Celebrating Candlemas (with Guest Blogger, Marsha Johnson)

In our home today, we rolled and decorated candles - we also enjoyed the songs Jodie put together for our February Newsletter on our Penny Whistle and Recorders and we ended the night with a yummy apple, banana and blueberry pancake dinner. Remember you can celebrate this festival all week long - don't feel like you had to do it all today!

Candlemas Candles are Strong and Bright

Their Fire Encircles the Star-Lit Night

Hands Carry Strong.

Heart Burns So Deep.

The Light Moves Us Through a Long Winter's Sleep

~Eileen Straiton

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight.
But if Candlemas Day bring clouds and rain,
Winter is gone and won't come again.

If Candlemas Day be mild and gay,
Go saddle your horses, and buy them hay;
But if Candlemas Day be stormy and black
It carries the winter away on its back.


Shadow Fingerplay

If I walk, my shadow walks.
(Use two fingers, in walking motion)

If I run, my shadow runs
(Same fingers in running motion)

And when I stand still, as you can see
(Same fingers, standing still)

My shadow stands beside me.
(Use first two fingers on other hand and stand beside the first two fingers)

When I hop, my shadow hops,
(First two fingers, hopping)

When I jump, my shadow jumps
(Same fingers, jump)

And when I sit still, as you can see,
(same fingers, bend at knuckles to sit.)

My shadow sits beside of me,
(Use as before, both sets of fingers sitting beside each other. )

Some Candlemas Activities Graciously Provided by Marsha Johnson of Shining Star Waldorf School:

Beeswax candle making (dipping is wonderful, simply find a large tin can, juice can size #10 or larger, and fill it ½ with water, then drop in wax chips to bring the level up to ¾ full. Simmer the can in a pot filled with hot water until all the wax is melted. Use a stick with a wick tied on with about 4-5 inches long and dip it into the hot wax, then into a deep plastic pitcher of cold water, just nearby. Use your fingers to straighten out the waxed wick, and then keep dipping first in the hot wax and then in the cold water, until the candle grows in thickness to that of about ½ to ¾ inch.

Beeswax candle rolling: obtain some sheets of beeswax, which has a corrugated appearance. Cut into smaller pieces, triangular or rectangular, and lay wicking down one side right on the edge. Roll up carefully, keeping the wicking poking out of each end, to make simple tapered candles. Press the thin moldable edges down against the beeswax to seal the candle and keep it whole. These are safe and easy candles for the youngest child to make. Use smaller pieces of other colors of the pressed beeswax sheets to make simple decorations on the outside of each candle.

Candlemas Pancakes: mix 1 cup milk or soy milk with 1 egg, beating well, and add 1 t. vanilla. Add 1 cup flour (any type) mixed with 1 t. baking soda and pinch of salt. Stir into liquid with a fork until barely blended. Add more milk if too thick. Melt butter or oil in a fry pan until bubbly and drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot pan and fry on both sides until cooked. Serve with fresh applesauce or honey-butter mixture. This will make enough for a couple people, can double or triple the recipe, good with part corn flour for the flour, too.

Candlemas Nature Scene: set up the nature table to reflect the wonderful qualities of the honey bee and its magical beeswax. Pure beeswax votives can be found that have a honey bee molded into their shape, these are fun to place onto a wintery scene of white, blue, purple, and golden silks, surrounded by pine cones, pine needles, cedar branches in a vase, and perhaps some tiny bulbs of narcissus or jonquils set on gravel in a lovely small dish, ready to push up into bloom.

Beeswax Modeling: using dark blue, gold, and white beeswax modeling clay, form some small yellow oblong shapes, then stripe them with a tiny thin 'snake' of blue, then add thin white tiny wings to make 'bees'. These can be tied with fishing line and hung up to make a swarm over the nature table or elsewhere. Very cute and very small!

Celebration Ideas from Marsha:

Community celebrations can include gathering for a potluck with foods featuring honey and golden yellow colors, i.e. squash soup, cheese pizza, round yellow cakes, and so on. The lighting of the beeswax candles starts off the event with singing and blessing of the bees and their hives. Children born within the last year are brought forward and a celebration of sorts can be created to honor and welcome them into the family of the human. Anointing the forehead with precious oils or even honey is a nice way to recognize these special children and wish them sweetness in their days on the earth. Having each person present come up to this beautiful baby and look into their eyes and simply say, yes I see you here, is a lovely and touching custom for Candlemas.

BLESSING OF BEES-a western religious poem

Lord God, Almighty,
who didst create heaven and earth,
and all the animals that live in the air
and on the earth for the use of man;
Thou who hast directed that
the ministers of Thy holy Church
should light candles made of beeswax,
send down Thy blessing on these bees,
that they may multiply
and be fruitful
and be preserved from all harm
so that the product of their labour
may be used to Thy honour.

From the Koran

And your Lord inspired the bee: build homes in mountains and trees, and in (the hives) they build for you.
Then eat from all the fruits, following the design of your Lord, precisely.
From their bellies comes a drink of different colors, wherein
there is healing for the people.
This should be (sufficient) proof for people who reflect.


Bless This Candle

Bless this candle in my hand
Bless the flame as here I stand
Bless the faces round this light
Bless all people on this night!

M. Johnson 2006


Honey Bee

Honey bee, honey bee
You make honey oh so sweet
Fragrant beeswax in my hand,
Full of goodness from the land.

M. Johnson, 2003

Wish for the Fields

Night is dark, and cold, and long
Winter's hold is still so strong,
But beneath the earthen crust
Underneath the frozen dust
Life is growing, moving, thriving
Roots are drinking, resting, striving,
Buds are swelling on the trees
In the hives, still sleep the bees
But moving humming strumming sing
Soon we all will welcome spring!

M. Johnson, 2006

And, with that, we blow out our candles and wish you a good Candlemas night....