Seasonal Musings for February

The first full moon of 2026, the “Wolf Moon” took place on January 3^rd. Although it was a chilly winter night, I had an urge to take a walk after dinner that evening. I wanted to take in some fresh air and have a conversation with the full moon. (She didn’t have much to say. Celestial bodies can’t talk.) I sat on a bench in the park for a few minutes and observed the moon peeking through the trees. 

I thought about the next appearance of the full moon. It would be February 1^st. What would come to pass in this new year between now and then? Where will I be in a month? What will I be doing? The only certainty would be the moonrise would be a bit later because the day would be longer. A day or two earlier I noticed the sun hadn't set yet at 4:40 PM, but it was dusk at 4:50. I congratulated myself for observing the world around me enough to notice the subtle change in the length of the day.

Anyone who knows me knows winter isn’t an easy season for me. I don’t like cold and I don’t like dark short days. When February arrives, I am usually fed up with winter. I want to wake up to the sun and still see the sun when I come home from work. I want to go outside without a coat. I want to be able to go riding every weekend and not be stopped by bad weather.

I have had to learn to make peace with winter. I don’t have a choice. I could move to a warmer climate, but that’s not practical at this stage in my life. Besides the farther south one travels, the less you experience the lengthening day. Is a 9PM sunset in June worth a cold winter and a 4:30 PM sunset in November? It might be, so I have to learn to take the bad with the good. I need to not only endure winter, but find ways to enjoy it.

As I stared up at the moon that night, I mused on when it would arrive again. The next full moon would be February 1^st. That is the Pagan holiday of Imbolc, the Christian holiday of Candlemas, and the eve of the American folk holiday of Groundhog Day. A little later in February we have the Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and Valentine's Day. 

What is the commonality of all these holidays? They mark the midpoint of winter. We are forty days past the Winter Solstice and have another forty-eight days to go until the Spring Equinox. At this point, those of us who hate winter are tired of it and want it to be over. The winter holidays are long gone. There isn’t much else happening unless we make the effort to make something happen. On the other hand, we now have over a half hour of extra daylight added on to the day. There is some optimism there. February is all about hoping for brighter, happier times, even though we still have to endure a bit more cold and darkness.

In some ways, we can call Groundhog Day the Hump Day of Winter.

While Imbolc and Groundhog Day are both about waiting for spring to come (with Groundhog Day being about uncertainty and Imbolc, focusing more on the coming spring and light). Candlemas deviates a bit from the theme. It is officially about the day Mary and Joseph presented Jesus to the temple. This would happen forty days after Christmas (thus ending the Christmas season) as children were presented to the temple forty days after birth. But Christianity can’t completely remove the pagan symbolism. Even the name, Candlemas, suggests light returning.

What’s even more coincidental is how traditional Candlemas foods don’t differ much from traditional Imbolc foods. Crepes and pancakes are common Candlemas foods in France and Italy. They are round and represent the sun. This tradition becomes a thread throughout the entire month. Mardi Gras usually falls in February. Think of how many similar treats are associated with Mardi gras. There are pancakes in the UK and Ireland. In Poland they eat Paczki. The Pennsylvania Dutch eat fasnachts. You can’t tell me these aren’t at least tangentially related to other festivals. The reasoning for these treats is they are made from deluxe ingredients like milk and eggs that are forbidden during Lent, but dairy products happen to be a major part of the Imbolc feast.

It’s a testament to human nature to see how many cultures use February celebrations to alleviate winter ennui. Europe has Candlemas and the United States has Groundhog Day. East Asia considers this the New Year's Day as it anticipates spring renewal. Imbolc celebrates the continued return of light since the solstice. Candlemas is the story of the "light" embodied by Jesus, presented to the world. Mardi Gras marks a period of fasting prior to the joyful holiday of Easter. Even Valentine's Day is a focus away from winter and onto loved ones (that's why I have no shame in celebrating it with Kevin as a way of giving us some positivity and fun in the middle of a miserable month).

This had me thinking of why we don't seem to observe Candlemas in the United States. Is it the Pagan origins? The puritanical roots of this country aren't friendly to holidays that aren't completely rooted in Christian tradition. In early colonies, even Christmas was illegal. Maybe it's because of antisemitism. American Christians don't want to celebrate Jesus being presented to the temple because it reminds them of His Jewishness.

(As an aside, that makes some sense. I used to wonder why western Christians celebrated Easter according the full moon and the equinox rather than having it follow three days after the Passover Seder, which would align it more with Jesus's timeline. I learned it had to do with the antisemitism of the early Catholic church. I find it amusing that they aligned with the German pagan feast of Astora instead. Is that any better? No wonder the hardcore evangelicals and fundies call it Resurrection Sunday now.) 

I couldn't go outside and admire the February "Snow Moon" this month, because it was too danged cold outside. That doesn't mean I can't sit quietly for a bit and contemplate what has come to pass.

Well, to start, the Snow Moon really has been a snow moon. The weather wasn't pleasant in December and has only gone downhill from there. We have had major snowstorms and frigid temperatures. 

I have a new play. I will be making my debut with the Manor Club Theater playing the role of Jan in Cahoots. That will occupy those remaining cold dark days with one of my passions.

Speaking of passions, I have barely seen my horses. It's too cold and icy to go to the barn.

I am home much more. It’s too cold to go into the office. I don’t want to to be freezing my butt off at the train station in the morning. I get outside less and walk less, so I am gaining weight.

I am diligently working with a physical therapist to treat the bursitis in my shoulder . I am still having hamstring tendinitis pain that I hope to treat after my shoulder is better. I hope I can start lifting again before the summer comes.

So far 2026 hasn’t shown itself to be the most promising year. This has been a month of mixed blessings. But I still have events to look forward to in this cold, stagnant month of February. 

This weekend I will be seeing the final performance of Perfect Arrangement at Elmwood Playhouse. I will also be throwing their cast party. It’s a tradition at Elmwood for the cast of the previous show to throw the cast party for the next show. I look forward to a reunion with my cast mates from The Prom.

Kevin and I will be spending Valentines Day seeing our friends in Urinetown at Curtain Call. 

Cahoots rehearsals start next week. The adventure begins!

You never know what other blessings will arrive before the full moon comes again.

Bring on the second half of winter. 

*****************

Just for fun, did you know someone came up with a Valentine's Week concept that has designated days for gifts or actions? I should remind Kevin the 9th is Chocolate Day.

I want to know what kind of "teddy" they mean though.