St Martin’s Day

Now that Halloween is over and Fall is in full swing, it is time to prepare for St. Martin's Day or Martinmas. According to folklore, if the weather is warm on St Martin’s Day, then a harsh winter will follow; conversely, if the weather at Martinmas is icy, then by Christmas it will be much warmer.

But what is Martinmas? Saint Martin's Day or Martinmas, sometimes historically called Old Halloween or Old Hallowmas Eve, is the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours and is celebrated in the liturgical year on 11 November. In Germany we celebrate this with lanterns and a feast of goose, breads. It is a day to reflect on kindness. I remember that in school we often made lanterns and then walked around with them on the playground. In November the morning are still dark and everything looked so pretty with the illuminated lanterns.

‘If ducks do slide at Martinmas

At Christmas they will swim;

If ducks do swim at Martinmas

At Christmas they will slide’

‘Ice before Martinmas,

Enough to bear a duck.

The rest of winter,

Is sure to be but muck!’

We also sang lantern songs and as children walking the streets at night, sometimes we would ring doorbells and sang those songs in exchange for some sweets. Sound familiar? Kinda like Trick o Treat. Legend has it that, while in hiding, St. Martin was betrayed by geese squawking. He had hidden in a stall in order to avoid being appointed Bishop of Tours, and in revenge for the betrayal St. Martin ate a goose. Children nowadays play the game duck, duck, goose...!

November 11 is also the official start of Karneval, Fasching and Fastnacht. These holidays all begin eleven minutes past eleven o’clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month! It is at this time that carnival clubs and neighborhood groups start their preparations for the carnival season. This fun season then culminates with huge Fasching (Mardi Gras) parades in February.