So who is Jack Valentine? Happy Valentine's from the farm shop

We're on the edge of the Norfolk county boundary here at the Farm Shop and Jack Valentine is very much part of Norfolk folklore.

Also known as Father Valentine or Mother Valentine Jack Valentine knocks on the door on Valentine's Eve (or Valentine's Day), he leaves a present but vanishes when the door is opened. In Victorian times children eagerly awaited Jack Valentine as much as they did Father Christmas, somehow either Mum or Dad always missed his arrival!

Don't worry if Jack Valentine didn't visit we're giving away rolls of Love Heart sweets in the Tea Room & Farm Shop today ~ Happy Valentine's.

The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival History and 2014 date

 

Whittlesea is an ancient Fenland town about 25 minutes drive away from our Farm Shop (Redmoor Lane, Wisbech) each January it plays host to the Straw Bear Festival.

 The Festival of the Straw Bear is an old fenland custom that died out in the early 20th Century: a man or boy, covered from head to foot in straw, was led from house to house where he would dance in exchange for gifts of money, food or beer.

In 1980 the Whittlesea Society revived the custom and The Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival was born. On the Saturday of the festival, the Bear processes around the streets with its keeper, followed by traditional dancers, musicians and a decorated plough. The next festival is 10th -12th January 2014. More information can be found at The Whittlesea Sraw Bear official website.

Image:Kev747licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported