(Contributed by Patti Connolly, Co-Education Director)
One of Journey School’s core values is to be ‘celebratory, soul-nourishing, and joyful.’ One way we practice this important principle is through the seasonal festivals. We believe that a reverence and sense of guardianship for the earth and all her inhabitants are nurtured through these celebrations.
The 2012 autumn festivals at Journey School begin with the Festival of Courage celebrated in the Kindergartens. All Hallows’ Eve, celebrated in both the Kindergartens and in grades 1-8, is celebrated on October 31st. Harvest Faire is November 3rd. The Lantern Walks of both the Kindergartens and grades 1-4 follow right behind on November 14th.
To understand how we celebrate Halloween at Journey School, one needs to look back at how it seems to have been introduced in France when the Druids celebrated their autumn feast on November 1. The night before this celebration was the most feared night of all since it was thought that the spirits of those who had died in the past year roamed free in an attempt to placate the Lord of Death. One can see that some of the traditions practiced on Halloween night in modern times may come from this ancient celebration. Think costumed people begging for food, haunted houses, black cats, and Jack-O-Lanterns.
So, how do we celebrate All Hallows’ Eve at Journey School? During the weeks leading up to October 31 the younger children can be heard singing Halloween songs and reciting Halloween poetry. They can be found painting pumpkins, carving pumpkins, and baking pumpkin. And then, on the day itself, there will be all kinds of enchantment in the Kindergartens’ outdoor classroom that will delight and inspire! And the students in grades 1-8 will equally relish coming to school in disguise, choosing from a whole host of fine characters from their curriculum.
Why emphasize costumes that align with each grade level’s curriculum? Of course we all sense that when we dress in costume, we change our identities. Here at Journey, we believe that children, who are growing towards their own identity, wish to seek the identity of those who are worthy of imitation. To dress up in the costume and mask of those who they have heard stories of, who they know stand for good will, compassion, courage and more is to build what is best for our students.
Thus, we invite you to feel the spirit of All Hallows’ Eve in this same way – to honor those who have made history, and help your children create a school costume that they feel honored and excited to share with their peers!
- Visit our Dress Code page to discover costume suggestions related to our curriculum
- Visit the Major Festivals page to gain a deeper understanding of our festival cycle
