Author: munchachos

What is it?

On 1^st December it is Tree Dressing Day.  This is a national celebration of trees and their immeasurable power.  

Obviously December is associated with decorating and bejewelling Christmas trees in the front room. This festival, however, specifically focuses on living trees and the fact that they are vital to life on earth.  

How Did it Come About?

The idea began in 1990 when a group called Common Ground decorated trees in Central London with numbers.  The significance of the decoration was that they were trying to express that every tree counts.  

It has now become a tradition that, each year, people decorate trees in their towns, parks and local neighbourhoods to draw attention to and celebrate trees and therefore begin to value and care more for them.  

So how exactly do people dress trees?

The idea of dressing living trees is one that has existed in cultures throughout the world.  In Celtic tradition, they tied cloth dipped in water from a holy well to a tree for luck and good wishes. This is a similar tradition to that in Japan, where they decorate trees with strips of white paper, or tanzaku, bearing wishes and poems. 

A trend which has recently come about is that of  ‘yarn bombing’ where people decorate trees with bright fabrics and yarns.  This echoes the Buddhist tradition of tying ribbons around the trunk of the Bodhi tree in homage to Buddha.  Similarly, during the annual Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan, coloured strings are tied onto trees and plants to call upon the power of nature to protect loved ones.

In Hong Kong two banyan trees are visited during the Lunar New Year, and burnt joss sticks attached to a wish and an orange are thrown up in to the trees believing that if the paper successfully hangs onto a branch, the wish will come true.  In Glasgow there are a number of trees have been planted onto which people can tie white labels which feature their wishes.  

So this year, don’t limit your tree decorating skills to your front room.  Why not grab a munchable and head out into your town with friends and neighbours to celebrate your relationship with trees?  

What Is Inter Faith Week?

This week at Munchachos, we are celebrating Inter Faith Week. This is a celebration of diversity in the UK, a subject that we hold very close to our hearts here at Munchquarters. 

The aim of the Week is to increase awareness of the different communities in the UK and increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs. Sounds good. What do you think?

How Did it Start?

The origins of the Week can be found in religion. However, Inter Faith Week’s objective is one that should resonate with you whether religious or not. Essentially the message is that of acceptance and a promise to increase understanding of other people’s beliefs and cultures. This sounds familiar…

How Is Inter Faith Week Celebrated?

To celebrate the Week, communities across the UK are organising large and small events such as Multi Faith walks; religious workshops; treasure trails and competitions all whose goal is to enable greater interaction between people of different backgrounds. 

Inter Faith Week deliberately begins on Remembrance Sunday (the anniversary of World War 1) every year to give people of different backgrounds the opportunity to remember those who have fought and served during the war – both from the UK and from the countries that have now become the Commonwealth. 

This year it is the Centenary of the end of World War 1 (meaning 100 years have passed since World War 1 ended). Among the special events organised will be the ‘People’s March’ past the Cenotaph in London during which 10,000 members of the public will express their gratitude to the generation that served.  

The Cenotaph is the UK’s official national war war memorial in London.

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO?

At Munchachos we think that Inter Faith Week is a fantastic idea. Even within our very small team we can claim roots from six different countries! We strongly believe that acknowledging and celebrating these different cultural backgrounds makes our lives richer and far more interesting.

Inter Faith Week’s official website can be found here on which you can discover how you can get involved.

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Did you celebrate Guy Fawkes Day this weekend? The team at Munchachos enjoyed the most spectacular fireworks display surrounded by fellow Munchachos and delicious Munchables. When the fireworks ended, someone curiously asked “Who was Guy Fawkes and why do we light fireworks?”. We had no choice. We had to find out! 

Who Was Guy Fawkes?

Guy Fawkes was a member of a 13 person team that tried to kill the King by blowing up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Guy Fawkes and his friends were Catholic and they did not agree with King James I who was Protestant. 

They decided to take matters into their own hand. They stored 36 barrels of gunpowder in the basement under the House of Lords (this is where people meet to decide how to run the country). The plan was to light the barrels on 5 November. 

A member of Guy Fawkes’ team did not feel comfortable with the idea that some innocent people were going to die in the explosion. He sent a letter that reached the King, warning him of the plot. The King immediately ordered his men to investigate and when they reached the basement they found Guy Fawkes’ guarding the barrels. 

Guy Fawkes was captured, tortured and executed.  

So Why the Fireworks?

King James I announced that people should always celebrate that the Gunpowder Plot never happened on 5 November. People light bonfires, set off fireworks and sometimes even burn a doll that looks like Guy Fawkes. 

Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated in many places around the world and is also known as Bonfire Night. 

What did you do this year?

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO?

At Munchachos HQ we love having fun and exploring other people’s traditions. Bonfire night is a great example of a fun evening with a rich history. It is amazing just how much there is to explore and learn. So grab your favourite Munchable and get worldwise! 

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.