In
France, the month of February starts with the celebration of La
Chandeleur (Candlemas) – which
occurs on the 2nd, which is 40 days after Christmas.
The origins of la
Chandeleur date back to a pagan feast: according to local customs,
candles had to be lit at midnight as a symbol of purification. Chandeleur
comes from the latin “candelarum” as does the English word ‘candle’.
The Church
adapted the tradition into the blessing of the candles, which were to repel
Evil, thus reminding all that Christ is the light of the world. Christians
would then come back to their homes with the blessed candles in order to
protect them.
Nowadays la
Chandeleur it’s a family time most simply associated with eating crêpes,
the delicious thin French pancakes. Most sources say that in France, the crêpes
round shape and color symbolize the sun and the return of the light which ties
in with the tradition of celebrating this holiday of lights. Now that crêpes
are part of the tradition, most people still call it la Chandeleur.
And of course,
there is the coin ritual – if you flip a crepe while holding a coin in your
other hand and the crêpe lands perfectly in the pan, you are expected to enjoy
good fortune for the rest of the year.
You don’t have to
wait to eat crêpes on crêpe day. You can usually find them throughout France on
little street corners coffee shops, at markets and they are very yummy!
Have you ever made
crêpes? Do you like crêpes?
Here is a RECIPE you can use to make crêpes. It is super easy! There is also a video below you
can watch.
How to make French
Crêpes
How to eat crêpes on Chandeleur
The interesting link between
‘Crêpe Day’ and “Groundhog Day’
Now you know that
national crêpe day is actually called la Chandeleur in French or Candlemas
in English. But do you know that crêpe day which falls on the 2nd of
February is also the same as Groundhog Day?
The two don’t
sound like they are related but they actually are. The groundhog tradition
actually stems from and shares some of the same weather folklore or beliefs,
which are associated with Candlemas Day, and the days of early Christians in
Europe.
If on the 2nd
of February (Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada) the groundhog sees
its shadow, this means thirty days of winter still remain and it goes back into
its hole. If the groundhog does not see its shadow then spring is right around
the corner.
I came across
numerous proverbs warning of the consequences of specific weather at
Chandeleur. “Soleil de la Chandeleur, announce hiver et malheur” (if it’s sunny
at Candlemas day, winter will continue bringing bad luck). Others warned of 40
days lost if snow was still on the ground “Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours
de perte” and even the exact opposite of the first, heralding in good news if
the day was fine: “Si la chandelle est belle et Claire, nous avons l’hiver
derrière.”
Bonne fête et bon appétit!
