thomasing
Look at other dictionaries:
thomasing — An annual custom which was found all over England on 21 December (St Thomas s Day) whereby the poor people of a village visited the houses of their better off neighbours requesting food and/or provisions to help them through the winter. What… … A Dictionary of English folklore
thomasing — thom·as·ing … English syllables
calendar customs — Those which take place once a year, at a particular date or season; also called seasonal customs. Examples are bonfires on *November the Fifth, *wassailing apple trees on *Twelfth Night, or sending *valentine cards on 14 February. They are… … A Dictionary of English folklore
Christmas — By far the most popular festival in England today, imposing itself even on those whose religious or political beliefs would normally rule out Christian celebrations; the greatest pressure is to conform for the sake of the children, who are… … A Dictionary of English folklore
gooding — see *thomasing … A Dictionary of English folklore
St Thomas's Day — (21 December) In many areas this was the date for *thomasing (or gooding), a ritualized begging for food in readiness for Christmas, and Wright and Lones list a number of doles formerly distributed on this day. There are a few scattered… … A Dictionary of English folklore
