No Goose for Michaelmas

Sept 29: St. Michael and All Angels Day

"If you eat goose on Michaelmas Day, you'll not be short of money all year round" - English proverb.

I visited my grocer's. No goose for the traditional Michaelmas feast. No slain dragon either. Oh well, this is America, yeah? Didn't know about the Michaelmas goose? Read on and follow the links.

Few Americans celebrate September 29th, Michaelmas Day, in this country, at least by English standards. I find that the lore surrounding Michaelmas is extremely interesting and heartily recommend this website for a look at historic traditions surrounding this feast day. Michaelmas is also a collar day in England, in which the Knights of Grand Cross wear the collars and ribands denoting their various affiliations and honours.

The first link above contains interesting and amusing information regarding Michaelmas traditions and things associated with the day: The Michaelmas Daisy, The Michaelmas Goose, Ganging Day and Taffy on a Goose, St. Michael's Bannock, and Electing the Lord Mayor of London.

Now hailing from High Springs, FL, a remarkable region where first-magnitude springs flowing from the surficial portions of the Floridan Aquifer give birth to gin-clear spring runs and rivers, I am interested that Michael the Archangel was also credited with creating healing and medicinal springs, and that the Greeks celebrate the spring at Collosae on the Lycus River (present day Khonas, Turkey, where the springs are still enjoyed) on September 6, my own red-letter day and birthday.