Friday Five- options, options edition

Sally of RevGalBlogPals suggests these questions:

There is so much going on this weekend that I thought I'd provide an options Friday 5!!!!

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First Superbowl ( someone explain to this Brit the significance)- love it or hate it?
5 reasons please!!!!!

1.From my perspective the Superbowl is an excuse to have a party. What is often involved is lots of Beer or other alcohol, Chips, Dip (Guacomole is my favorite), chicken wings. This year though the party will take place I will be on a strict diet and really won't be able to drink or eat. (More will follow on the diet in another post.)

2. Football is secondary but is a game in which people intentionally hurt each other.

3. I actually know the rules and had to suffer through many games because I was in the Band through High School and College. We had to sit through the game so we could perform at half-time. My Father also seemed to want to watch on television. I generally found that a good excuse to take a Saturday or Sunday nap.

4. The fun part of Superbowl (aside from the party itself) is the funny commercials that get put on.

5. Are you getting the idea that I am not much of a Football fan?



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Second Candlemas/ Imbloc/ Groundhog day/ St Brigid's day- all of these fall on either the 1st or 2nd February.
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1. Do you celebrate one or more of these?
2. How?
3. Is this a bit of fun or deeply significant?
4. Are festivals/ Saints days important to you?
5.Name your favourite Saints day/ celebration.

Candlemas, Imbolc and St Brigid's day are pagan Celtic celebrations and are actually pretty much the same thing. I am not really sure that they have anything much to do with real Saints or Christian celebrations. Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is also known as Candlemas or sometimes the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. I am guessing that this is one of the instances where the Church took a pagan festival date and made it correspond to a Christian event. I had to look it up so saying much more about this is kind of cheating. In the U.S. the Celtics are a basketball team. :)

Groundhog day is American silliness. People get bored with the winter weather and look forward to the end of winter. whether the groundhog sees his shadow or winter tends to last six weeks or so from the beginning of February.

I like All Saints Day and the Feast of St Michael and All Angels. My given name is Michelle (Shelly is a nick name)so Michael is my patron Saint. My children were all named after Saints, Christopher, Patrick and Gregory. I think it is nice to remember the Christian founders of the faith and those who had great faith. I don't go overboard with it though.
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Bonus- 2nd Feburary is also my Birthday- I will donate £1.00 for every comment on my Friday Five Post to the Methodist Relief and Development Fund.