Groundhog Day

Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Feb 2: Ground hog Day
this topic was requested by Clarissa

In a North American tradition , February 2 is also known
as "Groundhog Day." Legend has it that if a groundhog
emerges from its hole on February 2 and sees its
shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter weather!

If interested to read the whole stories :
(bukan saya yg nulis lhoo, dapet fwd-an dr teman, ngga disebut sumbernya)

Pancakes, candles, groundhogs… What's the story behind
February 2?

Candlemas is a celebration of light, the day of
candles, but in many parts of the world it is thought
of by both young and old as pancake day!


For many people worldwide, Candlemas, February 2, has
a particular smell: not just the scent of lighted
candles but also the fragrance of pancakes being
cooked for family and friends. Whose turn is it to
flip the pancake with a neat flick of the wrist,
deftly manoeuvring the pan with the right hand while
holding a gold coin in the left? It mustn't fall,
stick to the ceiling or come back down in shreds. They
say that to do achieve this little acrobatic feat
successfully will bring happiness. Perhaps no one
believes it, though everyone tries, tempted by the
promise of money for the coming year!
In fact, the old superstition went a step further:
besides just flipping the first pancake while holding
a gold coin, the pancake then had to be rolled around
the coin. This little package was then carried in
procession by the whole family and placed at the top
of the wardrobe of the eldest member of the household,
where, it was said, it wouldn't mould. The remains of
last year's pancake were then removed and the coin
inside given to the first poor person who passed by.
Among the Acadians of Prince Edward Island a
collection was taken up on that day for the poor of
the parish.

But why a pancake?

Because its golden disc reminds us of the sun. The
tradition of pancakes (or in southern France, round
doughnuts) is a symbol that survives from an ancient
myth dealing with the solar wheel.
However, Candlemas pancakes have to be made with wheat
flour from the previous harvest. Stacks of them can be
prepared without fear of famine, since soon the fields
will regain their golden colour.

There was even an old saying that held if you ate
pancakes on Candlemas, you would be ensured a good
harvest in the coming year.

Various countries and regions have distinct traditions


France

While the pancake tradition is carried on from one end
of France to the other, some regions replace it or
complement it with doughnuts: in the Berry region they
make apple fritters, in Franche-Comté they are called
"beugnets" and in the Yonne they serve "roubigneaux"
made from flour and milk, fried in oil and butter.

Canada

In Quebec the tradition of pancakes for "la
Chandeleur" has died out somewhat, since breakfast
pancakes are served throughout the year with maple
syrup and a knob of butter. On the other hand, in the
Saguenay - Lac St. Jean region, there is a Candlemas
custom that is found nowhere else: Cretons de la
Chandeleur, a dish of potted meat, made not from pork,
but with veal and chicken livers flavoured with
cinnamon and nutmeg.

Spain

In the Valls, the day brings with it the smell of
little white onions (calçotades) which are grilled
over the coals. Their aroma wafts through the streets.
Later on, they are dipped into romesco or salbitxada
sauce to accompany charcoal-grilled meats, for here
Candlemas is celebrated as a popular holiday around an
outdoor barbecue.

Great Britain

In a tradition that dates back to pre-Reformation
times, in the British Isles pancakes are customarily
served on Shrove Tuesday, instead of for Candlemas.
The Tuesday before Ash Wednesday - called Mardi Gras,
or "fat Tuesday" in French - was the last opportunity
to use up all the household's fat, eggs and dairy
products before the strict Lenten fast began. What
better way than to turn them into pancakes? In some
parts of England, there are "pancake day races," a
tradition dating back to the 15th century. The legend
goes that a medieval housewife, in the midst of
cooking pancakes, rushed off to church, skillet still
in hand, when she heard the Shrove Tuesday "shriving
bell" summoning her to confession. Today, women
carrying a skillet containing a pancake (that must be
flipped three times during the race) vie to see who
will be first to complete the course.

Who will host the party?

Mexico -

While in some countries Epiphany is the occasion for
the crowning of the king or queen of the feast, the
custom has an unhappier ending in this part of the
world! Whoever discovers a little sugar Jesus or a
bean in his "rosca de reyes," or kings' crown, has to
organize and pay for the Candlemas party on February
2, when all the guests will be invited for tamales. It
is whispered that anyone who is a bit stingy will have
no qualms about swallowing the bean, but since the
party takes place with family and friends, the
subterfuge is quickly pointed out with laughs and
good-natured taunts.

Candlemas is essentially a religious holiday

The word Candlemas comes from the Latin "festa
candelarum," the festival of candles. It was
originally a pagan holiday called Lupercales that
honoured the god Pan, during which rowdy revelers
would run through the streets of Rome at night waving
flaming torches.
Pope Gelasius I, who often provided pancakes to
sustain weary pilgrims arriving in Rome, decided in
472 to Christianize the old pagan holiday by renaming
it the feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in
the temple, symbolized by light. On Candlemas, candles
are brought to the church to be blessed, to be lit
later during storms to provide protection from
lightning, as well as in the bedrooms of the dying to
keep away evil spirits. Candles were also burned
during the sowing season and carried in procession
through fields and vineyards.

February 2 marks the halfway point of the winter
season and there are numerous weather-related proverbs
connected with the day. One old English proverb holds
that "if Candlemas be fair and bright, winter has
another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
winter will not come again."

In a North American tradition that dates back to early
Pennsylvania German settlers, February 2 is also known
as "Groundhog Day." Legend has it that if a groundhog
emerges from its hole on February 2 and sees its
shadow, there will be 6 more weeks of winter weather!

While the candles may have gone out long ago,
"pancake" day lives on. Just add a bowlful of cider to
make the feast complete!