Season of light

The lantern festival for Jasper's Waldorf school was held this past Sunday evening. At dusk we gathered as a group at the base of an old tree in the park. As the sun set we helped the children light tea lights inside the lanterns that they (and we) had been making for the past couple of weeks. Then the magic happened.
The lanterns lit up their little faces and as we started to sing songs you could see that the children did believe that fairies might appear to join us at any moment.


We walked through the park, through fields and woods until we came to a spot on a hill where the "fairies" ;) had left a feast of sweet and savory treats...and some hot cider, those thoughtful fairies.

Of all of the seasonal festivals that we celebrate with our Waldorf group this is my hands down favorite. If I had my way we would gather in the park and do this 5 times a year! But I understand why it happens right now, at this special time of year. I can feel the turning inward, the focus on being together at home rather than outside, the season of harvest and preparing for winter is past, now we begin the advent season approaching the holidays...the season of light! It feels like a still point to me.

At the still point in the turning world...there the dance is.
-T.S. Eliot