Happy Candlemas Day! Pancake Breakfast!

Candlemas Day is February 2nd.  It is our tradition to enjoy a pancake breakfast on Candlemas Day morning.  We gather up all of our old candles, the ones that have been burned down to almost nothing, and light them all.  It is a very simple and beautiful thing.  And boy does it look beautiful!  We eat our pancakes and watch the tiny little candles get smaller and smaller until they burn themselves out.

After we have finished our pancakes and after all the little candle bits are gone, we get out our new candles and say a little blessing.  We bless our home and our hearts.  We pray that our home and hearts are filled with love and light and warmth throughout the year.

You see...Candlemas Day marks the mid-point of winter.  Long ago, families would take an inventory on their candles on this day, to make sure they had enough to last them through the rest of the colder and darker days.  If not, these families would make more candles. 

In these modern times, we do not rely so much on candles of course, but I think this is a shame.  So, in our home, we burn candles every day.  We light candles at the breakfast table every morning when we say our morning prayer together.  We also light a candle every afternoon during our quiet reading time.  And finally, we light our bedtime candle every night before we say our bedtime prayers.  I love how lighting candles every day makes our home feel cozy and warm.  It also helps us set apart special time each day to pray together.  If you are looking for a way to build a family tradition, or to add a little beauty and simplicity to your days, you might try lighting a candle.

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"Candle, candle, burning bright,
Winter's halfway through tonight,
With a glowing,
We are knowing,
Spring is on the way."