Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not really like or approve of St George's Day?

226 replies

BlueDressingGown · 21/04/2015 21:04

I don't like it and I don't really want my children to participate in our village parade.

I don't really give a monkeys about 'patron saints' and am not of the faith that initially made him a saint. I don't believe in saints. I don't think people should be sainted. He was nothing to do with England and never came to England. (I'm also not English, by the way, but now living in England, but that's not why I don't like him!)

I also feel that this day gets seized on by English nationalists and used to stir up racist feelings regarding people who 'aren't really English'.

OP posts:
Taytocrisps · 21/04/2015 23:39

I'm sure all the kids love the dragons aspect. Snakes aren't quite as exciting Smile.

notnowbono · 21/04/2015 23:40

What? In the same way that St Valentine wasn't actually martyred by being stabbed to death by a thousand plastic-wrapped single red roses? Or do you have to be a fully paid-up member of the parish faithful to celebrate his saint's day too?

SolidGoldBrass · 21/04/2015 23:45

Actually, OP, while you are entitled to your opinion, if your DC want to join the parade, then you would be a bit of a miserable cow to prevent them from going on the grounds that you disapprove. Particularly as your disapproval seems to be nothing more than a bout of whinyarsery with no particular point to it.

Cooroo · 21/04/2015 23:54

OP I didn't think you were whiny at all. I understand your reservations. Usually on MN you'd get flamed for announcing you were going to celebrate a nationalist day, so you really can't win.

Rest assured most people will just be having fun, not celebrating racism!

WorraLiberty · 21/04/2015 23:58

I was astonished to see a display of St George's Day cards in a shop on Saturday. Who would you send one to? Why would you send one?

See this ^^ is why we need to celebrate St George's Day more.

I can't ever imagine anyone saying that about St Patrick's day.

Another great reason imo to celebrate, is to reclaim the flag from the BNP and others who have damaged its image beyond belief.

Too many people see the St George flag and automatically think someone's making a racist 'point', rather than simply displaying their flag in the way that 1000s of other countries proudly do.

Tanith · 22/04/2015 00:10

Of course St. George killed a dragon! I can't believe people in this day and age don't know that. He killed it near Uffington and the hill still runs with dragons blood.
I know because my Granny told me...

SteamTrainsRealAleandOpenFires · 22/04/2015 00:16

So OP, who is the patron saint of your birth country then?

Why not just have an 'England Day'?
[open scarasm mode]Why not go one better & have a "Shakespeare Day" instead, would that more acceptable for you?[/close sarcasm mode]

OinkBalloon · 22/04/2015 00:21

I agree with almost everything in the OP, yet I think it's a good thing to have a day of celebration of our country. I don't understand why it has to be St George, though.

And, while I accept that officially England is a nominally Christian country, it is also a pluralist society with huge numbers of other religions, of atheists and of agnostics. I would like to see outlet national day celebrations not be exclusively Christian. I would be far happier to see(or join) my dc marching in a StG'sD parade if it didn't end in a church service.

OinkBalloon · 22/04/2015 00:21

Outlet = our

WorraLiberty · 22/04/2015 00:21

Some people think Shakespeare was shit. Can't see them wanting to celebrate his birthday Grin

OinkBalloon · 22/04/2015 00:24

As a non-English British Citizen, I don't see the George Cross as being 'my flag'. My flag is the Union flag.

Buxhoeveden · 22/04/2015 00:35

I guess by 'one small religion' I didn't mean that the religion was small (badly worded, sorry) but that the number of people who follow this religion in England is outnumbered by the number of people who follow other religions or no religion at all. So why does this particular religious tradition dictate how 'Englishness' is celebrated?

You mean the Church of England? Shock That 'one small religion'?

Yet you are in a part of England that holds St George's day parades? Hmm

Confused
emotionsecho · 22/04/2015 01:43

I thought the adoption of St. George as the patron saint of England came from the chivalric culture that prevailed st that time.

I still can't understand why the OP is so aggrieved by the celebration of this day and find her comments condescending and dictatorial, who put her in charge of what is deemed English and how it should be celebrated.

I too detest the way neanderthals have demeaned the flag of England but agree that the only way to overcome that is for the decent people in this country to reclaim it and celebrate it, maybe making more of St. George's Day would go some way towards that.

SingingHinnies · 22/04/2015 02:42

What happened to May Day, May poles, Easter Bonnets, jazz bands marching through the streets, morris dancers and songs in assembly at school

I can remember these from childhood but non seem to happen now

feelrejected · 22/04/2015 05:57

If it wasn't for him the whole country would be over-run with dragons.

Grin

St. George's day means very little nothing to me as well OP. Where I live it has very little resonance in any case, as many people are not English. So the day can come and go without being noticed at all.

Lozy79 · 22/04/2015 06:07

Exactly what WorraLiberty said.

DrankSangriaInThePark · 22/04/2015 06:27

This thread is brilliant. If only to remind ourselves that the PROPER World Book Day has been around for a lot longer, and actually involves books rather than Elsa frocks.
OP don't move to Italy. I have to celebrate San Nicola (not THAT one, the Coca Cola invented one, the other one. The Russian. They got around those bloody migrants in those days)

Quinto- I remember buying a book on Spanish argot on 23/4 a long time ago. Happy days.

Branleuse · 22/04/2015 06:45

i dont celebrate any of the saints days, certainly not st georges or st patricks

Branleuse · 22/04/2015 06:48

st georges because of the racist connotations, and st patricks because its a celebration of the pagan killings in ireland.

londonrach · 22/04/2015 06:55

Yabu. In my local town i grow up all the kids from the local school dressed up and walked through the street following a man on a horse. This happened every year and the streets were decorated with flags. Be proud of your national day.

fulltothebrim · 22/04/2015 06:59

Sy George was middle eastern, and never actually visited England.

ChillieJeanie · 22/04/2015 07:06

St Andrew was a Galilean (brother of St Peter) and never visited Scotland. Doesn't stop the Scots marking his day with a bank holiday and much public celebrating.

ShipwreckedAndComatose · 22/04/2015 07:18

Just to tidy up the link between England and St George. My understanding is that it was because Richard the 1 (The Lionheart) adopted the saint as part of his crusades because St George had been canonised for remaining strong in his Christian faith. So the English crusaders adopted the red and white symbol so that they would be recognisable on the battle field.

So George never did cone to Britain but his symbolism was adopted by the English back 700 years ago.

I see it as very much a historical thing. the crusades were not the best moment in our history but it is one of many many threads that came together to create who we are today. I agree with celebrating it to celebrate Englishness and take it back from extremists.

chicaguapa · 22/04/2015 07:18

DH & I celebrate St George's Day but that's because we used to live in Barcelona and Dia de San Jordi is a mahoosive day there as St George is the patron saint of Catalonia too and they know how to celebrate properly in Spain.

Because of the link to England we continued the tradition of exchanging a rose for St George and a book for Cervantes & Shakespeare. It's good fun and keeps us happy.

elQuintoConyo · 22/04/2015 07:21

Sorry about the 'funsponge' comment Blue but glad you like it Smile

Sangria yes ,the streets are decorated already, people hawking their roses (even Barça-striped roses ) and bookstands are going up today. Our main rambla will be awash with books, dragons, roses, smiley people - and there's usually some politicial party or other giving away free pots of basil Grin

Catalans take it very seriously, but still have fun with it.