Yesterday we participated in an Advent Spiral walk. I really love the season of Advent, there is something reflective and holy as we prepare for the birth of Christ. Dervishing madly through December has always bothered me deeply. I don't understand folks who shop on "Black Friday" and I can't wrap my mind around hitting the malls every weekend in search of more and more stuff. I am not against shopping in malls and buying commercial but I have to ask myself a serious question, "What really is there for us at the mall"? I suppose "what do we really need" comes into play here. Nothing really. Nothing. I was so disturbed to read of the young gentleman who was trampled to death on Black Friday at a Walmart. A loss of a precious life. For what? Thirty bucks off an IPod, fifty bucks off a Wii, limited items only on the latest video game or toy craze. Gotta have one or it won't be Christmas! This man belonged to a family, a family that will forever remember Christmas with sadness I imagine. Then the shooting in a Toys R Us. I didn't even finish the article I was so disgusted. What is this world coming to? I don't know what the answer is. How do you keep the commercialism and the craziness out of your holy season? I think we can be more mindful of what we purchase. Consider the recipient. Do they even need something or is a gift of time more precious. Handmade goodness. Can we make a gift. Is that so out of vogue these days? If we mums could change the focus in our homes a bit and slow down and not feel the need to attend every party, play, service or bake 500 cookies for the homeschool cookie swap we might find ourselves in better shape on Christmas Day and as we reflect on the season as it has passed , a smile and precious family memories will warm our hearts. Throughout December I will share some bits of how we slowly take the season into our hearts and how I purpose to keep Christ the center of our Christmastide. Yes, we have fun too and presents and all that! Visit Advent Conspiracy for some inspiration and also drop by Grace's blog and read her reflections too.
Back to yesterday and the Advent Garden or Spiral Walk. In most Waldorf schools across North America and The United Kingdom an early Winter Festival called The Advent Spiral takes place. It is a celebration of light in this darkening time. It is really magical when you walk the spiral. How I did explain the spiral to my children was that it represented the journey Mary took as she carried baby Jesus safely tucked away and growing in her womb. The light in the middle of the spiral representing the birth of Jesus as the child lights his or her candle. The mood of the spiral is one of reverance and quiet. We did sing a verse upon entering:
In the Advent Garden,
Dark the night below,
Earth is waiting, waiting, waiting,
For the stars to glow.
Each child is given an apple lantern, basically an apple with a white candle in the middle. As they walk the spiral made of evergreens and bits of nature they may spot a cherub, angels, little gnomes or a pretty shell; a gift from God's ocean. Along the way is gold stars that the child may place their lantern on as they walk back after lighting their candle off the white pillar candle in the center of the spiral atop a stump. A young musician played songs on her fiddle as you entered and exited the spiral. The hush in the room was contagious as the lights dotted the spiral. It was a beautiful sight. After the last person left the spiral another song was sung with slightly different words:
In the Advent Garden,
Dark the night below,
Earth is watching, watching, watching,
All the stars aglow.
Your last vision as you left is of the darkened room aglow with lantern light in a spiral and music gently playing. Very reflective. The children and adults enjoyed star sugar cookies and cider afterwards. The ride home allowed us to talk about the Lord and all the abundance and goodness he has given us on this earth. We don't take the stars for granted anymore and we understand how God has planned a time of sleep for the earth so it may rejuvenate and heal for the next harvest. We talked about Mary and her journey with Joseph. The Spiral Walk gave our family to reflect on the importance of the season of Advent and truly feel it.
Back to yesterday and the Advent Garden or Spiral Walk. In most Waldorf schools across North America and The United Kingdom an early Winter Festival called The Advent Spiral takes place. It is a celebration of light in this darkening time. It is really magical when you walk the spiral. How I did explain the spiral to my children was that it represented the journey Mary took as she carried baby Jesus safely tucked away and growing in her womb. The light in the middle of the spiral representing the birth of Jesus as the child lights his or her candle. The mood of the spiral is one of reverance and quiet. We did sing a verse upon entering:
In the Advent Garden,
Dark the night below,
Earth is waiting, waiting, waiting,
For the stars to glow.
Each child is given an apple lantern, basically an apple with a white candle in the middle. As they walk the spiral made of evergreens and bits of nature they may spot a cherub, angels, little gnomes or a pretty shell; a gift from God's ocean. Along the way is gold stars that the child may place their lantern on as they walk back after lighting their candle off the white pillar candle in the center of the spiral atop a stump. A young musician played songs on her fiddle as you entered and exited the spiral. The hush in the room was contagious as the lights dotted the spiral. It was a beautiful sight. After the last person left the spiral another song was sung with slightly different words:
In the Advent Garden,
Dark the night below,
Earth is watching, watching, watching,
All the stars aglow.
Your last vision as you left is of the darkened room aglow with lantern light in a spiral and music gently playing. Very reflective. The children and adults enjoyed star sugar cookies and cider afterwards. The ride home allowed us to talk about the Lord and all the abundance and goodness he has given us on this earth. We don't take the stars for granted anymore and we understand how God has planned a time of sleep for the earth so it may rejuvenate and heal for the next harvest. We talked about Mary and her journey with Joseph. The Spiral Walk gave our family to reflect on the importance of the season of Advent and truly feel it.
The apple lantern.
The spiral after all the candles were lit.
Above , the spiral awaiting those taking the journey.yours in this Advent season,
That's so nice - it reminds me of the labyrinth at the Via de Cristo...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to prepare for Christmas. The Advent walk sounds really lovely. I love that. I was just reading on someone's blog (I wish I could remember who!) that they try and rein in their children's Christmas gifts by basically sticking to the following: Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear and Something to read. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. xo Cat ^..^ p.s. I wish you came with me today to the Sis Boom open house. All I can say is Wow! Next time...
ReplyDeleteThe Advent spiral walk is a lovely idea Suzanne and good that we have these traditions to distract us from the dreadful news about stampedes in shops and shootings. Words fail me.
ReplyDeleteThose first stories are so, so sad. I really do believe people's consciousness is shifting back to the true nature of Christmas, less materialism, more giving from the heart. My daughter and I read Tasha Tudor's book "Becky's Christmas" last night (I thought of you:), it really made me feel warm. Although the book did not talk about the origins of Christmas, it showed a simple and loving way to celebrate with the ones you love.
ReplyDeleteThe advent spiral is such a wonderful meditation fot this season, there is a beautiful poem/story called "when Mary goes walking" that AMelia and I did as a puppet show for all my cousins' children one year at our family gathering and I love your interpretation of the spiral as the symbol of her journey. I know most Waldorf Schools in America do not focus on Christ's birth during this season (a lot only refer to him as the son of light) but Anthroposophist's really believe in the birth of Christ as the Savior of humanity. At the Waldorf School I used to work at a group of mothers would volunteer to sing beautiful soft Christmas Carols for the children as they walked the advent spiral...so beautiful.
I found your blog and have bookmarked it. I think we are kindred spirits and I was even more certain when I saw Tasha's photo on your blog. TAKE JOY!!!! I soooo agree with you....and what you shared on your blog is in my heart. This Christmas we have all shared that we have ALL that we need....so we are more in tuned with the joy of just being together. My husband has rented a holiday house for us in Santa Barbara where we will spend a weekend just playing games, making meals for one another and praising God for the goodness of being together. Seven of us together....married children, spouses, in laws and my dear 86 year old Mom. Let us ALL remember that we must TAKE JOY in the things that cannot be bought!!! Family is at the top of that list. XXX Annleies
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tradition and way of focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
ReplyDeleteSadly my girls no longer wish to attend the Advent spiral. That's why I made a little one at home. Hels gets to walk a labyrinth at school next week. I'm looking forward to seeing what it is--something more meaningful for middle schoolers.
ReplyDeleteI linked this nice spiral page on my site. Very nice shots.
ReplyDeleteI only see it at night....maybe this year I will help set up the spiral so that I can see it during the day
Hi there from Alaska! I've been blogging along the same lines as you lately! Your spiral was lovely and looks so wonderful against a wood floor! My only negative about our spiral was that it was placed on a huge plastic tarp! Took a little of the "nature" out of it! But still, a magical experience!
ReplyDeleteThe stories of murderous greed have evoked much sadness and thought the past weeks but have proved to really instill the importance of reining oneself in at Christmas and looking for the deeper meaning of it all.
Happy Holidays! I'm really enjoying your blog!
absolutely beautiful. I am not familiar with the walk but you've inspired me to look into it for next year. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDear Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading about the Advent Spiral! Thank you for sharing the lovely photos too!
I appreciated and agreed with your thoughts about Christmas. We want our focus to be on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We don't have a tv, so I rarely ever hear any news, which is a good thing! But my husband reads the news online and shared with me how that poor man was trampled, like you I was heartbroken and kept saying, this man is dead, he has a family and he is dead because of a bunch of stuff people were wanting. Like you, I was disgusted by the shoot out at the toy store. It shocks me how these things go on in our world. I am so thankful to be at home and to be content with simple things, homemade gifts and a few very thoughtfully store bought ones. (Antique stores are wonderful.) I do give my husband and son fishing things and enjoy baking them yummy cookies. We all love just being at home, together, enjoying good food. playing games, and being grateful for all the the Lord has blessed us with. Thank you for all you share, Suzanne, your writings are a blessing to me!
Love, Paula