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Archives, Birthdays, Childhood, Education, Festivals, Storytelling, Sunday With Sarah, Waldorf Education

Celebrating Birthdays the Waldorf Way

Birthdays are always a cause for celebration in a Waldorf early childhood classroom, and were one of my favorite traditions as a Waldorf kindergarten teacher.

Rituals and traditions allow children to experience the “rhythm of the year,” and celebrating a birthday honors the child’s place in the family and in the world at large.

In this week’s Sunday with Sarah video, I share my version of the Waldorf birthday story and demonstrate how to use a Waldorf Wooden Birthday Ring with the story. While the birthday story can vary from teacher-to-teacher, the story is usually about a child looking longingly down on the earth from the heavens and choosing to cross the “rainbow bridge” to join his or her parents on earth.

Another version of this story can be found in the book Beyond the Rainbow Bridge by Barbara Patterson. The picture book Little Angel’s Journey offers another version of the story with beautiful illustrations by Dzvinka Hayda.

A transcript of the birthday story I tell in this video can be found below.

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Happy Birthdays!

TRANSCRIPTION:

Once upon a time, more than six years ago, Abbie wasn’t here on the earth at all. Oh, no. She was up in heaven with her guardian angel. She had a lovely time there. She could roll around, she could dance, she could hop first on one foot and then on the other without falling at all.

One day, Abbie’s angel gave her a ball made of real gold. Abbie loved to play with her golden ball. She would throw it high up into the air and catch it again and she could toss it from one hand to the other without dropping it even once. Then, one day, when Abbie was in a very strange and curious sort of mood, she wanted to see how far she could throw that golden ball. So she picked it up, felt its weight in her hand at her shoulder, aimed, and threw that ball just as far as she could. Well, she threw it so far that it disappeared right out of sight. Abbie searched here, there, and everywhere, but the ball was nowhere to be found.

But then suddenly, Abbie saw something shining among the clouds, and lo and behold, there was her golden ball. As she reached for it, the clouds parted and Abbie saw something beautiful. She caught sight of the earth and there she saw oceans and mountains and blue sky and trees. And as she looked even closer, she saw a little red farmhouse with a woman working in the garden and she saw a man with kind and loving eyes busy fixing things around the house. The woman was singing “Oh, how happy I would be if a child would come to me.” And she saw three little Corgi dogs barking happily and running around the yard. And as soon as Abby saw the man and the woman she wanted to go down to earth to be with them, to be their little daughter.

“Look!” said Abbie to her Guardian Angel. “May I go and visit them?”

“Yes,” said her Guardian Angel. “Yes, you may, but first we will go on a very long walk. Take my hand and we shall go.”

First, Abbie and her Angel visited the house of the Sun. The Sun gave Abbie the gift of courage and tucked it into her heart. “This courage,” said the Sun, “will give you strength when life is difficult.” Abbie thanked the Sun.

Next, they visited the house of the Moon. The Moon gave Abbie the gift of wisdom and tucked it under each of her feet. It felt just like a pair of soft slippers. Abbie thanked the Moon.

Next, they traveled past many, many Stars and each one winked at Abbie as she passed by. Then one Star, Abbie’s own very special Star that still shines in the heavens every night, touched her lightly on the eyes and said “Here is the gift of the twinkle in your eye, that you may always see the joy in life.” Abbie thanked the Star.

Then Abbie’s Angel led her through the Starry Gates to the Rainbow Bridge. The Sun and the Moon and the Stars sang her name. “Remember, I will always be with you during your journey on the earth,” said her Angel. Then Abbie slid over the Rainbow Bridge, down, down to the earth.

A kind and gentle lady with a beautiful smile and warm brown eyes took the tiny child and tucked her in a special place under her heart where she carried her for many days and many weeks and many months until one day she held a beautiful baby girl in her arms.

“Oh, look!” said her Mother and Father. “She is the most beautiful gift of all. We shall call her Abigail Lucy Reed, for that is the very best name for her.”

During her first year on earth, Abbie learned to do many, manythings. She learned to smile and to roll over, and then she learned to sit up by herself
and later pull herself up to stand. She loved music and her favorite toys were a little wooden rattle with a bell in it and her favorite teddy bear. And then the baby, who wasn’t quite tiny anymore, had her first birthday and she turned one year-old.

Well, during the year that Abbie was one year-old, she learned to do many more things. She took her first steps when she was 13 months-old and walked right over to her Grandpa. She also said her first word which was “horse” but it came out sounding more like “herse.” Abbie’s grandparents came to visit from Florida that year. And then, after another trip around the Sun, Abbie had another birthday and turned two
years-old.

Well, during the year Abbie was two, she took a big family trip to a wedding in Vermont. While Abbie and her family were in Vermont, they visited the Morgan Horse Farm and Cabot Cheese Factory. Abbie loved the garlic cheese and happily munched. While she was two, Abbie spent much time with her Mom, playing, drawing and reading, but Abbie especially loved playing with her horses. She took care of her riding rocking horse, lovingly grooming her and shoeing her every day. Then Abbie had another birthday and was now three years-old.

During the year that Abby was three, she rode her first horse, Mercedes. It was love at first sight. Abbie placed daisies in her hair and in the mane of Mercedes while riding her. That was the year she started ballet lessons which she still loves and continues. Then, Abbie had another birthday and turned four years-old.

When Abbie was four, she was able to lead a miniature horse named Midnight to her grandparent’s camp from a neighbor’s house, with her Mummy following close behind. Abbie continued to love horses and her ballet lessons. Then, Abbie had another birthday and turned five years-old.

Well, during the summer that Abbie was five, she learned to ride her two-wheel bike with training wheels. She also learned to climb a tree all by herself. And in the fall, when she was still five, she joined Miss Sarah’s kindergarten class and met Miss Sarah and Miss Jess and all of you, her friends here, for the first time.

Now, today is February 20th and Abbie is again celebrating a birthday and today Abbie is
6 years-old.

[SUNG]

We wish you a happy birthday
A joyous and celebrated birthday
To our dear Abbie
May you have a long, long life!

February 20, 2019 by Sarah Baldwin

A wool felted depiction of a girl holding a candle in the darkness

Archives, Festivals, Waldorf Education

Celebrating Candlemas

Candlemas is a festival celebrating light, especially in the deep mid-winter when many of us in the north have very little of it! Candlemas is celebrated on February 2, the date that falls halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is a celebration of the noticeable lengthening of the days.

Although winter can be a magical time for cozying up by dim candlelight every evening, we celebrate looking forward to more daylight hours in anticipation of the changing season as winter thaw gives way to the splendor of spring.

In pre-Christian times, this day was known as the “Festival of Lights” because all the candles to be used in the coming year would be brought into a church for a blessing. Candles were especially crucial at this time since modern electricity had yet to be invented.

According to an article from The Waldorf Shop, Candlemas refers to the Christian festival, marking 40 days after the birth of Christ. It is a holiday of purification, with the candles representing the purifying nature of light, both spiritually and physically. It is also the ritual end to the Christmas season, and often Christmas greenery are burned on this day, and holiday decorations are put away.

The traditions of celebrating Candlemas vary in different parts of the world. In Scotland, Candlemas was a day where children would bring candles into school to bring light into the classroom during dim winter days. Later, when candles gave way to electric light, students would collect money to give to teachers for buying treats for the classroom. Students that collected the most would be dubbed Candlemas Queen and King and could “rule” their classroom for a few weeks.

In Ireland, Candlemas is also known as St. Brigid’s Day, falling on February 1st or 2nd. St. Brigid was the pagan goddess of grain and even today, people will celebrate by leaving bread and corn on their window as an offering to her and her cow, in hopes of a good harvest come spring.

Of course, during modern times here in the U.S. February 2 is know as Groundhog Day when we look toward the spring and whether or not the Groundhog will see his shadow. Whether he sees it or not, we know that come early or late, spring is on its way!

Whatever your belief, Candlemas is a beautiful tradition to celebrate light and mark the halfway point between winter and spring with your family.

Here are some of my favorite ways to celebrate this festive occasion.

Make Beeswax Candles

There is no better way to celebrate the light than by making your very own candles. This is a wonderful activity for children ages five and up. Bella Luna Toys’s Beeswax Candle Making Kit comes with enough sheets of honeycomb beeswax to make twelve pillar or taper candles which you can then light in the evening.

Beeswax Candle Making Kit - Candle Rolling

Beeswax Candle Rolling

Recite Candlemas Verses

Here are a few you can say with your children as you light candles.

When Candlemas Day is bright with sun;
Then Winter’s power has just begun –
But when Candlemas Day is dark with rain
Then Winter’s power is on the wane!

A farmer should, on Candlemas Day,
Have half his corn and half his hay.
On Candlemas Day if the thorns hang adrop,
You can be sure of a good pea crop.

And here is a verse that relates Candlemas to Groundhog Day:

Badger peeps out on Candlemas Day,
and if he finds snow, he walks away.
But if the sun is shining down,
Badger returns to his hole in the ground.

Create Your Own Nature Table

Begin gathering all the signs of spring, from acorns and green leaves to woodland gnomes and fairy houses to create your own natural table in anticipation of the warmer months.

Sing Spring Songs

There’s no better way to welcome spring than with some fun, spirited songs. We highly recommend the Spring volume of Wynstone’s seasonal collections for spring poems, stories and songs.

Sail Walnut Boats

Using half a walnut shell, insert some softened modeling beeswax in the hull and secure a small candle in the middle. Set these boats out to sail in a small pond or brook and watch the lights bob up and down as they glide with the tide.

Do Some Spring Cleaning

Put away the winter decorations and bring in signs of spring. If warmer temps are on their way, put away winter clothes, and bring out spring clothes. Make a bonfire and burn your Christmas tree, or any other remnants of winter. Or cozy up under blankets and sit around a family fire pit.

Child’s Rainbow Broom

Start Seedlings

Plant seeds, or make art with seeds, a symbol of fertility. For those that can’t yet plant outside, begin some seedlings in cups by windows to watch for those first signs of green peek through the earth.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate, here’s to the promise of the coming light!

Happy Candlemas to you,

Photo Credit: Wool felt picture by Célia Portail

January 23, 2019 by Sarah Baldwin

Archives, Family, Festivals, Sunday With Sarah, Waldorf Education

The Festival of Martinmas

Martinmas, or the festival of St. Martin, is celebrated around November 11 in Waldorf schools with a nighttime lantern walk–often with songs followed by autumn treats.

Like Halloween, Martinmas is rooted in Christian ritual but is now more of a cultural event, anticipated by children in many European countries. The essence of the holiday—marking the end of the fall harvest and the advent of snowy weather—reminds us that through all of life’s outward changes we maintain within us the warm light of our spirit.

Martinmas dates back to the Middle Ages and the veneration of St. Martin, a 4th-century bishop who founded an abbey in Tours, France. Martin was a Roman horse soldier who converted to Christianity; according to legend, one wintry day he encountered a shivering beggar and cut his cloak in half to give the poor man warmth. That night, Martin had a vision of Jesus wearing Martin’s divided red cloak. Martin is now the patron saint of tailors, as well as that of France.

Traditionally, Martinmas coincided with the many busy activities around farms in late fall. Any remaining late crops in the fields, such as winter squash, would be harvested before the deep snow falls; it was also the time to plant winter wheat, which came up in early spring and provided flour for the new year.

The bounty of the late harvest, fresh wine, and the slaughter of animals naturally suggested a feast day. As such, Martinmas was a precursor to the American holiday of Thanksgiving, and is still marked in Europe with sumptuous meals, often of roast goose. In Germany, suckling pig is prepared in the town square.

Centuries ago, bishops in some European countries ordered fasting for several days a week from Martinmas to Epiphany—a period of 56 days. Among the more unusual Martinmas traditions no longer observed was the invocation in Ireland that no wheel shall turn on the feast day—in respect for the fact that Martin was killed by being tossed into a mill stream and crushed under the paddlewheel.

Today in many European countries, the Martinmas festival culminates in a lantern walk at night, followed by a bonfire and songs. Traditionally the lanterns were carved out of newly harvested squash gourds, and illuminated with a candle—the origin of our jack-o-lantern—but can also be made of paper or jars. The lanterns and the bonfire symbolize light in the darkness of winter, and give hope to the poor through the good deeds of St. Martin.

In America the holiday is not commonly observed, although the city of St. Paul, Minnesota has a public Martinmas lantern parade around Rice Park. The tradition of Martinmas has been maintained in the New World primarily by Waldorf schools.

From a child’s point of view, the best part of Martinmas may be the sweet treats at the end of a lantern walk. In some countries, children go from house to house with their lanterns, “begging” for treats—certainly the origin of our modern Halloween ritual.

If you are not part of a Waldorf school community (or don’t live in St. Paul), you may wish to organize your own family Lantern Walk with friends and neighbors. The books All Year Round and Crafts Through the Year have instructions for making different types of lanterns. The Autumn volume from the Wynstones collection of seasonal books has a number of lantern songs that can be softly sung on your quiet procession.

Last, but not least, don’t forget to have some treats ready when you come inside to get warm after your walk, like hot cider, ginger cookies and apples.

May the generous spirit of St. Martin be with you through the season!

Have you celebrated the season with a lantern walk–either at school or at home? If not, are you inspired to try one? Please share your thoughts and experiences!

October 23, 2018 by Sarah Baldwin