The Yuletide Season has ended and Mardi Gras Season has begun. The Yuletide Season goes from Yule, the Winter Solstice to Epiphany, All King’s Day. Our current calendar, the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in 1582, puts Epiphany on January 6th. Epiphany is the celebration of when the three kings arrived to view the baby Jesus while he and his family were still in Bethlehem. It marks the end of the Yuletide Season and the beginning of the Mardi Gras Season.
Yes, Mardi Gras is an entire season, not just one day. The next 7 weeks are a festival of parties, balls, parades, beads, plastic coins, and King Cake. This all culminates on Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras. This year that falls on February 21st. The next day is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten Season.
Other festivities fall into this period of time. Valentine’s Day, of course. Those of us who worship in pre-Christian traditions celebrations honor Imbolc, the mid-point of Winter, on February 2nd. Astrologically this Season is dominated by Capricorn and Aquarius. Being an Aquarius myself, I love celebrating my birthday during the Mardi Gras Season.
So go out and continue the joyousness of the Yuletide Season into the festivity of the Mardi Gras Season. On February 2nd light a candle and acknowledge that Winter is half over. The austerity of the Lenten Season will be upon us before we know it.
