The luck of the Candlemas taper

2 February · England

No longer kept

At the Candlemas procession each worshipper watched his own candle, for whoever carried the largest taper, and whoever’s candle burned clear and bright, was held to be fortunate. The unburnt ends were kept as charms, believed to keep off storm, thunder, hail, frost and night-walking spirits whenever they were lit again. Chambers describes this as the English belief of Catholic times, quoting Barnaby Googe’s verse translation of Naogeorgus.

Whose candle burneth clear and bright : A wondrous force and might Doth in these candles lie, which if At any time they light, They sure believe that neither storm Nor tempest doth abide

From Chambers's Book of Days, vol. 1, p. 213. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The Candlemas King No longer kept ScotlandIn Scottish schools the children made their master a present of money on Candlemas Day, going up one by one to lay it on his desk.
The Candlemas Ba’ Still kept RoxburghshireAnother Scottish Candlemas custom was a football match between the east and west ends of a town, the married men and the bachelors, or one parish and another, which brought the whole community out in high excitement.
If Candlemas Day Be Dry and Fair Lore and belief England, ScotlandChambers found a belief all over Christendom that fine weather at Candlemas meant a long winter and a poor harvest, while a wet and stormy Candlemas was a good omen.
Briid’s Bed No longer kept Outer HebridesMartin, in his Description of the Western Islands, recorded that at Candlemas the mistress and servants of each house dressed a sheaf of oats in women's clothes, laid it in a large basket with a wooden club beside it, and called it Briid's Bed, after St Bride.
Fair Maid of February Lore and belief EnglandCountry people tied certain flowers to the saints whose days fell when they came into bloom.
God Send Us the Light of Heaven No longer kept EnglandCandlemas takes its name from the blessing of candles by the clergy and their carrying in procession on the feast of the Purification.
Throw Candle and Candlestick Away Lore and belief EnglandCandlemas marked the point in the year when the days had grown long enough to manage without lights at evening prayers.
The Candlemas Candle at Lyme Regis No longer kept DorsetA Dorset gentleman told Hone of a household custom he remembered from boyhood at Lyme Regis.
Beans in the Candlemas waddle Lore and belief SomersetRay's Collection of Proverbs has a Somerset rule for Candlemas: sow or set beans on Candlemas waddle.
The smock at the Candlemas fire Lore and belief EnglandOn Candlemas night a smock was to be hung before a charcoal fire as a charm.
Candles for Februa No longer kept EnglandCandlemas processions with lighted candles were said to go back to the Roman custom of carrying torches through Rome in honour of Februa, mother of Mars.
Bull beef at Candlemas No longer kept Northern EnglandBull beef was the proper meat for Candlemas in Denham's list of certain dishes for certain times.
The snowdrop, emblem of the Purification Lore and belief EnglandCountry people took the snowdrop, which reliably flowered through the snow at Candlemas, as an emblem of the Purification of the Virgin.
Candlemas candles for the year in Ireland No longer kept IrelandOn Candlemas Day Irish country people brought to mass all the candles they expected to need for the year, to be blessed by the priest at high mass.
Barristers put out of commons for not dancing No longer kept LondonAt Lincoln's Inn the whole bar was expected to dance before the judges on Candlemas Day, according to the ancient order of the society.
Christmas cheer kept till Candlemas No longer kept EnglandMost ordinary people kept Christmas going not just for the twelve days but until Candlemas, feasting all the while and proud to have some of their Christmas fare still in hand.
The Wives’ Feast Day No longer kept EnglandCandlemas was a day of feasting kept above all by women, and for that reason it was called the Wives' Feast Day.
The Christmas brand burnt again at Candlemas No longer kept EnglandOn Candlemas Day the saved brand of the Christmas log was lit once more and left to burn until sunset, then put out and laid up again until the next Christmas.
The white loaf and the pie end at Candlemas No longer kept EnglandCandlemas Day marked the very end of the Christmas season, when the last of the white bread and the Christmas pie was eaten and the sports laid aside.
Grey peas at Candlemas Lore and belief EnglandGrey peas and runcivals were sown at Candlemas, with a generous hand.
A berry left in the pew at Candlemas Lore and belief SuffolkIf a leaf or berry of the Christmas greenery was left in church after Candlemas, the family sitting in that pew would see a death within the year.
The judges’ dance round the coal fire No longer kept LondonOn Candlemas Day the judges and serjeants feasting in the Temple hall kept an ancient custom of dancing round the coal fire while singing an old French song.
Hands on Glanville’s tomb at Wotton No longer kept SurreyEach year on the anniversary of William Glanville's death, five poor boys of Wotton earned forty shillings by kneeling with their hands on his tomb behind the church and reciting the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Commandments.
The Candlemas crown at St Andrews grammar school No longer kept FifeAt the grammar school of St Andrews the boys gave the master a Candlemas gift according to their rank and means, from five shillings up to five guineas, and competed keenly for the Candlemas crown.
The horn beaker thrown between the Candlemas candles No longer kept WalesOn Candlemas Day Welsh families lit two candles on a table, and each member in turn sat between them, drank from a horn beaker and threw it backwards over their head.
Candlemas candles against witchcraft Lore and belief EnglandCandles hallowed on Candlemas Day were counted among the things that kept people safe from witchcraft, with holy water, consecrated salt and green leaves blessed on Palm Sunday.

The luck of the Candlemas taper

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