traditions.im
The traditions hub

Why do we do that?

Customs, festivals and the days we celebrate, with every fact linked to its source. For KS2 and KS3 topics, families and anyone who has ever wondered why we pull crackers. Start with the game: which came first?

Which came first?

8 rounds. Pick the event that happened first.

Press start for your first pair.

How it works

Every event in the game is on the Christmas timeline, from the church in Rome in 336 to the snowy Christmas Day of 2010. After you pick, both facts and their sources appear. The game never pairs two events that are too close to call.

The drawing (a Christmas tree, a carved turnip lantern, bunting and a snowman) is our own.

What is traditions.im?

traditions.im is a small hub for customs and celebrations. Each one gets its own site with sourced facts, games and printables. Some true things to start with:

What’s in a name?

The word Christmas means “Christ’s mass”. It comes from the Middle English Christemasse, which came from the Old English Cristes mæsse. [source]

A Manx Christmas Eve

Oie’l Verrey (also spelt Oie’ll Verree) means the Eve of the Feast of Mary: Christmas Eve. After the evening service, the parish clerk and congregation stayed in church to sing carvals, carols in Manx Gaelic. [source]

The Foolish Fortnight

In the Isle of Man, Christmas was a break from hard work called the “Foolish Fortnight”, in Manx Gaelic “Yn Kegeesh Ommidjagh”. [source] Very little work was done. The time was spent singing, dancing, eating, playing sports and games, and visiting. [source]

One day, two answers

Britannica gives Twelfth Night as 5 January, the evening before Epiphany. [source] Culture Vannin gives Twelfth Night as 6 January (Old Christmas Day). [source]

Open the traditions facts

Coming next: Hop tu Naa

Turnip lanterns and Manx music

Manx National Heritage describes Hop tu Naa as one of the Isle of Man’s own, unique autumn traditions. [source] Manx National Heritage puts turnip carving, live Manx music, traditional dancing and storytelling at the heart of traditional Manx Hop tu Naa. [source] Manx National Heritage marks Hop tu Naa with events at its heritage sites, including a Hop tu Naa Festival at Cregneash. [source]

Hop tu Naa will get its own site, and its full history is coming once we’ve checked it against reliable sources.

Open now

The first traditions site is open. Its link opens in a new tab.

Coming soon

Seven more traditions sites are planned. The one marked “First wave” comes next.

  • Hallowe’en and Hop tu NaaFirst wavehalloween.traditions.im

    Planned: Hallowe’en, and the Isle of Man’s own Hop tu Naa.

    Coming soon
  • New Yearnewyear.traditions.im

    Planned: New Year and Hogmanay customs.

    Coming soon
  • Eastereaster.traditions.im

    Planned: Easter customs, old and new.

    Coming soon
  • Bonfire Nightbonfire.traditions.im

    Planned: the story behind 5 November.

    Coming soon
  • Shrove Tuesdaypancake.traditions.im

    Planned: Shrove Tuesday and pancake day customs.

    Coming soon
  • May Daymayday.traditions.im

    Planned: May Day customs.

    Coming soon
  • Harvestharvest.traditions.im

    Planned: harvest festivals and customs.

    Coming soon

Sister hubs

traditions.im is part of the same REALLYBYTE family as these hubs:

Keep the lights on

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