Dreaming of Spring Weather
February and March always provide a sneak peak into spring weather. A few pleasant, sunny days to tease us and get us dreaming about the warm weather activities we’ve missed during the winter. But, then cold weather inevitably returns and we must wait for spring to truly bloom.
LifeBridge Partnership held its 11th annual Trivia Night on February 3. Although it was cold, snow and ice did not interfere with our event. We raised more than $53k and are already planning for next year. So, mark your calendars and join us for Trivia Night 2024 on February 2 @ Royale Orleans. Hopefully the weather will cooperate again!
Whether this time of year has you hunkered down waiting for warmer weather or spring has already sprung, February and March offer many interesting facts and lore. Who knows? Maybe we’ll test your knowledge on these at Trivia Night 2024….
In any event, did you know?
What’s in a Name
The word February comes from “februa,” a Latin word meaning “to cleanse,” and was named after an ancient month-long Roman festival of purification called Februa. Both January and February were added to the Roman calendar around 700 BCE.
March, or Martius, is named for the Roman god of war, Mars. This is because active military campaigns, interrupted by winter, resumed in March. March was originally the first month of the calendar, but January and February became designated as the first and second months sometime around 450 BCE.
Holidays, to Name a Few
February & March give us some popular holidays to celebrate such as Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras & St. Patrick’s day, but what is Clean Monday or the Borrowing Days? And, why should we beware the Ides of March?
Clean Monday is also called “Pure Monday”. This day marks the beginning of Great Lent for followers of the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church.
The Borrowing Days are the last three days of March. According to lore, they have a reputation for being stormy. I suppose that’s why March is National Umbrella Month!
Beware the Ides of March! In the tragedy Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare, and supposedly also in real life, Caesar was warned by a soothsayer to “beware the Ides of March”. Caesar was killed on March 15th; and in Roman culture, the 'Ides' typically meant a day falling between the 13th and 15th of the month. Today it is considered an ill-fated day.
Flowers of the Month
While many roses are sold during February, the violet and the primrose are the official symbolic flowers of the month. Giving someone a violet, which signifies watchfulness, loyalty, and faithfulness, lets them know that you’ll always be there for them. A gift of a primrose lets someone know that you can’t live without them. March’s flower, the daffodil or jonquil, signifies unrequited love or a desire for a return of affection.
Folklore for the Season
I’m not sure how much stock we can put in folklore, but it offers some interesting “theories”:
Married in February’s sleety weather, Life you’ll tread in tune together.
If February gives much snow, a fine summer it doth foreshow.
Thunder in spring, Cold will bring.
So many mists in March you see, so many frosts in May will be.
In beginning or in end, March its gifts will send.
I won’t guarantee that the aforementioned information will be part of our Trivia Night questions next year, but I hope you enjoyed reading about the various February & March fun facts. And, I hope you will join us on February 2, 2024 to raise awareness and fund our mission!
Karen Schuster, CEO