celebrating Martinmas!

On November 11th , our family celebrates Martinmas.  It is a very old European festival that goes back to the middle ages.  The story goes like this...

One very cold and snowy winters evening, a young soldier named Martin was riding on his horse and as he was passing through the gates of town, he noticed a poor beggar man.  Upon seeing this man, who wearing nothing but rags and shivering, Martin felt his heart fill with compassion and wanted to help.  So, he took his sword and cut his warm, red wool cloak in two.  He gave half of the cloak to the beggar.  That night Martin had a dream that inspired him to devote the rest of his life to helping others.

So, on Martinmas, we take the time to remember that God has given us all so much love in our hearts and this love is like a light that can brighten the darkness and keep us warm through the long and cold winter nights.  God gave us this love in our hearts to share with others.  We must use the love that is in us, this light, this warmth, to spread God's love.   

After I tell the story of Martin and the Beggar, we make horseshoe cookies covered in powered sugar "snow".  This is to be like the horseshoe prints left by Martin's horse in the snow as he passed through the town gates.

We also celebrate Martinmas with a lantern walk in the evening after it gets just a little dark outside.  We get bundled up in our warm coats and hats and then head outside.