Lanterns of Light: A Martinmas Celebration November 11 2025
Light, Kindness, and the Warmth We Carry Within
A Note from the Library Lady
Well, friends, the chill of November has arrived. The bright blaze of autumn leaves is fading, and the days are growing shorter. As we draw near to the heart of the darker season, our Waldorf schools prepare for a tender, glowing celebration: Martinmas, observed each year around November 11.
Martinmas is not a grand festival with trumpets and pageantry. It is quiet, thoughtful, and serene—a celebration of light, warmth, and kindness. It reminds us that even a small act of goodness can brighten the darkness around us.
The Meaning Behind the Festival
At the heart of Martinmas is the story of St. Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who, on a freezing night, noticed a beggar shivering by the city gate. Martin took his own cloak, cut it in half with his sword, and shared it with the man. That night, Martin dreamt that Christ appeared to him wearing the same piece of cloak, saying, "What you do for the least of these, you do for me."
It's a story every Waldorf child knows well, told not to preach, but to awaken a feeling: compassion for others and warmth toward the world. In the gathering dark of early winter, this message glows all the brighter.
What Happens in the Schools
In the week leading up to Martinmas, classrooms are busy with lantern-making. Little hands paint watercolor paper in soft autumn hues, then fold, glue, and thread them into glowing shapes—stars, hearts, or simple rounded lanterns. Some children might hollow out turnips or gourds to make their lights, honoring old European traditions.
On the evening of the festival, families gather for the Lantern Walk. As twilight falls, the children carry their glowing lanterns along a quiet path, singing soft songs like:
"Glimmer, lantern, glimmer,
Little stars a shimmer."
or
"My lantern, my lantern, shining near and far,
I shine like the moon, I shine like a star."
The scene is hushed and luminous—dozens of small lights weaving through the night, each one a symbol of the warmth we can offer one another. Afterwards, there may be warm cider, warm bread rolls, or a shared story to end the evening.
Why It Matters
Festivals like Martinmas nurture the soul life of the child. In a season when the world grows cold and bare, the festival gently teaches that each of us carries a light—and that our kindness and generosity keep it burning.
Children feel this truth not through lectures or lessons, but through doing: crafting, walking, singing, sharing. They experience that light grows stronger when it is shared, and that compassion, even in small acts, can change the world around them.
So, as children bring home their handmade lanterns and softly hum their new song, know that these simple gestures carry something profound. In this darkening time of year, the light of St. Martin's deed—and the light in each of us—still shines bright.
When we gather for Martinmas, we are reminded that warmth and generosity don’t depend on grand gestures, but on everyday kindness—the kind we offer a friend, a neighbor, or even a stranger. As the lanterns fade and the night grows still, that quiet glow remains in our hearts, guiding us gently through the long winter ahead.
