They are all saints of course. England has a Roman soldier as its champion from what is now Turkey, called George—shared fittingly with Georgia. He is the chap who slew a dragon and saved a young woman from certain death. Take a look around your neighbourhood in England today and see how many flags and emblems there are on public display. Some official buildings, churches and even pubs may be flying the Cross of St George but apart from that there is little to suggest today is technically a national day celebrated by the citizens of England.

Flags, coats of arms, statues, mugs, scarfs, t-shirts, tankards, pens, quills, dragons, costumes of knights in armour and of maidens in distress plus a thousand and one other possible items of marketing are there to be created”

Ireland, Wales and Scotland have long championed their national days with anything from giant daffodils in the Principality to red beards and green trousers sold by the thousand in the Emerald Isle. So here is a marketing opportunity for England and in particular English sign-makers and printers as 23rd April was also the day that William Shakespeare was born.

Flags, coats of arms, statues, mugs, scarfs, t-shirts, tankards, pens, quills, dragons, costumes of knights in armour and of maidens in distress plus a thousand and one other possible items of marketing are there to be created. And of course if they are unsold this year they will not date for next year.

Despite periodic attempts by politicians, enthusiastic pub landlords, schools, and even a movement for making the day a national holiday, the 23rd of April remains a muted national day. It’s been blamed on the reformation, neo-fascist groups who have tried to claim the flag as their own and the feeling that it is un-English to celebrate something we take for granted.

Your views of St George’s Day please to online_ed@signlink.co.uk

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