Excuses to Party in September

Ideas for Celebrations and Parties in the Month of September

Sep 17, 2009

September is the beginning of autumn (or fall) in the UK and is when the barbecues get packed away for the winter. Brighten up the month with one of these party ideas.

September was called barley month by the Saxons because this is when the barley harvest finished and they started to brew their beer from it. It’s the time, generally, in the UK when the kids go back to school after the long summer break. It’s also the start of autumn, otherwise known as fall. But, there’s no need to be gloomy because there are several excuses to party in this month.

Celebrate St Cuthbert’s Day in September

September 4th is St Cuthbert’s Day according to some calendars. St Cuthbert lived on Lindisfarne, otherwise known as Holy Island which is just off the coast of Northumberland. The island is well known for its mead and claims to be the first place where herring was smoked. It was also a tradition, in this part of the world, to offer a stag at Durham Cathedral on this day.

So host a dinner party on this day based around recipes such as soused herrings or smoked herring pate as a starter. Serve venison stew with dumplings or venison sausages and mash as a main course followed by blackberry crumble or fool. Wash it all down with glasses of mead or beer made from barley.

Hold a Birthday Party for Colonel Sanders or H G Wells

September 9th 1890 was the birthday of Colonel Harland Sanders. It was he who founded the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain. Host a party where food focuses on southern fried chicken dishes and cherry pie. For drinks, serve Kentucky Bourbon or a wine from one of the Kentucky vineyards.

Herbert George Wells was born on September 21st 1866. This author is better known as H G Wells and is famous for writing the books War of the Worlds and The Time Machine. Host a fancy dress party where guests are invited to dress up as aliens or as characters from another time period.

Cook a Goose on Michaelmas Day

September 29th is Michaelmas, the feast day of St Michael the Archangel. It’s also the name of a type of aster called Michaelmas Daisy – some varieties of which are in flower at this time of the year. There used to be a very strange tradition in Kidderminster, UK where the inhabitants of the town held what was called “lawless hour” when they threw cabbage stalks and apples at people.

It’s also known in the UK as Goose Day when, traditionally, a goose was cooked. There’s an old saying that goes “if you eat goose on Michaelmas Day you will never want money all the year round”. So go ahead and throw a dinner party which includes roast goose, cabbage and a dessert made from apples. Guests could be invited to dress up as angels and archangels for the occasion.

The copyright of the article Excuses to Party in September in Holiday Entertaining is owned by Elaine Findlay. Permission to republish Excuses to Party in September in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.