S3.E4: The Candlemas Bear
Season 3, Episode 4
Title: The Candlemas Bear
Time: 13 minutes
Locations: Blue Hill
Story: The Little Candlemas Bear
Listen:
About The Episode:
In this episode I’ve got all kinds of Candlemas lore from Newfoundland -- everything from weather predictions to bear stories and card games it’s pleasant distraction from the winter weather. (PS... I'm not old enough to have read a newspaper in 1902, no matter what I say.)
I also share the story of The Little Candlemas Bear. On Candlemas Day, Little Bear wakes to find his shadow missing. His search leads to a warm home, a wise Grandmother, and a winter secret.
Listening Options
You can listen to the episode here or on your favourite platform.
Credits
Ocean and Fog Horn, Shepardr, freesound.org, creative commons 0
Stargazer Ambient Guitar Music, Destructo20, freesound.org, creative commons 0
Sources & Further Reading
The Little Candlemas Bear, Product of Newfoundland
A Candlemas Rhyme to Bear in Mind, Product of Newfoundland
A young schoolteacher’s 1876 Christmas journey from St. John’s to Fogo reveals mummering, bonfires, and outport hospitality — a timeless Newfoundland Christmas story about belonging, tradition, and finding home in unexpected places.
They were supposed to leave before winter. When they didn’t, the Christmas whales of Springdale turned a frozen bay into a story no one would forget.
A starving horse. A loyal Newfoundland dog. And a tragedy so unsettling it sparked outrage in 1882.
During WWI, a Newfoundland dog named Sable Chief marched with The Royal Newfoundland Regiment, lifted spirits, and broke hearts when he died. This is the story of their beloved mascot.
In the early 20th century a mysterious light glowed Trinity Bay and it got people talking. Was it sabotage?
After a deadly collision in 1869, the Charles Haskell became the most feared schooner in North Atlantic history when her crew claimed be haunted by ghostly fishermen.