Straw Boys

Long before the straw boys became a familiar sight at weddings and winter gatherings, Irish storytellers said they began with a single act of courage and mischief in a small village on the western coast.Read the story.

Straw Bear

There exists in Cambridgeshire , the Whittlesea Straw festival in which a man dressed as a straw animal parades through the market town. The festival was revived in the 1980 but is believed to date back to the mid 1800.'s. However here is a totally fictional tale to enjoy from 'the dark ages'

Skekklers

A Skekkler is a figure from old Shetland tradition. Skekklers wore tall pointed hats, straw cloaks, and straw skirts called gloys. They travelled from house to house in the dark months—especially between Hallowe’en and mid‑winter—making strange, non‑human noises, banging wooden staves, and dancing wildly around the hearth. Their visit was a kind of ritual drama: eerie, playful, and meant to bring luck, light, and good crops through the winter.