An Anglo-Saxon legend tells how the dawn goddess Eostre found a wounded bird and transformed it into a hare, so that it could survive the winter. The hare found it could lay eggs, so it decorated these each spring and left them as offerings to the goddess. Over the centuries, the observance of this ancient fertility rite became known as Ostara, Eastremonath or Easter, and was recognised as a time of rebirth, new beginnings, fertility, flowers and egg-laying. In the southern hemisphere, we acknowledge the Spring Equinox on 21 September. It’s when baby animals are born and daffodils, crocuses, tulips and bluebells first appear.

Candlemas marks the midpoint of winter, halfway between the shortest day and the spring equinox. As the long, bleak, cold winter dragged on, our ancestors yearned for warm sunlight to return. Your great-great-great grandmother might also have woven a straw ‘circle cross’ to honour St Brigid at this time. On February 2, countryfolk took candles to their local parish and had them blessed. All over Europe, churches twinkled with beautiful candlelit processions. Candlemas was a festival of lengthening days, candle-lighting, picking snowdrops, hearth fires and special foods (particularly dairy, as ewes began lactating in early spring). In the southern hemisphere, we acknowledge this annual ‘Festival of Light’ on August 2.