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History Education Festivals 
FESTIVALS "In ancient times, the festival life of a community was closely linked with its agricultural cycles. While human life today is generally more removed from these natural cycles than in earlier times, our lives are still profoundly influenced by nature's forces and by the seasons of the year. Seasonal festivals, because they allow us to reconnect with one another and with the cosmos that surrounds us, are perhaps more essential to humanity's well-being than ever before." Excerpt from Seasonal Festivals for Young Children by Holly Koteen 
MICHAELMAS In the autumn, at harvest season, we celebrate Michaelmas (pronounced Mik'-el-mas). Michaelmas is September 29th and celebrates the forces of the Archangel Michael (pronounced Myk-i-el), the time-spirit of this epoch. As the seasons transition from the outer warmth of summer to the coolness of fall, we turn inwards, towards ourselves and towards our community for inner warmth. The Michaelic forces imbue us with the confidence and courage to look to the spiritual world for strength, and renew the impulse to live our lives on the earth to the best of our abilities and become a true community of human beings. In the Celtic tradition, Michael represents the unconquered hero, fighting against evil and the powers of darkness. He is a model for valor and courage. Dragons, iron and the color red predominate. We celebrate with an array of harvest fruits and dragon bread, and the telling of legends and myth. HALLOWEEN Halloween has its origin in the Celtic festival of Samhain, which celebrated the first day of winter on November 1. It was believed that the spirits of the dead and other supernatural creatures - fairies, witches and goblins - spirited about on that night. At the Westside Waldorf School children are asked not to wear costumes to school. There is a Halloween celebration at the school on the evening of Halloween for grades K - 3 that includes story telling, traditional jack-o-lantern decorations and modified trick-or-treating. At this celebration, homemade non-commercial costumes are preferred. Adults and children are asked not to wear masks that cover the face because this can be very frightening to the younger children. ST. MARTIN'S In early November, a Lantern Walk, commemorating St. Martin's Day (or Martinmas) is held for the younger children. The children make their own lanterns and gather with parents and teachers, then walk through the woods, singing with glimmering lanterns held high, to carry light into the approaching darkness of winter. The lanterns, often decorated with stars, suns, and moons, are symbols for the children of their own individual light; and the walk into the cold, dark evening, following a story recognizing "the light" of another, gives the children an experience of caring and sharing when the darkness of winter approaches. ADVENT Advent, from the Latin "to come" is the period including the four Sundays preceding Christmas. With quiet anticipation we enter into the advent season with a candlelit journey inward at the Advent Garden. One at a time, each young child walks through the spiral of evergreens to the center of the Garden, lights his or her candle, then places it on the returning path and picks up a gold star-a reminder of the dark journey through winter ahead. Weekly assemblies and daily classroom experiences through the Advent season prepare the children for the winter holy nights. WINTER FAIRE The annual Winter Faire, in early December, is one of the highlights of the year for the school community. The array of music, crafts, and magical scenes makes this an extraordinary event for children and parents alike. During the late fall, workshops, which are open to all, are held to prepare the special crafts inspired by the Waldorf pedagogy. Friendships are made, new skills are discovered and the social life of the school community is fostered. Talents are shared and there are opportunities to learn stitchery, doll making, candle dipping, etc. Responsibility for this major event is carried by the parent body. There is always plenty of work and much need for anyone interested in becoming a part of this wonderful preparation. It has become a tradition that with the large numbers of helpers needed on the day of the Faire, almost every family offers the services of one of its members, if only for a few hours. In addition to its valuable financial contribution to the school, the Winter Faire is of equal value in its contributions to a strengthening of the social fabric of the school community. For all those visitors who make the Faire a regular occasion, it seems to be a way of experiencing a little of that human warmth and artistic quality that makes the winter holidays such a special time at our school. CANDLEMAS February second is Candlemas, marking the time of the year when the season changes from darkness to light. This is a celebration of candles; traditionally they were made on the Winter Solstice. In the younger grades, we celebrate Candlemas during the school day through, for instance, the telling of a story or the making of a paper candle. MAYFAIRE The MayFaire is a celebration of May Day, an ancient festival welcoming spring. It is one of our biggest community events of the year. The school is decorated with bountiful fresh flowers and music, food, may pole dancing, games and crafts create a fun and festive environment for families from the whole Santa Monica community |