>From Aida: *Martinstag* (11. November) November 11th is a special day in the U.S., Canada, and German-speaking Europe, but when North Americans are observing Veterans Day/Remembrance Day, most Austrians and German Catholics are celebrating a different kind of holiday. The Feast of Saint Martin, the Germanic *Martinstag* celebration, is more like Halloween and Thanksgiving rolled into one. *Martinstag* or * Martini* commemorates *Sankt Martin* (c. 317-397), Bishop of Tours, one of the most revered European saints. The best-known legend connected with Saint Martin is the dividing of the cloak, when Martin, then a soldier in the Roman army, tore his cloak in two to share it with a freezing beggar at Amiens. In the past, *Martinstag* was celebrated as the end of the harvest season (thanksgiving). For workers and the poor it was a time when they had a chance to enjoy some of the bounty from the nobles. Also, their annual crop shares and victuals were distributed on that day. Today in many parts of Europe the feast is still celebrated by processions of children with candle-lit lanterns (*Martinslaternen* - see the German children's song "Ich geh mit meiner Laterne<http://german.about.com/library/blmus_laternegeh.htm>") and a banquet of roast goose (*die Martinsgans*). In former times, *Martini*was the "official" start of winter and the 40-day Christmas fast. Today *Martinstag* is the unofficial start of the Christmas shopping season in German Europe. The text of the song the Children are singing is on this website in German and English: http://german.about.com/library/blmus_laternegeh.htm