CELEBRATING MICHAELMAS, WELCOMING AUTUMN

In Waldorf, one of the things that gave me the most, is its deep connection with nature and the wheel of the year. The seasons and the natural changes are strongly reflected both in everyday adventures and special occasions. Learning a bit about the Waldorf way during our first year of kindergarden, the greatest gift was that it encouraged us to observe, to connect and to find magic in the natural world around us again.

The celebrations placed at the turning point of the seasons were also something really special, and whether our children attend a Waldorf institution or not, I believe getting to know them a bit, can inspire all of us and help to weave little colourful traditions into our own family lives.

The festival which falls close to the autumn equinox and is the official advent of this crispy and colourful season, is Michaelmas. It is celebrated on the 29th September each year, around the perfect balance point of daylight and darkness. Originally a Christian holiday, Michaelmas has its roots in the Middle Ages, when it was held as a harvest festival and a feast of honour to archangel Michael. Michael, with his legend of taming the dragon with his sword forged from the stars, is a universal symbol of courage. He teaches us to overcome our fears and to find inner strength to fight our own „dragons”.

Michaelmas comes at a time of the year when we need this courage more than at any other turning point. We celebrate earth’s abundance after our harvest, but the lurking shadows of the darker and colder days, bringing uncertainty once again, already surround us.

Traditionally it is also a time for new beginnings: a few centuries ago, it was the period when contracts were renewed between landlords and tenants, new help and servants were hired on fairs, or universities started. But even today with the start of kindergarten or school, many of us feel that it is more of a new year than the one starting January. Stepping into new challenges for both our children and us is almost like facing a “dragon”, something that encourages us to raise a little above ourselves and grow.

After Michaelmas we naturally start turning inside, and as light and warmth starts fading outside, we start to balance it with bringing it forth in our home with a warm soup, a heart-warming story or a family gathering around a candle.

Ways to celebrate

As in young children, a spirit and meaning of a festival is never seeded with words or explanations, but rather little traditions and doings, we have collected a few ideas how to incorporate the festival and the season into your family life:

1. Prepare an autumn seasonal table: Pick a shelf or a little table in the family room, and decorate it in the spirit of the season. You can use playsilks, collect nature treasures on your walks, such as leaves, acorns, pumpkins. You can add wooden forest animals, a part of your celebration ring with a candle, or the beautiful Ambrosius autumn fairies. On the day of Michaelmas you can incorporate a felt or a wooden dragon with a knight into the scene, and some Michaelmas daisy fairies which tend to bloom with their stunning colours around this time.

2. Tell or act out stories with a dragon: The story about St. George and the dragon is a traditional and beloved story told in Waldorf schools, but you can find other fairy tales or picture books with the dragon theme that might be more suitable to your child’s age. I love this one that is shared on Floris Books’ website in English (from one of their publications) for instance, but you can also make up your own tales. There is always something so powerful about improvised stories told from heart to heart. I believe there is never a need to explain the morals of fairy tales to children, but if conversation arises you can always use the opportunity to talk about good and bad at this time of the year.

3. Make a Michaelmas scale (or jar): Another way to talk about good and bad in a tangible way is by using a little scale (another symbol of Michael) on your seasonal display, just like they do in some Waldorf institutions. On the two sides of the scale you can put a black stone, symbolising bad, and try to ask children to help to balance it with white stones which stand for good in the world. My simplified version of this tradition is to have a little jar in which you can add black and white stones over a period and use the opportunity to talk about the importance to always try to have more light within.

4. Wear a golden cape and go on daring adventures: If you are a seasoned crafter, you might try dying a golden silk cape (using the colour of marigold flowers, for instance) for your little knight (or alternatively you can get one in our shop). You can also make a sword together from sticks and wool, and then you can venture out on bravery adventures, like a walk in the dark.

5. Prepare a dragon bread together: Baking with children is always a memorable experience, but imagine if you bake a real dragon together! Shape a traditional loaf into the shape of a dragon, decorate it with almonds for spikes and raisins for the eyes, and feast on it together on Michaelmas day.

6. Make and fly a kite: Autumn is the season to fly kites. Making a kite is not as difficult as it looks, there are many tutorials available that makes it a child’s game! This time maybe you can make it into a shape of a star, to use it as shooting stars.

7. Start lighting a candle for family meals: Michaelmas is the day when you can invite the light into your homes by lighting a little candle for a chosen meal of the day that you all share together. It can be breakfast or dinner, gathering around the candle flame while sharing stories of our days is a tiny but one of our most heart warming traditions. I especially love the scent of beeswax candles filling our homes around this time!

For more seasonal inspiration I really love and recommend the (English) books:  “All Year Round“; “Festivals, Family and Food” and “Celebrating Festivals with Children“.*

Cover photo by Edina Mocz-Horvath, Giling-Galang Photography (Hungary).

* Please note the links provided are external BookDepository links, by clicking on them you leave our website.