As a Steiner school we celebrate traditional festivals throughout the year. Each festival shines light onto the changing seasons .
The Maypole, May
The Maypole festival is a traditional Spring festival in England where we give thanks for the blossom and flowers.
The children gather around the Maypole to dance and sing to music while weaving in and out of the Maypole. The festival is usually held in May and as close to May the 1st (weather permitting). We all join together after the Maypole dancing for a picnic.
The Michaelmas festival, September.
The Michaelmas festival celebrates harvest and thanksgiving. The Archangel Michael symbolizes a great force for good triumphing over evil, which we portray as the dragon. Michaelmas is a reminder of the spiritual in our world and of our ability to do good.
The festival starts in the Church and ends in a dragon procession, dragon subduing and eating of tasty dragon bread.
The Lantern festival/ Martinmas, November
The lantern festival celebrates the life of Saint Martin, a man famous for giving his cloak to a beggar while serving in the army. The festival falls at the beginning of November and is the first of our winter festivals of light.
As Autumn gives way to Winter we celebrate the carrying of light into the darkening days with a Lantern walk around the church yard and gather in the garden food and a bonfire.
The Advent Spiral, December
The Advent Spiral is an important part of the Steiner Waldorf calendar, it is one of the most beautiful celebrations in the school year.
The children take turns to walk the spiral path, laid out in greenery to light a candle from the large central candle. As each child walks the spiral they place their candles along the edges of the path. When all the candles are lit the whole spiral shines with candle light and we realise how strong our light is when joined with others.