The headline in the prime UK gutter newspaper (a publication so bad and so vile I can’t even write its name down) was apparently today

Boris is out – now that really is a Good Friday.

Just those words on the front page….. Yes anyone leaving intensive care in a better state than they arrived is a wonderful little victory but it misses one rather salient point. At least 5000 people died in the UK this week and god knows how many worldwide. Will it be a good Friday for the scores of families who will be bereaved today……. The UK is now recording more deaths than any other European country and because of the shambles the government has made on testing – this probably vastly underestimates the real figure. But no need to report on that….. No need to talk about our wonderful nurses forced into using bin bags as protective uniforms.

What would be a Good Friday would be no one suffering today with only one obituary required – one for that loathsome newspaper. I remember once the newsagent accidentally sent that paper to my mum instead of her normal one. She refused to touch it and she burnt it on the doorstep. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Murdock.

Let’s move on to the real Good Friday.

Our Good Fridays were slightly odd. Normally my partner would introduce all the family traditions. But not on Good Friday. I can’t remember my partner doing anything different on this day. She was a devout Quaker, maybe that was the reason. I do know that I was her biggest trial in life as we were very very different.

For some reason my family traditions kick into overdrive on Good Friday. So unlike me. What’s the old phrase

You wait hours for a bus and then three arrive at the same time.

  • So each Good Friday we would
    • Not be allowed to drink milk all day (No idea where that one came from, probably one of my random dreams tricked me into that one),
    • First food of the day had to be an unbuttered Hot Cross Bun. Not allowed to use a knife to cut it. Every year I’ve done this an yet I don’t like them. My partner hated them so I had to eat hers as well. Then Son hated them as well so that was THREE buns I had to get through.
    • Can’t eat meat all day.
    • The meal at lunchtime had to be fish.
    • Attend a morning cross parade. These don’t tend to happen here anymore and anyway this year they would be banned.
    • No alcohol before you have had the fish. That was actually a very hard challenge when I was at University.
    • We would fly a kite on the afternoon. Apparently this is a tradition which originates from the Caribbean. No idea why that one reached deepest Yorkshire.

    I have to say this year some of the traditions have been dropped while some are just happening out of our daily routine. No milk or meat so far but that’s because son has not had his lunch yet. I’m tea total these days. Not enough wind for a kite. We might have tuna for lunch if I can convince son to change his food routine. However a pesky hot cross bun (plus the one our son won’t touch) will be waiting for my 2pm meal starter. Unfortunately due to the currents our dog is not allowed to help eat them. Thin king about it I might start a new tradition. Have the smallest bite of the bun then share the rest with the birds. That’s a tradition I might be able to stick to.

    87 thoughts on “Good Friday ?”

    1. Boris is a patriot! The United States is incredibly grateful for his recovery. The numbers are confusing, but God is in the house! Bless you~

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    2. Interesting traditions. I had a cross bun without cutting it or butter (given to me by our neighbour as Hubby can’t eat them and defrosted from the freezer), we didn’t eat meat today as our main meal was day two of our three day veg stew, and definitely no alcohol as we’re tee total. Have a good Easter.

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        7. Somebody has to be first for something to become a tradition. I think you did the right thing. Sometimes Santa comes to our house on the 23rd because of visitation with the other parent. We started that about 10 years ago. NOW its a tradition!

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    3. That gutter rag is a disgrace. They all are. Sorry Bodge was ill and all etc.etc. but there’s people lost people cos of his incompetence. And we’re meant to go wow. hell I am an atheist re traddy religions but boy am I celebrating the real Good Friday now because people have beliefs GRRRRRRRR. Happy Good Friday. happy Easter to you and your boy.

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    4. As a kid, I think (?) ours was just “no meat” on Good Friday which never really mattered since Friday was always pizza night. We don’t have any rules anymore – if it wasn’t in the Bible then we don’t do it. Because if it wasn’t in the Bible then that is religion talking and I don’t like religion.

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        7. Nope. I think I’ll go totally veggie soon. It’s just having to cook different meals for everyone that stops me. Fussy 15 yr old plus he and his dad adore meat. My 12 year old would be vegetarian by choice I think.

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    7. My husband’s favourite uncle died today. Not coronavirus but a stroke. He was 90. My mother in law can’t go to the funeral as she’s 92. Only ten people allowed attend anyway and I don’t think my husband will get an invite. We’re not popular enough. So not a Good Friday at all.
      My husband did have a hot cross bun today. But only because we’d run out of bread for his toast! He and son do like them. Fish for dinner tonight but only because Tesco finally arrived and actually had fish in stock.
      So I guess a positive way to end the day but still sad.

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    9. We don’t really have any Good Friday traditions. Usually there’s a church service. It’s still a Good Friday even if everything isn’t so good. Times are tough forsure, and we grieve with those who are grieving, but many are also supporting and encouraging one another. These are the traditions we should cling to. And if they aren’t traditions we should make them our daily traditions.

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    10. No religion for me growing up and my ex is Native American…whole different set of traditions. I don’t even know what a hot cross bun is🤷🏼‍♀️ Easter for us is egg hunts and chocolate. The basket I ordered came yesterday, so maybe we’ll do it tomorrow…or maybe wait🤷🏼‍♀️
      I think sharing with the birds is an excellent thing to do!
      My girls & I have made many new traditions.
      💌

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        1. We usually do too…😂😂 I’m still stuck in “Saturday” mode. I think every day is Saturday. I realized after I sent the message, even though you wrote about it being Friday🤪. My brain is Swiss cheese🧀! Maybe we will do it tomorrow, or Easter Sunday, or next Wednesday… who knows?😂😂😂💌💌

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    12. At least Boris got sick and maybe found some empathy for those suffering and those working the front lines. We haven’t been so lucky.

      Interesting traditions! I couldn’t find anything supporting no milk. I like the idea of feeding the rest of the buns to the birds!!

      No traditions for me as the closest I come to religion is being an occasional Pastafarian. It’s currently PastaOver and I happened to have noodles for the last several days, but not the beer.

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    13. Hot Cross buns on Good Friday and kite flying on Easter Sunday and Monday are important traditions in my birthplace of Guyana (formerly British Guiana in the Caribbean Region). I always believed that kite flying was a British tradition introduced in its former colonies. You say otherwise.

      Happy Easter to you and your son!

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        1. I just learned through a Guyanese article that kites were invented in China and kite flying spread to Europe compliments of Marco Polo. The European conquistadores later took the practice to their colonies.

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    15. I enjoyed hearing about your traditions! I don’t have any but I am obsessed with hot cross buns and we seem to always have them when they are available. I will eat them straight as they are when on a journey otherwise if at home cold with margarine!

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    20. The only Good Friday tradition in my family was not being able to eat my eggs until Easter Sunday. I’ve continued that with my daughter but since we haven’t received any from my mum this year (since she is in self-isolation), I don’t have to resist temptation!

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