I knew that
1.Pancake day -- and aren’t pancakes like crêpes? -- was Shrove Tuesday (the Canadian part of me) or Mardi Gras (the American part)
2.February 2nd was Groundhog Day – the day when, if a groundhog saw his shadow, there would be 6 more weeks of winter – a fairly safe prediction in the Northern United States and Canada.
I remained puzzled for years until I discovered that these were actually traditions belonging to the same Catholic holiday.
The Celts had a festival on February 1st just before planting time. They processed around their fields carrying torches and praying that their land be purified so the harvest would be good. The Catholic Church reinvented this familiar holiday, as it did so many others. In France it became Chandeleur, (chandelle is the French word for candle) and in English, Candlemas. The date was shifted to February 2nd, exactly 40 days after Christmas. The purification of the soil became the Purification of the Virgin Mary and the candles represented Jesus as the Light of the World. And the crêpes? The flour used for them was left over from last year’s harvest and their round shape signified the sun that would soon be back.
Where do the groundhogs come in? Well, the Germans, the Scandinavians and some Celts in pre-Christian days celebrated the bear coming out of hibernation to see if the weather was warm enough in late January or early February. The medieval Church frowned on this holiday even more than the other as its festivities included men dressed as bears carrying off young girls. They promoted their Candlemas holiday with some insistence in this part of the world. Candles were adopted but crêpes were forgotten and the idea of an animal predicting the coming of spring remained. Over the centuries the bear was replaced by the smaller -- and less racy -- hedgehog or badger. When German settlers arrived in Pennsylvania in the 19th century, hedgehogs were, apparently, scarce but groundhogs were plentiful so another transposition was made. The rest of the world caught up with Groundhog Day in 1993 thanks to the film starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.
Whatever you are celebrating today, have a good time. I’ve made my choice.
I knew the history of Groundhog Day, but was in the dark about the crepes. As usual, interesting information and fun to read. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThose crepes seem much more heart warming than watching a Groundhog be pulled out of his bed into the bright lights of cameras. As if this poor creature could predict whether or not we will have six more weeks of winter when his exited his bed is not even his own idea. Groundhog day, what a silly holiday!
I believe that you certainly made the correct choice. Enjoy!
TTYS..."Dahlia"
Very enlightening and funny. I didn't know any of it, not even the German bear story. I remember back in good old (and very catholic) Bavaria it was just Candlemas with a procession of people carrying candles around the church. I have to admit I prefer the French tradition of crêpes. And yours look really yummy !
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