On Monday morning at sunrise, Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow, and if he sees his shadow, North America faces six more weeks of winter. Although groundhogs do not inhabit the island of Newfoundland, residents of Newfoundland and Labrador maintain their own distinctive traditions tied to February 2.
Religious Roots of Candlemas
February 2 marks the Christian Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, honoring the moment Mary and Joseph presented their infant son Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem following Jewish customs. During the Middle Ages and early modern era, this day was widely known as Candlemas. Priests blessed the church’s yearly supply of candles, symbolizing the light Jesus brought to the world. Parishioners received these candles for hymns or processions lit by their glow.
People carried the consecrated candles home for protection and good fortune. Women dripped sacred wax onto children’s caps, work clothes, and household items to bless them. This practice persists in areas like St. Mary’s Bay. Fishermen lit these candles at sea during storms to shield their vessels. In regions such as Fogo and the Bay of Islands, clear weather on Candlemas signaled a prosperous fishing season ahead.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Candlemas held such prominence in the Dominion of Newfoundland that it became a statutory holiday. Businesses shut down, and even servants enjoyed the day off.
Secular Festivities and Midwinter Cheer
Falling midway between the winter solstice and spring equinox, Candlemas offers a chance to celebrate winter’s midpoint and anticipate spring’s arrival. As communities prepared new candles for the year, they stored away winter ones. Though daylight returned gradually since December 21, Candlemas signified the season’s true shift, allowing late afternoon tasks under natural light.
Residents of the Avalon Peninsula recited a rhyme, possibly brought from southeastern Ireland: “Candles and candlesticks, put you away, And eat your supper by the light of the day.” To banish winter doldrums, people hosted parties, parades, and dances. These gatherings, often dubbed Candlemas Cakes, centered on baking a shared fruitcake.
In some communities, men enhanced their weekly card games by betting ingredients like flour, molasses, and raisins rather than money. Weekly losers supplied their portion, and on Candlemas, the group reunited with their wives at one home to savor the cake, typically baked by the women despite their exclusion from the games.
Shared Community Meals
The tradition of pooling resources for a collective Candlemas meal likely stemmed from midwinter rationing to stretch supplies until spring. Francophone communities on the Port au Port Peninsula observed La Chandeleur, the French term for Candlemas, with a similar custom. A selected local man, named the Candlemas king or boss, visited homes to gather meal contributions. At each donating household, he tied a ribbon to a long pole he carried.
On Candlemas evening, the community assembled for dinner. Afterward, the king led dances, waving the pole adorned with ribbons that symbolized the families’ collaborative effort to create a feast during scarce winter months.
Weather Lore and Optimism
Without groundhogs, locals turned to February 2 for weather forecasts, believing the day’s conditions foretold the remaining winter. Traditional verses from England and Scotland emphasized an inverse pattern between Candlemas weather and future conditions. One poem, published in 1678 and recalled in Newfoundland and Labrador into the 1960s, states:
“If Candlemas day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight. If on Candlemas day it be shower and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again.”
This mirrors Groundhog Day logic: a sunny day with a shadow means extended winter, while clouds promise early spring.
Yet a local Newfoundland and Labrador rhyme reverses the prediction: “If Candlemas Day be bright and fine, The worst of the winter is left behind. If Candlemas Day be rough and grum, The worst of the winter is yet to come.”
With both interpretations in the cultural repertoire, optimism prevails. Sunny skies suggest winter’s end, while storms offer hope that the harshness has passed. Candlemas reminds communities of enduring light, warmth, and solidarity amid winter’s challenges.
