17 Days into Winter Holiday Trivia and counting (up to Day 25)! Yesterday, there was a slight shift in the leader board for this contest (see notes below), but it's still anyone's game. So, read up and participate!
Candles have long been a part of observing and celebrating Christmas. They are also used in other festivals of light that occur at this time of year, such as Hanukkah (which predates Christianity and Christmas) and Kwanzaa (a more modern Winter festival). There is something common among the traditions that find a home in the last month of the year: The lighting of candles to dispel darkness. Granted, that is the general purpose of a candle. But it takes on a greater significance at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. Your question today:
What is the European, pre-Christian symbolism associated with the use of candles at this time of year? (Be specific!)
Whatever you celebrate during this season I call Chrismahanukwanzakyule, I hope you enjoy the beautiful and poignant "One Small Candle" by Jessica Radcliffe, Lisa Ekström and Martin Simpson. It can be found on the 2001 album, Beautiful Darkness, which is a moving musical meditation on the Solstice.
Contest Notes:
Remember, my 25 Days of Winter Holiday Trivia is an actual contest. If you want to participate, all you have to do is send me your answer to each question I've posted (and for which I have not yet posted the answer). I'll start posting answers on Wednesday, but will likely only go through the first week of trivia. So you still have time to go back through the posted questions and rack up some points.
Points? Yes! The three folks who rack up the most points in my trivia game will receive a gift card!
If you want to participate, simply message me your answers. Don't post in the comments unless you don't mind sharing your work. (Just DM me on Twitter, private message me on FB, or use the contact info on this blog to email me).
No comments:
Post a Comment