. Weather lore associated with Candlemas suggested that clear skies on the day predicted a longer winter, while cloudy weather heralded an early spring.
As winter waned, St. Valentine’s Day on February 14th brought romance and courtship to the forefront. In the Middle Ages, the day was celebrated with handwritten letters, poetic gestures, and tokens of affection. Superstitions added a whimsical touch, such as the belief that birds chose their mates on this day or that the first person seen in the morning would be a future spouse. These medieval customs, rooted in the ideals of courtly love, echo through the modern Valentine’s traditions of gift-giving and celebration.
The British Ritual Year, from the reflective anticipation of Advent to the communal joy of Candlemas and the romance of Valentine’s Day, is a testament to the enduring power of tradition. It reminds us of the importance of faith, celebration, and connection, weaving these values into the fabric of everyday life.
At the Weald & Downland Living Museum, we bring the traditional rhythms of the Ritual Year to life. Through our collection of historic buildings, spanning from the Anglo-Saxon period to the Victorian era, we offer a window into how people of the past lived, worked, and celebrated the seasons. Winter, with its unique challenges and traditions, is no exception.
From marking Feast Days to preparing seasonal foods, we embrace the customs that shaped winter life. Our team demonstrates traditional practices like preserving and cooking with winter ingredients, using the food and resources we have preserved during the Autumn, as well as the festivities and customs tied to this time of year. A visit to the Museum allows you to step back in time and experience the beauty and traditions of winter as they would have been celebrated in centuries past.
To find out how we’re marking the season, what events and celebrations we have, and how you can get involved in practicing the Ritual Year, check out our What’s On Page!
