Crêpes… It is my national duty to eat pancakes today...
The Catholic holiday of Candlemas, on 2 February, is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes.
Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but the day is also shrouded in superstition and fortune telling. No crêpes must be eaten before 8.00pm! It is also traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.
There are all kinds of French proverbs and sayings for Chandeleur; here are just a few :
À la Chandeleur, l’hiver cesse ou reprend vigueur
On Candlemas, winter ends or strengthens
On Candlemas, winter ends or strengthens
À la Chandeleur, le jour croît de deux heures
On Candlemas, the day grows by two hours
On Candlemas, the day grows by two hours
Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte
Candlemas covered (in snow), forty days lost
Candlemas covered (in snow), forty days lost
Rosée à la Chandeleur, hiver à sa dernière heure
Dew on Candlemas, winter at its final hour
Dew on Candlemas, winter at its final hour
Quand la Chandeleur est claire, l’hiver est par derriere; Chandeleur couverte quarante jours de perte If February 2nd is clear, no more winter to fear; if the Chandeleur is overcast, forty days winter to last.
Soleil de la Chandeleur, annonce hiver et malheur A sunny Candlemas will bring winter and misfortune
Si point ne veut de blé charbonneux mange des crêpes à la Chandeleur. If you do not at all wish the wheat to blacken eat crêpes at Candlemas
Celui qui la rapporte chez lui allumée. Pour sûr ne mourra pas dans l’année Whoever arrives home (from church) with it (the candle) lit for sure will not die that year
I can’t do much about the weather.. but I think the French have got all the angles covered… it it is overcast, sunny, snowy or dewy winter will continue but I think it is my duty to all the French farmers to eat lots of crêpes today, after 8.00pm to stop their crops from spoiling!
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