Festive Chalkboard Drawing by Sara Parrilli, HVS Art Teacher.
“...The lamps are different, But the Light is the same.
One matter, one energy, one Light, one Light-mind, Endlessly emanating all things.
One turning and burning diamond, One, one, one.
Ground yourself, strip yourself down, To blind in loving silence. Stay there, until you see You are gazing at the Light With its own ageless eyes.” - Rumi
As the sun set this past Sunday, we hosted children and families of grades 1-3 for the Advent Spiral. This tradition is a special one - it’s quiet, it’s dark, and sometimes the spiral goes on for a long time! But it’s something that the children don’t soon forget - they walk individually into the beautiful spiral, surrounded by parents and classmates while silence lingers or beautiful music plays - it’s something special. The children’s faces are lit by the glowing candles as the dark room gradually becomes ever-so dimly lit by the candles around the spiral.
On one hand, we adults might look at attending this quiet event as a burden since it typically falls right after the Thanksgiving. Parents don’t really watch their children perform at this event, but rather watch many children take a sacred moment in time to literally bring light into this world. If we think of it as a moment of pause - the calm before the holiday storm - to share with our children, it turns into something really special. The children likely don’t know (or even want to know, they are just excited that they get to light a candle!) what the Advent Spiral means or is for. In that way, they get the experience of just living in the moment. But the experience lands in a place inside our individual hearts, and that then becomes sacred and special - and it becomes a cherished memory.
The above excerpt from Rumi sums it up - as individuals, we are so many lights, but each are the same - just from and at different places. I especially like how Rumi mentioned “loving silence” in this poem - taking a loving, quiet pause with family is something that I think many of us can appreciate during this time of year.
And now we are preparing for the Yuletide Fair - our first since 2019! We have been busily preparing down to every last detail and look forward to opening our doors again for this special event - one that I hope you will enjoy with your families and remember for years to come!
All proceeds will support Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School’s commitment to expanding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). DEI funding will go towards supporting programming and development related to curriculum enrichment, increasing cultural diversity and representation, as well as presenting financial support in the form of scholarship opportunities. Read more about DEI at HVS here.
The HVS Yuletide Fair is Tomorrow!!
The 2022 Yuletide Fair will be held on Saturday, December 3rd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature handmade holiday gifts, artisan vendors, Tiny Treasure Room, live music, children’s activities, candle dipping, stained glass making, delicious food, puppet shows, gingerbread houses and more!
The Magical Puppet Tree will present “Gifts From Mother Goose.” Join us as puppet friends celebrate the whimsical humor of nursery rhyme favorites! For children of all ages. Offerings include “Heigh Diddle Diddle”, “Sing a Song of Sixpence”, “The Owl and the Pussycat”, “A Fairy Went a Marketing”, and “Humpty Dumpty.” Tickets are $5/seat, or $15/family. Tickets will be on sale in Turose Gift Shoppe the week before the Fair.
We hope all our parents will join us in this community-wide effort to make this festival a magical experience for children and families. Please reach out to your Class Reps to find out details about your class’ activity. And, keep your eyes open for emails coming up about volunteering for a shift.
Music elevates our mood, relieves our stress, stimulates memories, and eases pain. It also brings us significant joy! Hawthorne Valley School students in grades four through twelve will be sharing the joy of their choral and orchestral ensembles with our community next Friday, December 9th, at 7pm at Basilca Hudson, 110 S Front St. Hudson, NY 12534.
Music also brings us together, and we are looking forward to coming together, with warm clothes, cozy blankets, and hot drinks, to celebrate the winter season, through music, with you.
Bring a folded chair! Please arrive at least 5 minutes early to take your seats.
Hawthorne Valley’s Place Based Learning Center has a three bedroom cottage available for rent from Mon, Dec 5-Sun, Jan 8. Washer/dryer on-site; linens provided. The rate is $100/night, and it will be rented out on a first-come, first-serve basis. To book, contact Joe Harris at jharris@hawthornevalley.org.
Hawthorne Valley is a diverse non-profit 501(c)3 organization committed to social and cultural renewal through the integration of education, agriculture, and the arts. Initiatives include:
