Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Happy St George's Day

By Steve Webster [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

I've always found it slightly... erm, odd (yes, I'll go with odd) that English people celebrate St Patrick's Day in March but don't know when St George's Day (the patron saint of England) is. In case you've just woken up and you're not sure of the date, it's 23 April.

Okay, I know the Irish have Guinness, but England have cider and real ale.

If I didn't know most of my blog visitors were in the middle of the A-Z Challenge, I might have considered a bloghop, but instead I'm going to ask just one question:

What does England mean to you?


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47 comments:

  1. Neurotic Workaholic23 April 2013 at 06:37

    Hmm, hard to say, since I haven't been to England, except for one time when I stopped at Heathrow to switch flights. But I didn't get to actually step outside of the airport, so I don't really count that one. England also makes me think of this British guy I briefly dated, and I'd rather NOT think of him. But I do like other stuff associated with England, like Jane Austen and her books.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 07:44

      Lol, I hope your ex-boyfriend won't put you off England forever! Jane Austen is a great English woman.

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  2. Suzanne Furness23 April 2013 at 07:38

    Happy St. George's Day, Annalisa. England to me definitely means home! I love to travel and see the world but England is where my roots are :)

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 07:45

      Yes, I agree. There might be some aspects of England I don't like at the moment, but I couldn't imagine leaving it.

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  3. Anonymous23 April 2013 at 08:43

    Happy St. George's Day. I have traveled quite a bit but I am English through and through. I love all the Pomp of Royal events and all the historic castle's which many other countries do not have,

    Yvonne.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 07:52

      Our castles are fantastic, aren't they? I went to Windsor Castle years ago but my son was an 18 month old whirlwind at the time, so whistle-stop is too slow an image for the speed we zoomed through it!

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  4. Laura Clipson23 April 2013 at 10:29

    England means home to me. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else :)
    Happy St. George's Day!

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  5. Jennie Bennett23 April 2013 at 13:31

    Very cool, I didn't know this either. there's a city in Utah called St. George. I think I'll look at it differently now. What does England mean to me? It's #1 on my list of places I want to go someday :)

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 07:56

      Definitely come over - I can let you pitch a tent in my garden :-)

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  6. Joanne23 April 2013 at 14:11

    England means friendship to me. I'm in Texas, but have met so many nice people from England via blogs. My family's originally from England on my Dad's side, so the country is in my soul. I love your humor, your proper English, and the Queen.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:03

      Have you ever/will you ever come over to see where your family came from?

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  7. jaybird23 April 2013 at 15:03

    Oh, I love this post Annalisa!! England brings to mind lots of things for me(1) My dad. He is a fine example of an English gentleman- and I've ALWAYS wanted to go see where he came from and visit there.
    (2) I also think of friends, because so many awesome bloggers I love come from England.
    (3) Prince Harry. He always looks like he's been up to no good and I can't help myself from loving that ginger-haired devil. :)
    (4) I also think of tea and scones and fish and chips. Because my mind always, always, finds a way to circle back to food. Cheers!!

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:09

      Hmmm yes, tea and scones... My blood is actually 50% tea :-) I think Harry's great too.

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  8. Mark Means23 April 2013 at 16:08

    Not to sound shallow but, to me, England means Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher (who I thought was great, I don't care what anyone else says), fish and chips, Doctor Who, The Avengers (Steed and Ms. Peel), The Prisoner, Big Ben, hot tea (never iced!), Benny Hill, James Bond, and a ton of other cool things you all have shared with us.

    Not The Spice Girls though....never The Spice Girls :P

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:13

      Definitely Doctor Who, and oh I loved The Avengers. I caught a repeat on TV a couple of weeks ago with Purdy, although Mrs Peel was my favourite too. Great list Mark, thanks :-)

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  9. Mark Means23 April 2013 at 16:09

    Oh, and by the way, I'd definitely do a blog hop based on your question...just not this month :D

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  10. Elizabeth Seckman23 April 2013 at 17:32

    England is like extended family. Only ya'll talk funny ;)

    Here's what you need to do...get America to start celebrating St. George's Day. Hate to brag, but St. Paddy's Day wasn't really the party it's turned out to be until we got hold of it.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:14

      You'll have to be my St George's Day ambassador for the US next year then... you just volunteered :-)

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    2. Elizabeth Seckman24 April 2013 at 17:55

      All righty!! I'll start planning the party now.

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  11. liz young23 April 2013 at 18:01

    It isn't odd at all, Annalisa - it's just another manifestation of the stiff upper lip! Seriously, though, I posted a dragon on FB today, and there were others saying Happy St George's Day. The Irish just can't miss a chance for a party.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:20

      Actually, I noticed that people on FB were striving to prove me wrong, there were indeed lots of mentions.

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  12. Alex J. Cavanaugh23 April 2013 at 19:25

    Happy St. George's Day!
    England is rich history to me. And castles. Dig the old castles.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:23

      I adore our history. Visiting castles and stately homes are the best way to spend a weekend.

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  13. Linda King23 April 2013 at 19:40

    England to me means the lush green spaces you see when you come into land in a plane. To me, England is wrapping up in winter with the wind biting your cheeks and walking in the countryside. It's picnics in the drizzle, it's looking at the sky and saying "The clouds are high, I think we'll be all right," when planning a day out. It's scones, jam and clotted cream, the Royal family, London, windswept beaches, endless cups of tea, stately homes and crumpets with cheese and celery. When I think about England, the hymn Jerusalem always plays softly in my head as a background to the images. It's soaring cathedral spires and standing patiently in a queue. I love England, just don't get me started on the Government though! Thanks for asking, Annalisa!

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:25

      Yes to all of that Linda, apart from the clotted cream - I'm bad press for Devon and Cornwall, not keen on clotted cream or pasties :-/

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  14. Michelle Wallace23 April 2013 at 23:03

    For me, England=London, one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan cities...
    It also means The Underground, theaters, theaters and more theaters...
    (I had the opportunity to visit London, many many moons ago...)

    Writer In Transit

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:31

      I've only been to London twice. Love the theatres, but hate the Tube - too many confusing routes, and I get lost in much less complicated situations.

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  15. Michelle Wallace23 April 2013 at 23:04

    Oh, I almost forgot, Happy St. George's Day!

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  16. Teacher-Mom24 April 2013 at 03:15

    Happy St. George's Day! The saint fighting the dragon. Love it. Now I have never been to England however, my good friend loves, loves, loves it and whenever she calls and tells me about her latest Royals acquisition she sends me into hysterical giggles. So, England means Heidi to me. Oh and scones! Love scones!

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:39

      I'm picturing your friend surrounded by lots of novelty Royal teapots!

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  17. Trisha24 April 2013 at 04:23

    It is odd, isn't it? I was wondering if it was national guilt for the past? :P

    (I was born in England so...yeah)

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:45

      I might have to look back and see when it started to change. Wave that flag, Trisha :-)

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  18. Livia Peterson24 April 2013 at 05:24

    The English accents - I absolutely love them! And I'm dying to vacation in England, so I can meet my cousins and bloggy friends who live there! :)

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 08:48

      There are so many accents - do you hear the differences, or do we all sound the same to you?

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  19. Anonymous24 April 2013 at 07:50

    Happy belated St. George's Day.

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  20. nutschell24 April 2013 at 18:00

    I'm so fascinated by England. So beautiful and so ancient! The current novel I'm rewriting is actually set in Salisbury, which I visited two years ago. I'd love to back there again.
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 20:54

      I've never been to Salisbury, just passed through it. It's cool you're writing about it.

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  21. L. Diane Wolfe24 April 2013 at 19:54

    I missed it!

    England means one of the best trips I've ever taken.

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 21:13

      Glad you had a great here. And now you've got 364 days' warning until the next St George's Day :-)

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  22. Christine Rains24 April 2013 at 20:48

    Happy St. George's Day!

    England is on the top of my list of overseas places to visit. I'm sure to meet the Doctor while I'm there, right?

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    1. Annalisa Crawford24 April 2013 at 21:15

      Of course, the Doctor will definitely be here - he'll be saving us from some weird aliens :-)

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  23. Optimistic Existentialist25 April 2013 at 16:45

    Much like Christine, England is atop my travel bucket list :)

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    1. Annalisa Crawford25 April 2013 at 17:28

      It's worth coming over here a lot sooner than that :-)

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  24. Hilary Melton-Butcher27 April 2013 at 18:51

    Hi Annalisa .. home sweet home .. but I'll do British too .. and St George's day marks quite often the start of asparagus season .. and I'm rather partial to that delicious English dish ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Annalisa Crawford27 April 2013 at 19:42

      I'm not sure I've ever tasted asparagus - well, not knowingly anyway.

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