Not that you need a particular reason, of course, but in France c’est La Chandeleur! Which, being translated, means Crepe Party! Actually, the more traditional translation is Candlemas, and there are plenty of other seasonal and culinary traditions that go along with it all over the world. In Mexico it calls for tamales, which sounds equally tantalizing, but the accompanying running with the bulls (and search for banana leaves or corn husks) not so much, so we’re keeping it local style again this year.
Buckwheat Crepe with Rotisserie Chicken and Emmental
By some strange coincidence, February 2nd is both the rather goofy custom of Groundhog’s Day and the rather more solemn feast of Candlemas, a holiday celebrating the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, his Meeting with Simeon and Anna, and the Purification of Mary. Random, right? Not at all. The two are intimately connected. (The Super Bowl, however, is a moveable feast and so, no matter what anybody tells you today, not particularly related to this episode in the story of divine revelation.) Christians have been observing the interconnected events commemorated by Candlemas since the 4th or 5th century. Mary took Jesus with her to the temple to be dedicated as the firstborn and for her own rite of purification 40 days after he was born according to Jewish law. According to the New Testament Simeon recognized that the child would be a light to the Gentiles, hence the candle motif and the Eastern church’s name for the day: Hypapante, or “Meeting.”
“Presentation in the Temple” by Fra Angelico. Come to think of it, in these portrayals with the swaddling clothes and halo, Jesus looks rather candle-like himself.
As Candlemas falls close to the midpoint of winter, it accrued additional cultural significance in many countries. It marked the really, truly bitter end of the Christmas season, when all the decorations must come down and people mentally moved on to wondering when they could safely plant some more food already. Around this time the wild beasts, dormant during the brunt of the season, would tentatively emerge to gauge if the worst of the weather had passed or if a longer winter’s nap might be in order. In the UK, folks expected to see anything from wolves to snakes to bears, but badgers were somehow singled out as nature’s forecasters in this regard – I’m guessing because they made for less dangerous viewing. Badgers apparently being in shorter supply in Germany and the New World, the Pennsylvania Dutch made do with a woodchuck or groundhog. So Punxsutawney Phil is essentially the Easter Bunny of Candlemas. Incidentally, if you’re one of the 3 in 7 Americans who can never remember if seeing his shadow means six more weeks of winter or if it’s the other way around perhaps it’s the French influence. They have contradictory traditional sayings which predict that a sunny Chandeleur portends the final hour and/or the first of forty more days of winter. What the French can agree on, however, is that crepes must be eaten today or dire consequences will ensue. The Celts just lumped it in with Imbolc and St. Brigid’s Day and called it Spring already. The Welsh actually retired their candles on Candlemas as there was finally enough light to work by in the mornings and evenings. It is traditionally the day the snowdrops first bloom, but here we’re still living on forced bulbs T.S. Eliot referred to in “A Song for Simeon”
Lord, the Roman hyacinths are blooming in bowls and The winter sun creeps by the snow hills; The stubborn season has made stand.
In Poland blessed candles are sent home with the parishioners for the express purpose of lighting during the worst of the storms to come. It does seem to be the time of year when the body has its fill of winter, picking up on the lengthening of the days, and wondering if the weather will ever cooperate. Phil, that Gloomy Gus, has predicted a full winter this year, per usual, even without seeing his shadow. Staten Island Chuck begs to differ, but he’s probably just feeling overly optimistic since he didn’t die making his prediction this year. Also, he was probably rooting for the Patriots. Robert Herrick probably offers the best advice for hastening the season along. Pack away the Christmas (and the Seahawks) themed décor and bring in the freshest greens as they transition from evergreen to deciduous, from forced to spontaneous blooms. Light the candles, whip up some comfort food, whether that be crepes or tamales, and remember Spring is Coming.
Thus times do shift; each thing his turn does hold; New things succeed, as former things grow old. – “Ceremonies upon Candlemas Eve” by Robert Herrick
Une flâneuse à l’étranger 