1 SALUTING MAGPIES This centuries-old practice is still common across the British isles in rural and urban communities alike. The magpie is commonly associated with death – perhaps because, legend say

Britain is one of the last constitutional monarchies in the world, and the king or queen still plays a ceremonial role in the governance of the state. When Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, she was bur

Whether you call it Christmas, Winterval or just ‘the holidays’, the period between late December and early January is cocoon time: a cessation of work and routine activities. It begins with tradition

Few things feel more British than downing tools between breakfast and lunch for a hot drink and something sweet, declares Jane Emily Phillips

Securing a Christmas Number One and performing on Top of the Pops was an achievement for any musician. With old Christmas favourites battling out newer hits, the British public have a history of choos

“One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb,” goes the old proverb. The meaning is simple: if you are going to be punished for a small crime, you may as well commit the bigger one. In the early