On Candlemas day you must have half your straw and half your hay.

The saying treats Candlemas as a checkpoint for winter provisions: a household that has used more than half its straw and hay may struggle to make the remaining supplies last.

More broadly, it urges people to pace their use of necessities. Having enough for the first part of a difficult season is not enough if little remains for what follows.

Use it when discussing how carefully stored supplies need to be managed through winter, especially straw and hay for animals. It can also frame a broader warning against using up provisions too early.