Festivals and Seasonal Celebrations
The seasonal rhythm of the year serves as a common ground for all cultures. The natural world is acknowledged and celebrated in a variety of ways so that the child may develop a reverence and sense of stewardship for the earth and all its inhabitants. School festivals are an opportunity to participate in and honor the changing seasons. For the young child, festivals represent a tangible way to mark the passing of time. Most festival celebrations are simple – a craft, songs, or stories. A few others are celebrated outside of school time allowing for parents and other family members to join. Celebrating festivals together provides a way to build a community of parents, teachers and children.
AUTUMN
In autumn, Day of Courage celebrates seasonal bounty with community gathering, dancing, singing, games and a potluck. Students honor the story of Michaelmas each year, inviting us to look for the light and strength within ourselves as winter approaches. We honor our ancestors with a Dia de los Muertos celebration and community alter.
Winter
Traditions from many cultures and eras mark this period of the year as a time to celebrate the light in the darkness of winter. The Spiral of Lights reverently and peacefully embodies this mood. The Winter Advent Assembly is an ever changing presentation – a gift from the teachers to the students.
Spring
The coming of spring brings our biggest festival of the year: May Faire! All our friends from the local community and WWS family past, present and future are invited to join us as we celebrate the joy and energy of springtime.
More Festivals
Additional festivals are brought to individual classrooms as pieces of the curriculum journey and as ways for students to share their family's traditions with each other. We’ve celebrated Diwali in Grade 4 /5 and learned about the festival of lights from ancient India. This year the Hanuka celebration of light was brought to Grades 1 and 3 by playing dreidel games and making delicious latkes. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children’s teachers about bringing festival celebrations into the classroom to share!
Why are festivals important at Central Coast Waldorf School?
Festivals mark the seasonal rhythm of the year and help children develop reverence and a sense of stewardship for the earth, while also building community among parents, teachers, and students.
What kinds of festivals are celebrated in autumn?
In autumn, the school celebrates the Day of Courage and Michaelmas with community gathering, dancing, singing, games, and a potluck, and also honors ancestors through a Dia de los Muertos celebration and community altar.
How does the school celebrate the winter season?
Winter is honored with the Spiral of Lights, which peacefully celebrates light in the darkness, and the Winter Advent Assembly, an evolving presentation offered as a gift from teachers to students.
What is May Faire?
May Faire is the school's biggest spring festival, inviting friends, local community members, and Waldorf families past, present, and future to celebrate the joy and energy of springtime together.
Are cultural and family traditions included in festival life?
Yes, additional festivals such as Diwali and Hanukkah are brought into individual classrooms as part of the curriculum and as a way for students to share their family traditions, with parents encouraged to speak with teachers about contributing celebrations.
