If you are looking to chase away the winter blues, look no further than Candlemas, celebrated on February 2nd of each year. Candlemas is known by many names, Festival of Lights in English and Día de la Candelaria in Spanish. Living in the Southwestern United States with its multiple cultures, I have always wanted to plan a Candlemas celebration. This year may be the year!
My idea began on January 6th in my home city of El Paso, Texas, where Three Kings Day is celebrated with a special sweet bread, called Rosca de Reyes.
A small plastic figurine, representing the Baby Jesus, is baked into the bread. Tradition has it that the person whose slice of bread contains the figurine must host the next get together on Candlemas Day. In actual practice, bakers usually place several figurines in the bread, I suppose so that more people can join in the fun. My husband, Wayne, and I ate our way through most of a medium-sized rosca without finding the figurine, but I still wanted to plan another winter celebration.
Candlemas was a pagan festival adopted by the Catholic church and given special religious meanings. What intrigues me about this holiday is that it occurs midway between the December solstice (Do you remember that short, dark day?) and the March equinox, which some consider the beginning of springtime. Once Christmas and New Year's Day are over, I can barely wait for springtime and gardening season. Candlemas will remind me that I have made it halfway through the winter. If I can just hold on a little longer...
Candlemas has several important associations. For those of use who missed making New Year's resolutions, it is a time for new beginnings. It can be the impetus for spring cleaning or preparing the ground for spring planting. Candlemas is also traditionally a predictor of future weather, much like Groundhog Day. ""If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings cloud and rain, Winter will not come again."
Now for celebration plans. First, I will turn the electric lights off and light as many candles as I can locate around the house. Next, the menu. Tamales are typically served in Mexico.
We still have tamales in the freezer left over from the Christmas season, but we may buy fresh ones from a waiter friend at a local restaurant whose wife is a caterer. Fresh, warm tamales are a special treat. My favorites are the green chile and cheese.
If our weather turns cold, I may attempt a Mexican drink known as champurrado that has yummy ingredients like milk, chocolate, brown sugar, corn flour (masa harina) cinnamon and anise. I'm also considering the idea of serving a dessert crepe, because crepes and pancakes, which have the color and shape of the sun, are a European tradition.
If our weather turns cold, I may attempt a Mexican drink known as champurrado that has yummy ingredients like milk, chocolate, brown sugar, corn flour (masa harina) cinnamon and anise. I'm also considering the idea of serving a dessert crepe, because crepes and pancakes, which have the color and shape of the sun, are a European tradition.
I am intrigued by the thought of observing Candlemas, a holiday that has been celebrated for centuries and continues to evolve, acquiring new connections to daily life. And I have great hopes that planning a party will help keep me entertained during those long, dreary days until March 20, the First Day of Spring finally arrives.
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