As these tapers burn with visible fire and dispel the darkness ...

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright,

Winter will have another flight

If on Candlemas Day it be shower and rain,

Winter is gone and will not come again.
If Candlemas Day be damp and black,

It will carry cold winter away on its back.

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,

There’ll be two winters in the year.

Hmm, I guess this means we're in for another winter as it's bright and clear and -1(!) this morning here in the Big Square State! But, that's ok as it's Candlemas Day which means we get to spend the day, cozy inside, making candles to be blessed tonight at dinner (and we'll use them all year for our various celebrations and feasts). Here's the blessing we'll use:

O holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God,

you have created all things from nothing;

you have commanded the bees to produce this liquid of wax which has been made into a perfect candle;

you have on this day fulfilled the petitions of the just Simeon:

We humbly implore you through the invocation of your holy name and through the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin, whose feast we devoutly celebrate today, also through the prayers of all your saints:

Deign to bless and sanctify these candles for human use, for the welfare of body and soul both on land and on water.

These your servants desire to carry them in their hands while they praise you with their hymns:

Hear their voices graciously from your holy Heaven and from the throne of your majesty;

be merciful to all who cry to you,

whom you have redeemed by the precious blood of your Son, who lives and reigns with you, God for ever and ever.

Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, true light that enlightens every man who comes into this world, bestow your blessing upon these candles, and sanctify them with the light of your grace. As these tapers burn with visible fire and dispel the darkness of night, so may our hearts with the help of your grace be enlightened by the invisible fire of the splendor of the Holy Ghost, and may be free from all blindness of sin. Clarify the eyes of our minds that we may see what is pleasing to you and conducive to our salvation. After the dark perils of this life let us be worthy to reach the eternal light. Through you, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, who in perfect Trinity livest and reignest, God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

We will also spend the day, while letting candles cool, snuggled on the couch with a stack of read-alouds I've been meaning to get to and just haven't yet. We'll start one and either finish it or move on.....more later!