celebrate Candlemas on February 2

I definitely want to do this again this year.

How did I celebrate? Well…

Let’s see. Fertility, grain, poetry, dairy, lambs, the early signs of spring, purification, candles, light, fire, and new beginnings are all mentioned as related to Candlemas.

I had planned to spin some yarn on my drop spindle but my wool isn’t easily accessible at the moment and I’ve got a yarn only partially finished on the spindle right now anyway.

So.
This afternoon I practiced my bellydancing (substituting fertility with sensuality). This evening I ate a toasted french roll smothered with butter before slipping into a bath colored spring green that had been naturally made into a frothy milk bath using powdered milk, corn starch, and baking soda. I bathed in the dark save for the many candles I lit of varying sizes, shapess and colors. I scrubbed the tips of my toes and the tip of my nose and everywhere in between with baking soda and olive oil soap. I hope to either begin planning or fully begin a light spring scarf before bed as well as drench myself from head to toe with either some goat’s milk hyacinth scented lotion or some organic honey lotion. And I may very well read some poetry before drifting off to sleep.

All in all I feel completely refreshed, ready to begin the new year, clean, relaxed, and extremely glad I decided to celebrate tonight.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art27504.asp
http://www.ehow.com/how_10187_celebrate-candlemas.html
http://www.witchway.net/days/days.html

especially good link regarding this: http://www.schooloftheseasons.com/candlemas.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlemas
http://www.ucc.ie/fecc/imbolc.html

Albeit a completely secular version.