A mug for the jubilee?

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PSSST! Over here. So you know this jubilee lark? I may, MAY, be joining in. I know, absurd, isn’t it? Me with my stark raving socialism and hippy love.

Don’t panic- I’ve not turned monarchist; I do think there is something hugely and inherently wrong having such grotesque wealth and extreme poverty side by side in our country. Some just say we’re throwing a bash for a kind old lady who happens to be Queen but I can’t get past the though that Her Maj symbolises a deeply unequal society.

This teatowel was 75p and is the perfect size for the boiler on show in our kitchen

The thing is though yeah, I simply can not spurn the lovely Queen-centric propoganda. The colours, the typeface, the patterns; it all just beguiles my eyeballs.

This ole mug was Wan Pawnd (£1 in her majesty’s tongue) from the car booty

I don’t have much, just two prize items I have picked up in the last wee while for mere pennies. (Oh, how our Elizabeth would be appalled.)

Fortunately for my eyeballs, there is NUFF of this stuff floating around at the moment. But is it possibly unfortunate for us on the whole?

Penny Red wrote scathingly last year of the ridiculousness of these royalist celebrations, of “bunting and retro-imperialism”. The article didn’t really say much (mahaha, as if my blog does even a bit.) I just would have loved her to develop the excellent conclusion more;

“This country does not have to behave like a reclusive elderly person, polishing its relics in darkened rooms, hoarding mementos and paranoid prejudices from a time when the world made sense. This country doesn’t just have a past. It also has a future.”

And I think that future is worth a celebration or two. And, you know what? I think that IS what lies behind most of the jubilee fun. People are stringing up bunting and baking cakes and holding street parties not necessarily in honour of the monarchy but to grab the opportunity to connect with neighbours and to smile about this place we all call HOME. Perhaps these celebrations will provide a chance for people to talk about our future together, to dream of a fairer and happier society, and perhaps add just another layer of the unity that we are badly in need of.

In ancient times the term jubilee referred to the fresh start that happened every 50 years – debts were cancelled and slaves were set free and a more egalitarian society was attempted.

Bring. That. On.

So I am having a little jubilee takeover in my heart. I’ll be celebrating jubilee with all it’s original, historical and radical meaning.

It’s just REALLY lucky that this radical jubilee looks ALOT (I mean, almost IDENTICAL) to the current one. So we are good to wear royal blue and red and put up bunting, yeah.

PS- I’m linking up with Liz and I’m sure they’ll be some other royal memrobilia on show at Magpie Monday!

PPS- Whatever you are up to I hope you have a brilliant bank holiday or two!

14 responses »

  1. Oh how I would love a real jubilee. I think maybe we have missed a trick there. But for now I’ll excitedly join in this celebration of community and enjoy spending time with people that I love eating things with cream.

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    • Maybe if we start campaigning now the next jubilee could be a real one?! We’d also be celebrating the longest living human I guess though, it might get over shadowed hehe x

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  2. I had no idea about where ‘jubilee’ originated from, how interesting. I’m not much of a fan of monarchy, I prefer celebration on more egalitarian terms. Though we haven’t had any street parties here this weekend – today was our local Caribbean community carnival (which happens every year) – give me carnival costumes and punch over bunting and cake any day.

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    • That sounds amazing! I would have loved to see what combination Camberwell would have come up with- definitely some Caribean flavour I’m sure x

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  3. Good finds! I tend to agree, we’re just using it as a good chance to see friends and family! X

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  4. Yay, knew the lure of the bunting would get you in the end!!

    I think people have really got on board with it out of desperation – it’s nice to finally have something to celebrate instead of doom n gloom. x

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  5. i would also love to experience an actual jubilee. wouldn’t that have been a fantastic way for the queen to really celebrate her reign? to forgive debts? wow. i also have a little china candy dish with the queen’s likeness on it that i think i’m going to try and sell; it’s from her coronation.
    btw, i went to go to Liz website from your link and it didn’t work (but i LOVE yoru 404 message. verry fun.)

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    • Yeah, even just a symbolic nod to the old meaning of jubilee would have been incredible.
      Thanks for heads up about link, I’ll have a look x x

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  6. There’s always going to be some flag waving, but it’s really a great excuse for a date in the diary and a knees-up with the neighbours. I’m in Northern Ireland with my folks at the mo, and Jubilee celebrations depend on where you are…there’s absolutely nothing happening in some parts. It’s sort of the opposite of St Patrick’s Day!
    Hope camping wasn’t a washout x

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  7. A real jubilee, there’s something to celebrate. I must say I’ve found it difficult to get behind this one!

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  8. Well I had no idea about that former meaning of jubilee – very interesting! On to the Olympics – gotta get full money’s worth out of these flags!

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