Spotlight on Waldorf #7: Michaelmas and the Role of Seasonal Festivals

In Waldorf education, festivals are more than social events, they are living experiences that nourish the soul of the child and the community. Rooted in the rhythm of the seasons, festivals invite us to pause, reflect, and celebrate the turning points of the year. They weave together story, song, food, and artistic expression, helping children feel their place in the larger cycle of nature and human tradition.

For young children, preparing for a festival builds anticipation and wonder: baking bread and rehearsing the pageant for Michaelmas, crafting lanterns for the autumn Lantern Walk, or learning songs for Advent. Students connect with the meaning behind these traditions, living into their history, and the moral themes of courage, light, and renewal. In every age, the festivals offer something vital: the experience of belonging to something greater than oneself.

Seasonal celebrations also nurture the community. Parents, teachers, and students gather to honor the year’s rhythms together, creating shared memories that become touchstones of beauty and meaning. In times when life can feel fragmented or rushed, the simple act of preparing for and celebrating a festival offers harmony, grounding, and joy.

At Waldorf schools, festivals remind us that education is not only about intellect, but also about cultivating reverence, gratitude, and connection. They bring warmth to the school year and help children grow into adults who carry an abiding sense of rhythm, purpose, and celebration into their lives.

One of the most beloved festivals in Waldorf schools is Michaelmas, celebrated around September 29th. As summer warmth fades and the darker months draw near, the story of Saint Michael and the dragon reminds us of courage, inner strength, and the light we each carry within. In the classroom, children may hear the tale of Michael’s bravery, join in harvest songs, or bake golden loaves of bread shaped like dragons and swords. These stories and activities offer children a living picture of resilience: just as nature prepares for winter, so too do we prepare to meet challenges with courage and resolve.

At home, families can honor Michaelmas in simple but meaningful ways. Baking bread together, lighting a golden candle at the dinner table, or taking a crisp autumn walk to notice the changes in nature can all become rituals of the season. Sharing stories of courage—whether from legends, family history, or children’s literature—helps children connect the festival’s themes to their own lives.

In this way, Michaelmas is not just a day on the calendar but a practice of turning inward with gratitude for the harvest behind us and strength for the journey ahead. When families celebrate these moments together, children experience the reassuring rhythm of the year and learn that each season carries its own gifts and lessons.