I found this old german advent tradition that originates from pagan times in a Waldorf-style book about kids festivals. We incorporated it into my daughter’s birthday party and now she wants it every single year! I was amazed at how much it meant to kids (everybody remembers it!) and how well they cooperated – year after year after year! It is really magical and kids are so touched that I think everybody gets goosebumps – even us, who organize it and have done it numerous times! It’s hard to put into words or pictures, it really is something that has to be felt (and I encourage you to try it once with your/ neighbours’/ friends’/… kids!)
Later I learned it is also the new pagan solstice tradition. They place crystals on the spruce twigs as well and burn some incense. But you don’t need to go all fancy – even the simplest pieces of wood would work – we’ve tried that once when we had to put off my daughter’s bd party till March (she’s born in January but somebody was constantly sick until March) and there was no more spruce twigs to be found on the floors and we didn’t want to chop it from the trees. So we used pieces of wood (meant for fire) and positioned them in a spiral – kids liked it nevertheless!
(and elf in the middle, of course;)
How do you/we do it?
We clean a room so there is a lot of room on the floor and make a giant spiral on the floor out of leftover Christmas greenery (her bd is in January so we recycle our Christmas tree and other people’s trees and greenery). We position the branches so they form a spiral and put a log with a tall candle in the middle. The candle is lit and waiting for the children.
This is done in private, without kids peaking (and kids are kindly explained that in that special room they have to be quiet or singing songs, no talking, whispering or cheering – the silence or gentle music really sets the mood – kids these days are not used to that so it makes it even more special and magical).
Then each kid is given a large nice red apple with a small candle stuck in the middle (I bore out a hole through half of the apple so the candle is secured in place). They quietly come into the special room (or the special place if done outside – we’ve done both – depending on the weather;), sit or stand at the edge (quietly or while softly singing songs) and wait for their turn. Each kiddo walks down the spiral with his/her apple in their hands and coming to the middle, he/she lights the candle on the tall candle. Then they walk back through the spiral and place the apple among the greenery wherever they please (some people put golden stars where the candle should be placed but I found that kids like the freedom and responsibility of choosing their own spot – and they position them perfectly! At first, the little ones are confused that they actually may choose it by themselves – they are so used to being ordered all the time – but their faces really light up with pride then!
*Of course, take care with candles and flames – but I found out that little kids are very careful with candles and usually the adults don’t give them enough credit. However, I always take long enough candles so they are not too close to their hand when they carry the apple with the lit candle. The element of bare fire makes them more cautious, so they walk more slowly which makes everything even more enchanted… The smallest kids can be accompanied by their parents, of course, but they quickly want to do it themselves;). We’ve done it for about 10 years (even with the very little kids) and have never had any accidents.
That is why the explanation beforehand is so important – if there is only one child walking down the path and everybody is silent so he/she can concentrate, it reduces the risk of them tripping over or dropping the apple. Neither has ever happened to us and kids are so proud and happy.
Very Arty Fairy 