Today is Shrove Tuesday, the last day before Lent (which is what Christians did before Stoptober became a thing), or as it’s better known in Britain: Pancake Day. And as it’s an ancient tradition that stretches back at least a thousand years, the event has picked up a few little quirks and idiosyncrasies along the […]
Groundhogs are far from the first beasts to have their hibernation schedules put to use by people who predict the weather. In fact, their role in divining how much winter there is left is a relatively recent development. As far as most people in Europe are concerned, the term Groundhog Day is merely a reference […]
In the ancient Celtic societies of Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Cornwall (and indeed all across Europe) May Day—known as Beltane—was the first day of summer. It’s part of a binary calendar that is largely concerned with natural cycles of death and rebirth, starting today and ending on November 1, the first day of winter. To […]
Having made an attempt to round up several of the more unorthodox Easter traditions of the British Isles earlier in the week, here’s one that we’ve saved for a more in-depth analysis, not least because it will be being performed right this very day. The Pace Egg plays are a theatrical presentation with a roots […]
Tradition is the simple matter of doing something once because it’s the right thing to do, and then doing it again (and again) for no good reason at all. And traditions that have withstood the warping effects of hundreds of passing years are even harder to explain than those with a clear mandate from the […]
Before we get started, let’s be clear that traditions are often unique and singular, and have the capacity to travel far and wide. So if we happen across a thing you always do out in Missouri or Seattle, and you’ve never even been to Europe, much less the British Isles, let’s just call it a […]
First things first, I’m not talking about the musical Proms we all know and love in the U.K., I’m talking about the fancy parties that mark the end of the academic school year. In the last decade, proms have become almost de rigueur in the U.K. with about 85% of schools reporting some kind of […]
Created {| existing_createdDate |} at {| existing_siteName |}
Validating
Full Episodes Sign In
Choose your provider to watch Live TV & Full Episodes
Choose your provider to watch Live TV & Full Episodes
Don't see your provider? Sign up to be notified when yours is added.
To watch full episodes, you must have a cable provider that supports BBC America's full episode service and you must have BBC America as part of your cable package.
Your Verification Email Has Been Sent
Check your email for link to verify your account.
Create a new password
We've sent an email with instructions to create a new password. Your existing password has not been changed.
Create a new password
We didn't recognize that password reset code. Enter your email address to get a new one.
Account Sign In
Let us know more about you