La Chandeleur – An excuse to have pancakes twice!

Personally, I don’t need an excuse, but it is still interesting to find out about the French tradition of La Chandeleur.
In France, the Catholic holiday of Candlemas is on the 2nd February and it is called La Chandeleur the Feast of Candles. In the past people used to light candles to celebrate. Even today, people light candles in rooms around their homes to spread good luck.
But today people eat pancakes as well!
Use this information sheet and activities to explore all the traditions of La Chandeleur.
The resources for this tradition were taken from French Festivals and Traditions, KS2. The book is an invaluable and time-saving resource for Key Stage 2 teachers, providing intercultural ideas for every month of the year.
And in case you need an excuse to have pancakes again, Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) in the UK is on the 4th March (2025). Do your pupils know Pancake Day is celebrated in the UK for a different reason? It is a day of feasting and repentance to use up eggs, milk and butter before the fasting season of Lent.
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