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aussieannie
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Our first day back for our homeschooling group will be around the Candlemas feast, does anyone have any good group activities/crafts for this feast day they could share?
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Paula in MN
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My kids combined birthday party will have a Candlemas theme. I'm borrowing heavily from Alice's tea ideas! 
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 Paula
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LucyP
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We're making candles. My son wanted to make candle cakes to eat, but as some children can't have sugar we are instead experimenting with making "candles" from cheese! And having a story. That's all I came up with. Sorry.
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Gloria JMJ
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http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/p006rpSeeMalachi. htm
I found this last year to sing with my children for the feast. The words are great with lots of meaning, but the tune can be tricky. My boys love the old chant style though, so I use my piano to keep us on key 
~Gloria
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MaryM
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We often make candles - rolled or dipped. I have done it with a group, but can be a challenge with the dipped candles especially. I prefer a smaller group for this activity.
In searching one year for Candlemas images I found that in Poland this feast is called Blessed Mother of the Candles or ”Matka Boska Gromniczna,” in Polish. In this polish tradition candles are decorated with ribbons or liturgical symbols and are brought to the church to be blessed by the priest. The blessed candles (called gromnice) are then brought home and are burned before a portrait of the Blessed Mother, until sunrise the following day. I love to incorporate new liturgical traditions that have a connection to our family heritage - in this case Polish, so we've done this a couple times.
Several years ago Charlotte bloggeda bout focusing on the doves (or pigeons) that were offered as sacrifice. I loved it and we have read some of our favorite pigeon books on Candlemas:
Angelo
Fly Homer Fly
Fly High Fly Low
Participation in the Journey North classes isn't necessarily a good one time group activity, but having some activity around the idea behind Journey North would be. This study focuses on the change of the seasons due to the changing amount of sunlight and amazingly it starts on February 2. Candlemas is a perfect celebration of light in our faith - the celebration of Christ as the light of the world. This feast happens at a symbolic time of year, too - as the days are gradually getting longer - there is more light each day (that is in the Northern Hemisphere). One could explain or have an activity around the increasing light - oops, just remembering you are Southern Hemisphere , huh, Anne, so it isn't applicable to you in the way it is to us Northern Hemisphere folks.
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JennGM
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I learned quite a few new things about Candlemas traditions from this site.
Pancakes, anyone?
I don't recreate a home Paschal candle every year, but one year I hope to make our own Christ Candle and have it blessed on Candlemas and then decorate it in Lent to have for Holy Saturday and the Easter season.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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And wouldn't it be nice to find a source for Candlemas bells for our gardens?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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I love the weather lore connected for feast days, especially this red letter day:
England:
When on the Purification sun hath shin'd,
The greatest part of winter comes behind.
If Candlemas-day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight;
But if Candlemas-day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.
Scotland:
If Candlemas be dry and fair,
The half o'winter's to come and mair;
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
The half o'winter was gone at Youl.
Germany:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
For as the snow blows on Candlemas Day,
So far will the sun shine before May.
France:
At the day of Candlemas,
Cold in air and snow on grass;
If the sun then entice the bear from his den,
He turns round thrice and gets back again.
America:
If the sun shines on Groundhog Day;
Half the fuel and half the hay.
For more, see Wilson's Almanac
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Jennifer G. Miller
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MaryM
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I had an idea for Edible candles for Candlemas which I posted at Catholic Cuisine.
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Mary M. in Denver
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missionfamily
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Oh Mary--I love them!
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SuzanneG
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Here is a thread from the archives: Candlemas -
And, the Loveliness Fair for Candlemas.
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aussieannie
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Thank you for sharing with me, I'm sorry I've taken such time to get back, first week back at school and I haven't had any time for myself. I'm still reading through links...Charlotte your screens around the candles are a brilliant idea, simply brilliant.
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aussieannie
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It is Candlemas today here in Australia and here are our activities for the day!
Candlemas screen lights
Candlemas candle cake
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BrendaPeter
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I found a coloring page here.
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Betsy
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Gosh...this is late. But I just found a cute, and easy craft with a "candle" theme. Here it is.
Betsy
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donnalynn
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Here's a little something I adapted from a winter play I have - you could do small table top puppets, act it out, or just read it as verses. The original play "Candles" was written by W.M. von Heider
Gnomes*
We are the gnomes
Who tend the good brown earth
Where there are rocks and stones
And cracks filled with soil;
The good brown earth
*Alternate verse
Here is the good brown earth
Where there are rocks and stones
And cracks filled with soil -
Good brown earth
Snowdrops
We are the flowers
The first of many to follow
That root deep in the soil
Twixt the cracks in the rocks
In the good brown earth
Bees
We are the bees
That make wax and honey
From summer flowers
That root deep in the soil
Twixt the cracks in the rocks
In the good brown earth
Children
We are the children
Who have melted the wax
To make the candles
A gift from the bees
That gather the wax and honey
From summer flowers
That root deep in the soil
Twixt the cracks in the rocks
In the good brown earth.
Angels
We are the angels
From heaven above;
Both day and night
We watch over the children
Who have melted the wax
To make the candles
A gift from the bees
That gather wax and honey
From summer flowers
That root deep in the soil
Twixt the cracks in the rocks
In the good brown earth
Mary
I am Mary, the mother meek and mild,
Mary, the mother of the Holy Child;
Now kindle your candles
And remember this day
When at the Temple, I presented
Two turtles doves and my sweet Babe.
Light your candles and remember
The Light of World
whose birth was beheld
By angels from heaven above
Who both day and night
Watch over the children...
etc...
Next year I hope to add verses for the doves and Simeon - I ran out of creative energy this year.
You can also find wonderful images and statues of Mary with the Infant and a candle by searching for "Our Lady of Candelaria" or "Our Lady of Candlemas". I enlarged this image a couple of years ago cut it out and backed with some pretty paper - I slip it in one of those magnet photo sleeves and she is on my refrigerator.
I love this image of Mary with a lighted candle - she helps me to brave this time of year when I am blue from winter and the cold.
Oh and it is sunny and clear here - Groundhog is sure to see his shadow - six more weeks of winter - heaven help me. 
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Rachel May
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aussieannie wrote:
| Our first day back for our homeschooling group will be around the Candlemas feast, does anyone have any good group activities/crafts for this feast day they could share? |
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I took the advice of a good friend and took the kids to Mass. We sang a song to the tune of Tantum Ergo, but it had a verse about the Presentation. But now I can't remember what the piece was called so we can't find it to sing again later. Still, I feel like we really celebrated with just the sacrifice of taking 7 tired and hungry kids to noon mass. 
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MaryM
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Late, I know - but if you haven't had dinner yet, here's an idea to dress up the table settings tonight.
Candle-folded Nakpins
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Maryan
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Fun ideas ladies!
I'm excited that we made it to Mass!!! And the choir (amongst other things) sang "Lord bid" which is fitting for today. And we got donuts, Dunkin Donuts, of course. 
We also made a Presentation cake -- out of ice cream sandwiches (I was flour-caked out) and cool whip. The temple was made by stacks of sandwiches and the courtyard was just one layer. Everything was covered in cool whip (I was out of the real stuff).
I have a little wooden Anna, Simeon, Mary, Joseph, Jesus and their offering out of clothespins from our Atrium presentations. And then candles for the outside of the cake.
Our priest gave a little sermon about a culture that keeps baby Jesus in a crib and then puts him in a chair on the Feast of the Presentation...or something like that. I had five distractions during the sermon.
I haven't read Jenn's links yet... they probably tell more about it!
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JennGM
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Maryan wrote:
| Our priest gave a little sermon about a culture that keeps baby Jesus in a crib and then puts him in a chair on the Feast of the Presentation...or something like that. I had five distractions during the sermon. |
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I was rejoicing that I got to Mass, too. Dh stayed home, as it was the anniversary of his dad's death and I had the Mass offered for his soul. So I had help for Mass, which is always nice. Got to see Maryan and Mary G., too. 
We celebrated simply. We went out to eat for dinner.
I was going to come here and type about Father's sermon. The Hispanic families in our parish have the tradition of bringing their baby Jesus in the manger for a blessing at Christmas, and for this Sunday they brought Baby Jesus now sitting in a chair. I read about a little about it. Since Candlemas is 40 days after Christmas, they take down Christmas decorations and start their devotion to the Holy Childhood of Jesus.
And perhaps you saw KathrynUK's post of Candlemas Eve poem?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Activities for candlemas?
