|
The words and lyrics
of the nursery rhyme
'If Candlemas day be
dry and fair' is a
day on which the
superstitious
believe the weather
can be predicted, as
in St. Swithin's
day. The rhyme is
saying that if the
sun comes out on 2nd
February , halfway
between Winter and
Spring, it meant six
more weeks of winter
weather. Candlemas
day falls on 2nd
February, as does St
Bridget's Day and
Groundhog Day.
Candlemas has been
celebrated for
hundreds of years
and it was the
custom on Candlemas
Day for clergy to
bless candles and
distribute them to
the people.
Candlemas Day was
therefore celebrated
as the festival of
candles - a bright
light in the middle
of a cold, dark
winter when a
lighted candle was
placed in every
window. Candlemas
falls between the
Winter Solstice and
the Spring Equinox
and was originally a
Pagan celebration. A
superstition was
brought to America
by German settlers
that on St Bridget's
Day (2nd February)
hedgehogs would come
out to judge the
quality of the
weather. There were
no hedgehogs in the
New World but there
were Groundhogs and
this was the origin
Groundhog Day:
If the sun shines
on Groundhog Day
Half the fuel and
half the hay.
There are several
rhymes of this
nature,
some of
which also have
significant
historical relevance
such as:
If St Paul's day
(29 June) be fair
and clear
St. Swithin's day if
thou dost rain |
