Happy Liichtmëssdag!

Liitchtmëssdag crossing - photo wort.lu

Just a quick post to document our first Liichtmëssdag (Candlelight Day?)  We found out about this February 2nd holiday just earlier this week.   As the local English-language newspaper states:

"On “Liichtmëssdag” children in Luxembourg traditionally set out with lanterns to sing the “Léiwer Härgottsblieschen” for people in their neighbourhood wishing them luck for the coming year in return for sweets."

The kids make paper lanterns at school and learn the special song to sing when they go out caroling/trick-or-treating on the 2nd.  You can purchase the little lights hanging from poles to go inside the lanterns at supermarkets (see above diagram), but we found out about it too late to go running around town to find a store that still had them in stock.  And, we already had dinner plans, so we decided to pass on going door to door.  Liichtmëssdag was a bit of a non-event in the T household, I'm afraid.  I did snap a picture of the kids with their lanterns.

Daphne learned the Léiwer Härgottsblieschen at school, but didn't feel confident enough in the words to sing for the camera.  I read that the song actually asks for peas and bacon, but somewhere along the line the kids started receiving candy and coins instead.  Probably for the best.

James learned another song which we think basically explains the holiday.  I suppose it's kind of like "Intro to Liitchmëssdag" for the little ones.  He told us it's about knocking on doors and singing for candy.

Seems like an upgrade from Halloween to me!

*update: James just told us he's actually is singing 2 songs here.  The first one is about Liitchmëssdag.  The second one is about coming to school and getting your picture taken, and you say hello and that you're happy.  Apparently.