On Candlemas day throw candle and candle-stick away.

The saying marks Candlemas as a turning point in the return of daylight. Casting away both candle and holder exaggerates the sense that shorter days are beginning to give way.

Its point is the welcome change in the season, not an instruction to discard useful objects. The candle stands for the artificial light associated with the darker part of the year.

Use it when noting that the days are growing longer around Candlemas, especially as a lighthearted way to welcome the return of daylight. The act of throwing things away is part of the proverb’s exaggeration.