Candlemas Day: Cake, Candles and Kings

These days most Newfoundlanders probably best know February 2nd as Groundhog Day… even though groundhogs don’t live on the island and probably don’t know much about our weather.

Before groundhog folklore got a foothold the day was better known as Candlemas, a religious festival of candles.

But for many the candles took a backseat. Much like Groundhog Day, a lot of Candlemas talk was about weather. In fact, there are enough Candlemas forecasting superstitions to put groundhogs to shame. I’ve written about some of those before.

This year I decided to look in a different direction. I was curious about Newfoundland Candlemas Day beliefs and customs that had nothing to do with weather.

Here are a few.

Throwing The Candlemas Cake

For some Newfoundlanders Candlemas Day was a time to celebrate. It was nearly a month after Old Christmas Day, the days were cold and dark, and an opportunity to inject some merriment into the depth of winter was a welcomed.

Some Newfoundlanders had a Candlemas Cake but usually it wasn’t something they ate, it was a social event.

Oftentimes it was a house party. People gathered in homes of friends and family to have a drink, share stories, sing songs, and dance. The evening was often capped off with a meal which, for many, did not involve eating cake.

Except when it did.

Playing For The Candlemas Cake

An old Christmas custom in the Eastport area (where I grew up) was playing for the Christmas Cake. People (probably men) got together to play cards over a succession of evenings leading up to the holidays. At stake each evening was an ingredient for a cake. On the first night, for example, they might play for flour. The night’s losers would forfeit just enough cash to pay for flour for a cake. On the second night they might play for molasses, then raisins, and so forth until enough money or goods were set aside to make a cake.

Then some night during the Christmas holidays the cake would be baked (probably by women) and they would gather and eat it.

As the holiday season became more crowded with events and obligations people drifted away from playing cards evening-after-evening and the custom faded.

But it wasn’t gone for good.

January, which was much less busy, provided a perfect opportunity to gather around the kitchen table, be social and play a hand of cards. Playing for the Christmas cake soon morphed into playing for the Candlemas cake which was eaten by the card players and their families on February 2nd.

Candlemas Candle Insurance

For some Christians an important part of Candlemas Day is the blessing of candles. It is from this custom that Candlemas gets its name. As part of a church service, prayers were said over candles then they were distributed among churchgoers.

In some parts of Newfoundland having one of these candles in your home was considered a form of insurance — a house with a Candlemas-blessed candle was believed to be safe from fire for the coming year.

The Candlemas King

Some Newfoundlanders of French heritage refer celebrate Candlemas Day as La Fete de la Chandeleur.

On the Port-au-Port Peninsula there’s been a custom of selecting a Chandeleur King who’s job it is lead people in a celebration of the day. The king carries a staff and visits community members collecting for a party. With each visit ribbons are tied to the staff. At the party people share a meal, and the king leads the crowd in dancing.

Check out the video above shared by L'Association régionale de la Côte-Ouest (ARCO) featuring the song ‘The Time on Candlemas Day’ which describes the customs in the Port au Port area.

I believe it was written/performed by Felix et Felix. You get the lyrics here .

Your Candlemas Memories

This list is far from exhaustive. If you have any Candlemas traditions, I’d love to hear them.

The comment section is always open.

• Sources and Further Reading

  1. A Newfoundland Outport in the Making, Harold Squire, 1974

  2. Explore Ta Francophonie

  3. Fables, Fairies & Folklore, Alice Lannon and Mike McCarthy