Traditions and everyday life in United KingdomFestivals, family customs, favourite places and everyday traditions, written by members of Global Penfriends who live in United Kingdom. Each cultural keepsake is a short note about life where they are.
429 keepsakes from United Kingdom · page 1 of 15
The Black Country is a region in the West Midlands of England, traditionally made up of the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. It earned its name in the 19th Century (1800's) due to the black soot from the…
Shared by PriceKrispies79
On our island, we hold an event at the start of the year, during February, that we call ‘Up-Helly Aa’ but is more commonly referred to as the Fire Festival. There is only one town on the island, which holds the most famous fire…
Shared by Desnyx
Burns Night marks the anniversary of the poet Robert Burns’ birth and takes place on 25th January each year. Many Scot’s, like myself, mark the occasion by going to or hosting their own “Burns Supper”. A Burns Supper…
Shared by mmcl
People in the UK, and I'm sure around the world, are often drawn to ancient and old places. As an archaeologist, I often find myself visiting ruins and remnants of my ancestors homes, places of worship, schools and social…
Shared by J355ICAMAY
The city of Worcester is where I was born and where I currently live now. One of the most popular places to visit is the River Severn which runs through the middle. It runs alongside the cathedral and used to be the old border…
Shared by iceantia
A third of the Mauritius is covered with Sugarcane fields. Another way to put this into perspective is that you are guaranteed to see a sugarcane field every three to five miles of driving anywhere in the country. The fields are…
Shared by SkyandMountains
Seahouses is a charming seaside village on the beautiful Northumberland coast of England. It’s known for its bustling harbour, golden beaches, and welcoming local atmosphere. The village has a lovely mix of traditional fishing…
Shared by PatchworkPixels
A little piece of West Country culture Every November, something flashy and spectacular happens here in the southwest of England. Our ordinarily quiet towns are transformed into enormous night time spectacles of music, dancing…
Shared by JustAWorm
The County of Kent is known as 'The Garden of England' as it is a place of gorgeous countryside and ancient woodland. Years ago, Kent was the Hop growing center of the world, and we still have a great tradition for growing new…
Shared by Clu
Remembrance day is a Commonwealth holiday, where we take time to remember Commonwealth soldiers who died in active combat. The holiday began after the First World War. We place wreaths of poppies (mostly plastic/ paper poppies…
Shared by TheodoreSlaney
The Mari Lwyd, meaning 'Gray Horse', is a Welsh tradition. Mari Lwyd would try and gain entry to houses via song. The accompanist would explain why they needed to enter and the occupant of the house would sing why they can't be…
Shared by KatsuKitty
In the the seaside town of Y Rhyl, we speak Welsh. I live right by the beach! The weather is always really cold and rainy but when it is nice everyone goes to the beach or the promenade. We get a lot of tourists to stay over on…
Shared by Ezmondo
So, Bonfire Night happens on the 5th of November every year here in England. It's a night of building big fires as a family or a community, lighting fireworks, playing with sparklers and having a party. There's always lots of…
Shared by SkyBlueD
The Albert Dock is one of Liverpool’s most famous landmarks and a symbol of the city’s history and culture. Opened in 1846, it was a revolutionary dock system at the time, built entirely from cast iron, brick, and stone. Once a…
Shared by ShaunGB
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a beloved British tradition with roots going back centuries. Allotments — small plots of land rented from the local council — are found in towns and cities across the UK, where people grow…
Shared by EmTheSnail
The word you use to denote a humble bread roll... from which you might make an English egg and cress sandwich, a workman's 'bacon buttie' or even a cheeky takeaway 'chip stottie'... reveals which part of the UK you come from. If…
Shared by Kuhn3000
Derbyshire is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a rich mix of natural landscapes and activities. The Peak District’s rolling hills, dramatic limestone dales, and open moorland are perfect for walking, hiking, and trail…
Shared by Planet Child
The National Trust is all about keeping the UK's historic sites and natural landscapes in great shape for everyone to enjoy. They've been around since 1895 and take care of over 500 beautiful spots, from grand houses and gardens…
Shared by KayRoseTales
We enjoy walking around our local beaches, and eating a beautiful Cornish pasty. Cornish pasties are a savory pastry which can be a crunchy flaky or buttery pastry, with a thick crust on one side, and meat and vegetables inside…
Shared by Shadowed Blooms
Traditionally, the lovespoon was made by young men and given to their sweethearts as love tokens. They were carved from one piece of wood, and personalised by those who made them. Originally, they were used as any spoon would be…
Shared by Charlie Webster
We have an event called “May Day” -which has been around since the 13th century. It involves women dancing around a pole (called a May Pole) with colourful ribbons, men dancing with bells on their shoes, and raising money for…
Shared by orangepajamas
In the tale, Llewelyn the great returns from hunting to find his baby missing and Gelert with blood on his mouth. Believing he killed the baby, Llewelyn kills Gelert. Llewelyn then finds the baby crying behind the cradle…
Shared by B34n
Guy Fawkes night or more commonly known as bonfire night, is a British public celebration which happens annually on the 5th of November. The story is an interesting one….. back in 1605 when a man called guy fawkes set out to blow…
Shared by loisgirll
This has always been my home, a small seaside town Teignmouth, in the winters its cold and windy, but in summer there's BBQs in random fields, late night walks that end up into late night swims, museums to visit, Exeter a 20 min…
Shared by xxcharlottexx
Czech people, at majority, have completely opposite food and hygiene habits to British people. For example we brush out teeth before breakfast, also most of our childhood are forced to eat breakfast because “most important meal…
Shared by A.n.n.A.
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the Northern Hemisphere's Spring equinox and June solstice. Festivities may also be held the…
Shared by Angelbreeze01
During the American war of Independence, an American Naval ship captained by John Paul Jones landed men on Whitehaven harbour, Cumbria in northwest England. They planned to set fire to the ships belonging to the British King…
Shared by Monkeydo
Concorde was the fastest commercial passenger aircraft ever. It was built in Toulouse (France) and Bristol (UK) and designed by a team made-up of French and British engineers. The four Olympus engines, used in each Concorde were…
Shared by AllinaSpin
remember remember the fifth of November, gunpowder treason and plot.bonfire night is the night every year that we celebrate Guy Fawke’s (failed) attempt to blow up parliament in 1605. since then, we have burned effigies and lit…
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