Festivals and Celebrations

Festivals and Celebrations

The school is nondenominational, its intention being primarily to awaken a sense of wonder and reverence in the children. Christian and other festivals are celebrated as family events throughout the year and are an integral part of our curriculum. They provide the children with a sense of the rhythms of the passing year and seasons. They also give us a chance to experience different crafts, foods, songs and activities appropriate to the time of the year and availability of materials-something that is often lost in our commercialised society.

On school day festivals the children are often asked to wear clothes of a particular colour appropriate to the meaning of the festival.

Michaelmas

This is the first festival of the new school year in September. The air grows cooler, the fruits ripen, the leaves die in a glory of colour and an atmosphere of richness and melancholy surrounds us. Michael the Archangel overcomes the dragon, a picture of inner spiritual strength we must cultivate at this time of year. Michael is the being of light who guides us on our way and gives us courage to tackle difficult tasks. We celebrate this festival through games which involve courage.

Martinmas

11 th November. This celebration is based on the story of St Martin who met a beggar shivering and half naked in the cold. Martin immediately cut his cloak in two and gave half to the beggar. That night, Christ appeared to Martin in a dream dressed in the piece of cloak that he had given to the beggar. The younger children make paper lanterns to warm and lighten the dark evenings. We join together for a delicious meal and listen to a story of sharing.

Advent

Each year we celebrate this with an Advent Spiral. This is a very magical and special event celebrated in Steiner Schools throughout the world. The ‘garden' is set up in a room as a spiral path made from greenery with a large candle in the centre. The children are given an apple with a candle in it which they carry along the path towards the central candle. Here they light their candle and continue their journey outwards leaving their apple and candle along the path. This festival reflects the closing in of winter with a knowledge that spring is on its way and our outward journey will soon begin once again.

Candlemas

2 nd November. This is a time to bury candles deep in the ground to waken the sleeping seeds; a symbolic warming of the earth in readiness for spring. This festival is to mark the unseen changes in the plant world as the rising of the sap or quickening often takes place around this time. We decorate candles and go for a walk.

May Day

On the first of May, we dress up in festive clothes and dance around the Maypole. There are beautiful flowers and a May Day cake to welcome the spring.

Whitsun

Whisun has been described as the birthday of the Christian Church. This is traditionally a time to wear white, a time of sharing and understanding. We enjoy a picnic and a circle time.

Midsummer/ St John

21 st June/24 th June, respectively. Solstice means ‘sun stands still.' We have reached the longest day of the year. Traditionally this is a time for bonfires, and focusing upon and receiving light. Many cultures jump over or through fires to symbolise casting off that which is outdated. We celebrate with circle dancing.

Birthdays

Birthdays are very special at the school. In the kindergarten every child takes part in a Rainbow Walk whereby a particularly important event in each year of the child's life is celebrated.

Festivals From Other Cultures

In the school, we are very fortunate to have a number of parents from other cultures who are willing to share with us their customs and festivals. We celebrate Divali, the Hindu festival of Light, by telling a Divali story and enjoying delicious Indian sweets. We have also celebrated Nowruz, the Persian New Year, and other festivals.

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