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Candlemas – 40 Days After Christmas
Candlemas falls on 2nd February, exactly forty days after Christmas Day on the Christian calendar.
This festival has different names and meanings to people all around the world. In pre-Christian times, it was celebrated as a festival of light. This ancient festival marked the half way point between the winter solstice (the shortest day of the year) and the spring equinox.
Predicting Winter Weather?
There are many superstitions connected with this special day. Many people believed (and some still do) that the weather at Candlemas predicts the length of winter that is still to come…
‘If candlemas day is bright with sun
Then the winter’s but half begun
But if candlemas day is dark with rain
Then winter’s power is on the wain’
Earth Candles
The children at Ringwood Waldorf school made a beautiful earth candle which they decorated with snowdrops, crocuses, and together with parents listened to stories of long lost traditions, sang songs… and yes… enjoyed marking the moment in the rather sunny, crisp weather!
This could mean that winter isn’t yet over, but let’s at least enjoy the frosty mornings and the clear blue skies while they last!
And here are some Earth Candle images from previous years:
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