The Ceremony
Mark out a large circle in the snow or grass. Place markers in the four directions, and designate a season for each direction, perhaps make:
Spring - East.
Summer - South
Fall - West,
Winter - North.
Call the children into the circle and stand with your group at the direction you designated "Winter".
An adult or older child reads or speaks your words.
Mark out a large circle in the snow or grass. Place markers in the four directions, and designate a season for each direction, perhaps make:
Spring - East.
Summer - South
Fall - West,
Winter - North.
Call the children into the circle and stand with your group at the direction you designated "Winter".
An adult or older child reads or speaks your words.
Preparation
We wrote this little ritual to match the ages of our children and our weather .
When you write your own words, I suggest you keep them brief. Give word pictures of recent memories of sounds, smells, sights and good times. Young children love to be reminded of recent fun events. They will follow your memories as they stand with you in the circle.
We wrote this little ritual to match the ages of our children and our weather .
When you write your own words, I suggest you keep them brief. Give word pictures of recent memories of sounds, smells, sights and good times. Young children love to be reminded of recent fun events. They will follow your memories as they stand with you in the circle.
Symbols
Choose symbols that are familiar to the children and important to the season. Invite your kids to help you make or prepare your symbols, even though they may not understand what you are doing. In my ceremony, when I lift up the snow or the seeds, the children see that I think snow and seeds are important. That is enough for now. With time and repetition, children find their own meanings in symbols.
For this ritual I also chose a sun and a blanket as my symbols and I asked the children to help me create these.
Choose symbols that are familiar to the children and important to the season. Invite your kids to help you make or prepare your symbols, even though they may not understand what you are doing. In my ceremony, when I lift up the snow or the seeds, the children see that I think snow and seeds are important. That is enough for now. With time and repetition, children find their own meanings in symbols.
For this ritual I also chose a sun and a blanket as my symbols and I asked the children to help me create these.
Words (sample)
We are turning past Winter when snow fell and made slippery hills
where we slid down on our sleds
When cold winds blew and made our cheeks rosy.
Hold up a handful of snow
Now days and nights are just as long. Our days are light. Our nights are dark. We share the dark with the light. The warm night blanket gently unwraps the sun. The sun has returned.
Unwrap a blanket from around your sun and hold it up
And now we turn to Spring ...the earth is waking up...the ground is melting, the seeds are opening, stretching, reaching...up...peeking over the top of the ground...Soon we will see their green...soon everything will be new, green and growing...we will smell the green, we will hear the sounds of the birds returning, we will wait and watch for new birth...
We are turning past Winter when snow fell and made slippery hills
where we slid down on our sleds
When cold winds blew and made our cheeks rosy.
Hold up a handful of snow
Now days and nights are just as long. Our days are light. Our nights are dark. We share the dark with the light. The warm night blanket gently unwraps the sun. The sun has returned.
Unwrap a blanket from around your sun and hold it up
And now we turn to Spring ...the earth is waking up...the ground is melting, the seeds are opening, stretching, reaching...up...peeking over the top of the ground...Soon we will see their green...soon everything will be new, green and growing...we will smell the green, we will hear the sounds of the birds returning, we will wait and watch for new birth...
Celebrate the First Day of Spring with maple syrup over warm biscuits
Move with your group around to Spring. Hold up a bowl of seeds
then pass the bowl around to the children to scatter on the ground
for the birds and animals.
then pass the bowl around to the children to scatter on the ground
for the birds and animals.
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Celebrations
First Day of Spring Ceremony
You and your children have come through a long, freezing winter. Now when you play outside you notice that the light is returning and you can feel a little warmth from the sun. March is still cold and blowy but you sense a shift in the weather. A magical season of new life is about to begin. It is time to plan your Spring Ceremony.
A great celebrations resource is available at Kingston Fronenac Public Library:
Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker and Anne Hill ISBN 0-553-37805-8
Circle Round by Starhawk, Diane Baker and Anne Hill ISBN 0-553-37805-8
