Did you know that the Romans thought of February as a month of purification? It comes from the Latin word “februo” which means to purify by sacrifice.
The kind of sacrifice is a matter of guesswork. It could be something as simple as giving up a favourite food or a vice. I hope that’s all they meant. I’m not for being sacrificed on an altar.
Also, February the second is the day we often call Groundhog Day. It was originally called Candlemas Day.
A Scottish proverb says:
If Candlemas Day be bright and fair,
The half o’ winter’s come and mair;
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
The half o’ winter was gane at Youl.
A German proverb says:
The badger peeps out of his hole on Candlemas Day, and if he finds snow, walks abroad; but if he sees the sun shining, he draws back into his hole.
The badger is not a groundhog, but apparently the idea of the original Groundhog Day was in the works long ago (it would have been a badger day, I guess). Much later, the Americans adopted this theme as a way to celebrate the end of winter (or not) with the groundhog, an animal that was more common to the east coast of the United States.
Here on Vancouver Island, I’ve had to substitute Crispin the squirrel, as you saw in my post in my other blog
https://wordsfromanneli.com/2024/02/01/our-very-own-groundhog-day/, for both groundhogs and badgers.
So Candlemas Day, February 2nd, which originally celebrated the return of light, is a Christian festival to mark the presentation of Jesus at the Temple of Jerusalem, where He is referred to as “the light of the people of Israel.”
Religion and tradition are often connected.
Now for that February sacrifice? Hmm … I think I could give up doing the dishes, or vacuuming…. How about you?
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