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- Flower Ceremony
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- Preparing jack-o-lanterns for the Halloween Celebration
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- Early Childhood Martinmas Lantern Walk
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- Advent Spiral
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- An entry in the Yuletide Fair’s Gingerbread House Contest
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- May Day dancing
Yuletide Fair Page (link) | Fall Festival Page (link) | May Day Celebration & Spring Fair Page (link)
Fundamental to life at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School is a commitment to the celebration of the rhythms of nature through the days, weeks, months, and seasons.
On the first day of school, the opening assembly (Flower Ceremony) acknowledges all the children’s arrival, with special emphasis on the entry of first graders into the life of the school. The little ones are greeted by the twelfth graders, who themselves are acknowledged as beginning their outward path. This relationship between first and twelfth is echoed at the school’s closing assembly in June (Rose Ceremony).
There are many internal assemblies throughout the course of the school year, and there are also assemblies and/or presentations for parents and friends just before Thanksgiving break, and at several other times during the school year. Within these grand themes lie special moments reflecting particular days, including Halloween, the St. Martin’s Pageant (Kindergarten through Grade 3), a visit by St. Nicholas, Advent Gardens, Chanukah celebrations, Paradise and Nativity plays, and a traditional May Day celebration.
Hawthorne Valley’s Annual Fall Festival, a tradition since 1994, is held Columbus Day weekend each year and is a celebration of the harvest and community. There are activities for all ages: live music, local artisan vendors, puppet shows, children’s crafts and activities, hay rides, pumpkin carving, and so much more. As part of the festival, the school holds an Open House.
Every year during the first weekend of December, the school holds the Yuletide Fair – a magical event and one of the greatest opportunities to express our individual talents and experience the strength and unique beauty of our community. The fair also contributes significantly to the school’s fundraising efforts. A lot of preparation, planning and crafting goes into the making of the fair, so there are plenty of opportunities to get involved!