Martinmas is probably my favorite of the Waldorf festivals and the one I most miss celebrating in a formal way this year. Let me back up briefly. We've been involved in a local festival group for the last few years and have thoroughly enjoyed every moment spent with these amazing families. For varied reasons, it hasn't worked out this year to celebrate together.
As a family, we are now forced to come together and define what each of these celebrations mean to us individually. My oldest kids are starting to outgrow some of these rituals just a bit, and although I know that if we made lanterns again or if I gave them some of our old lanterns and said that we were going to walk with them this evening, they would have done so zealously. We are entering a tremendously busy season, of school performances, holidays, family coming to town, and it seemed a bit more authentic to gather together around our dinner table and keep our Martinmas remembrance closer within us this time.
With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner and the example of Saint Martin's simple gift of a half-cloak, we enjoyed a simple dinner of bread with a few spreads and some simple raw veggies and fruits. I think we can even better enjoy the vast array of Thanksgiving choices after we've expressed our thankfulness for the simplicity of bread and vegetables that are provided for us daily.
Following our simple meal around candlelight, we lit lanterns from several of our past Martinmas celebrations. As we basked in the glow of the light of Martinmas's past, we enjoyed a simple treat of hot chocolate while we read the story of Saint Martin.
And although we miss our traditional lantern walk, this simplified celebration feels authentic to where we are right now.
Quiet celebrations are often the best. And of course staying true to your family's needs is what it's all about.
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