You wake up and pour yourself a cup of coffee. The calendar stares at you and you stare at it a little out of focus, still sleepy and certainly not in the mood to celebrate.
So it is the 2nd of February: what do you do?
If you are a bit more observant you will notice that although it looks like just another normal day, February 2 has something about it that makes it different. Maybe it is your well-mannered male-colleague who every time greets you with a warm welcoming smilebut today just gives a cold nod and goes back to work.
Usually people are glad to be congratulated on their birthday, anniversary or whatever they celebratebut today a nervous look of tension is the best response you can get. Unless of course the person on the other side shares your weird sense of humour and winks back in a playful manner.
Those who are supposed to celebrate actually have other days, which are considered more important and deserving to be paid respect. And as for the others: jokes, rude intolerant remarks and sarcastic holiday mood are the trademarks of this (un)ordinary day at the beginning of February. Why is that?
Allegedly, Bulgarians consider it the international day of all people with alternative sexual orientation. However, it seems that its international status is nothing more than an urban legend. For instance, ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Association) was founded on August 8 1987 during the conference of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality in Coventry, England. Its birthday is celebrated at the beginning of August and not February.
LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people) annually wave their rainbow-coloured flag on June 28. On this day in 1969, a riot rose against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn (a gay bar) in New York. It was the first time in modern history a significant LGBT body resisted arrest. Thus the day is considered to set the beginning of gay rights movements throughout the world.
The third really international day associated with people with different sexual orientation is May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), chosen because homosexuality was removed from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on May 17 1990.
It is interesting to note that not only throughout the world, but also nationwise, the second of February is not recognised as an official day of any gay movement. Gemini, the Bulgarian organisation that protects the rights of homosexual individuals, has not made any official statement in order to recognise the date as a significant one.
Moreover, the Bulgarian Lesbian Association refused to celebrate anything on February 2 and denounced it as a day of mocking, unnecessary jokes and insults and not a real holiday that is to be taken seriously.
However, it is interesting to note that, even if not officially acknowledged, the day welcomes celebration from all those willing to pay homage to two of the most notorious representatives of (if we have to use the terminology) LGBT.
February 2 is the birthday of the avant-garde American author Gertrude Stein (1874-1946). Apart from being a thoroughly intelligent psychology graduate and a fine arts connoisseur, she was also famous for her preference of her own sex.
In present day, although not endowed with such talent as Stein, another famous person with the same date of birth is Dana International. For those who think the name sounds familiar, but still cannot remember why: she won the 1998 Eurovision contest with the song Diva. After amazing the jury with her beauty and musical skills, she amazed the general public with the fact that she, Sharon Cohen, was actually he: Yaron Cohen born in Tel Aviv on 2.2.1972.
So once again: what is it with Bulgaria and February 2? Its orign is unclear. Throughout the world, there are various religious holidays which being a curious mixture of Christian and pagan beliefs maybe be of interest to you.
In the US and Canada there is the so-called Groundhog Day. As the legend goes, on the second day of the second month, the groundhog comes out of his burrow to look for his shadow after the long months of winter sleep. If he sees his shadow, it is considered a bad omen: the cold, unwelcoming winter will continue for six more weeks. If not: it is a sign that spring will soon come to cloak the nature in green.
Another popular tradition in America is the Mardi Gras carnival. The day it ends can vary from the beginning of February to March 9 in non-leap years and like Lent, the date is dependent on that of Easter.
It is interesting to note that this year in Sydney, Australia, there will be a Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, starting onour very own February 2.
On the same day Catholics throughout the world celebrate Candlemas. It bears this name because it is the day when all the Churchs candles for the year were blessed. In a lot of ways it is a celebration of light: a pagan tradition adapted to Christian rites, yet still full of mystic elements. Candlemas is half way through the shortest day of the year (the winter solstice) and the spring equinox. People used to light candles in order to scare evil spirits and keep darkness (both literary and metaphorically) away.
It is interesting to note that the French celebrate the so called Crepe Day on Candlemas (or, as they say, Chandeleur). It may sound a little funny, but it was believed that the round shape of the crepe represented the solar wheel worshipped by pagan myths. There was even an old saying that if you eat crepes or pancakes on that day, the coming year would be one of a good harvest.
Another pagan tradition connected with that date is Imbolc (or Oimelc) in Ireland. The two words refer to the lactation period of ewes: the flow of milk heralds the return of spring. Imbolc is celebrated during the harsh and bitterly cold period of Faoilleach, the Wolf month.
Bulgarian traditions also have to do with wolves. February 1 to 3 are called Wolf Days and are associated with various pagan and folklore beliefs. Like Groundhog Day and Imbolc, these are days for weather prognostication and can bring a good or a bad harvest. Women (especially pregnant ones) are not to perform certain actions: weave, spin, knit or anything that has to do with touching sharp objects for fear of the rage of wolves.
Maybe the most popular day connected with Bulgarian folklore on the second of February is Rooster Day. (Given the topic of the article I prefer not to use the other word for this animal: pun intended, but we have to be politically correct.) On the second of February, a rooster is slaughtered right next to the front door of the house. The blood has to sprinkle the door and the head of the bird must be left there. A cross is to be painted with blood on the forehead of the little boys and the one who slaughtered the rooster usually a young man or boy (and no: the similarity with the biblical story about king Herod is not accidental).
In the Plovdiv region, this day is also called Chernyat or Tsurneyat Den (Black Day). The decapitated bird must be black, hence the name. In the region it is believed that women should not get married on this day, perform any of the tasks listed above in connection with Wolf Days or take a bath. Otherwise it is said that they will soon mourn a person close to them.
So it turns out that the only officially recognised holiday in Bulgaria on the second day of February is the Rooster Day, celebrating the manly strength in little boys. It is also an important day in folklore beliefs of all kinds of nations. The various traditions that are to be found are mostly due to the significance of the date as a mid point: half way between the spring equinox and the shortest winter day. But regardless of your religious or pagan inclinations, sexual orientation and (lack of) good sense of humour: it is just another ordinary day. Dont make it bad for ones different from you; just enjoy it as it is.
