Be careful to avoid seeing the first moon of the year through glass; courtesy to her, and wish.
The day before Shrove Tuesday is known as Collop Monday, and on it eggs and bacon should be eaten.
Pancakes, of course, are appropriate to Shrove Tuesday; in fact, it is better known in the North as Pancake Tuesday. Durham children still believe that on this day pancakes fall out of the mouth of the great medieval knocker fixed on the north door of the cathedral, and are sometimes seen bringing plates or baskets to receive the dole, and sugar with which to eat it.
The Pancake Bell still rings from the cathedral to call the faithful to confession, though neither confessional nor pancakes are existent.
Football usually begins now and continues till Easter.
Carlings, or grey peas soaked in water and fried in butter, are eaten on Carling Sunday.
"He who hath not a palm in his hand on Palm Sunday must have his hand cut off," so "palm crosses" were always made for Palm Sunday of willow catkins, tied up with ribbon, and kept till next year.
On Good Friday "hot cross buns," a sort of teacake made with spice and sugar, and marked with a cross, are always made; and fig pudding, or "fig sue," is eaten, in memory of the fig-tree cursed by our Lord when He rode to Jerusalem.
No blacksmith in the county of Durham would at one time drive a nail on this day, in memory of our Lord’s crucifixion.
Good Friday and Easter Sunday were both thought lucky days on which to cast the coats and caps of young children, or to short-coat them.