Page 24 - 2021 Almanac

WILLIAM MORRIS (1834–1896)
February starts off cold and dark – at first it seems even more wintry than January! But by the end of the month we will have two hours more daylight and spring will be around the corner.
People often think of February as a time to be quiet and thoughtful before nature wakes up from its long winter’s sleep. A few religions hold a ‘fast’ during this month, which means that people do not eat anything during daylight hours. Some Christians fast during Lent, which often occurs in February. Buddhists fast during a full moon. Some pagans fast in preparation for Ostara, the spring festival. The idea is that fasting helps you to clear your mind and focus on prayer.
By the middle of February, we can feel tired and in need of a break – so it’s a good thing that the half-term holidays happen this month!
Why is February Called February?
The Latin name for this month was Februarius. It came from the Latin word februum which means ‘purification’. The Romans thought of the fifth day of this month as the official first day of spring. On the fifteenth they celebrated a festival called Februa.
This was a time to get rid of evil spirits and to cleanse the air so that people felt fit and healthy for spring. This is where we get our idea of spring cleaning from. Perhaps you could use the colder, darker days this month to tidy your bedroom or help clear out the shed or garage.
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