On this day in ...... 2011 (today), is celebrated what French speakers call Chandeleur; English, Candelmas; Italian, Candelora; Spanish, Candelaria. A Christian holiday derived from pagan traditions, it's long been a day to try to break out of winter doldrums by divining harbingers of summer. Thus do many North Americans look to groundhogs for inspiration on this day, while other northerners consult other hibernating mammals. Some cultures take a tastier tack, feasting on foods that remind them of sunny summer: crêpes (photo credit) or tamales or ... you get the idea. Enjoy!
(Prior February 2 posts are here, here, and here.)
