Today is Candlemas, the official end of the Christmas Season according to ancient tradition. The Christmas cycle ends with the last singing of the Alma Redemptoris Mater tonight.
This feast - solemnity recalls the day when our Blessed Mother - Mary being a Jewess and forty days after giving birth to her first-born Son, the Messiah; presented herself in the Temple as Orthodox Jewish women still do today for a mikvah, or Purification.
Here is some Candlemas verse.
A little English rhyme which seems to indicate the origin of the rodent used for prediction.
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.
In Germany, it went thus:
For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,
So far will the snow swirl until May.
The Candelmas Eve hymn when all the Christmas finery began to be put away:
1. Down with the rosemary and bays,
Down with the mistletoe ;
Instead of holly, now up-raise
The greener box, for show.
Refrain:
Thus times and seasons oft do shift; each thing his turn doth hold ;
New thoughts and things now do succeed, as former things grow old.
2. The holly hitherto did sway ;
Let box now domineer
Until the dancing Easter day,
Or Easter's eve appear. Refrain
3. Then youthful box which now hath grace
Your houses to renew ;
Grown old, surrender must his place
Unto the crisped yew. Refrain
4. When yew is out, then birch comes in,
And many flowers beside ;
Both of a fresh and fragrant kin
To honour Whitsuntide. Refrain
5. Green rushes, then, and sweetest bents,
With cooler oaken boughs,
Come in for comely ornaments
To re-adorn the house. Refrain
These were quaint little cultural occurrences in Europe. When the protestants came to America, mainly the Germans into Pennsylvania, they could not have anything to do with their heritage, the One, True Catholic faith. So they substituted a rodent. Canadians of course, followed suit with the worship of Willie the rat from Wiarton rather than the Light to the Gentiles.
Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord,
according to Thy word in peace;
Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation,
Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:
A light to the revelation of the Gentiles,
and the glory of Thy people Israel.