Candlemas

One of our favorite holidays is Groundhog Day. Did you know that it’s about halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox? So the sun is growing stronger (hence we have the tradition of looking for our shadows). It’s also the day in the Catholic church when they bless the candles for the coming year.
So this is the day that we’ve chosen to make our own candles.

Every year we gather the wax that drips from burning candles or candles whose wicks are gone. Anything usable we sort by color. Then we melt it all and make new candles from old. Some years we dip candles, if we’re ambitious. This past year we used small milk cartons and cardboard juice cans as molds to make pillar candles. We bought our candle wicking at Paper, Scissors, Stone.

Happy Candlemas 2010! I hope you make some beautiful candles.
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2 comments:

  1. JenniJanuary 15, 2010 at 9:38 AM

    You should specify the date (I had to think for a second to remember that Groundhog day was Feb 2...) Am I remembering correctly that that's also Michaelmas? That's the day we're thinking of holding our annual (authentic) medieval feast--with only candlelight and no utensils. We've been talking about it since before we were married, but for various reasons have never quite gotten it together...this year I'm being more intentional and making it happen!

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  2. CherylJanuary 17, 2010 at 5:00 PM

    Michaelmas is in the fall. (Remember the dragon bread?)
    Candlemas is indeed February 2. Waldorfy folks like to remember the bees too, as we work with beeswax.

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