This blog is reader supported, and some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Embark on a journey into the heart of Waldorf-inspired Candlemas celebrations, where history intertwines with creativity to form your own cherished family traditions!
Explore the connections between Candlemas, Imbolc, and St. Brigid’s Day, three celebrations marking the beginning of the transition from winter to spring.
Candlemas, celebrated on February 2nd, traces it’s roots to both Christian and Celtic traditions. It coincides with the Celtic festival of Imbolc, symbolizing the first signs of spring.
St. Brigid’s Day, celebrated on February 1st, originally honored the Celtic goddess Brigid in the celebration of Imbolc.
The interconnectedness of these celebrations reflect the universal theme of welcoming the returning light after winter, fertility, and the promise of renewal in the coming spring.
In Celtic tradition, Imbolc marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox (sometimes called ‘mid-winter’), and heralds the return of the light and early Spring, as well as the beginning of the farming season. The celebration is a prayer and wish for a fertile growing season.
Later, Imbolc was adopted by Christians as the celebration of the purification of the Virgin Mary. Candles are often used to in both traditions to mark the occasion, as a symbol of returning light for pagans, and as the guiding light of Christ for Christians.
Saint Brigid’s Day is another adaptation of Imbolc, originally honoring the Celtic Goddess Brigid, and was later adapted to honor Saint Brigid of Kildare, one of Ireland’s patron saints who was a renowned nun and abbess that played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity across Ireland in the 5th century.
Over the centuries, the celebration evolved into a blend of both Christian and pagan traditions, with rituals like making Brigid’s crosses, and lighting bonfires to ward off evil spirits.
Today, Saint Brigid’s Day stands as a symbol of renewal, hope, and the enduring spirit of Irish heritage.
In Waldorf education, Candlemas is often observed as part of the yearly seasonal rhythm that is created to help ground and anchor children in the yearly cycle of life.
In this yearly seasonal rhythm, ‘Festival Days’ are used to mark each season and to nourish a deep sense of joy, reverence, and interconnectedness in the hearts and minds of children.
Crafting a seasonal rhythm within your own home is a simple, joyful way to nourish these elements within your family and deepen the feelings of connection between family members.
So without further ado, here are some Waldorf-inspired ideas that you can use to craft your own nourishing family tradition!
- Make hand-rolled natural beeswax candles: This is a tactile and meaningful activity that the whole family can enjoy doing together. It not only produces beautiful candles to light in honor of Candlemas, but also connects your family to the ancient art of candle-making.
- Organize a Candlelight Procession: Create a magical atmosphere by organizing a candlelight procession. You can do this with only your own family, or invite friends and neighbors to participate. This symbolic journey, whether indoors or out, signifies the triumph of light over darkness and adds enchantment and reverence to your celebration.
- Enjoy a Feast by Candlelight: Craft a fest using seasonal ingredients and foods that honor the connection between nature and the festivities, fostering a sense of family togetherness. Bannock is an oat cake that is traditionally served in honor of Candlemas. You can make either a savory bannock to be served alongside soup or a dish of roasted vegetables, or make a sweet version to be served as dessert with seasonal fruit and freshly whipped cream. (Click here for our recipe!)
- Reciting Candlemas-Inspired Verses: Infuse your celebration with poetic beauty by reciting verses together. This practice adds a rhythmic element and deepens the spiritual and reflective aspects of the occasion.
- Read or tell a Story: Reading or telling a story with themes that intertwine with those of Candlemas or Saint Brigid’s Day captivates the imagination and brings a deeper sense of reverence to children and adults alike. Choose tales that have themes of light, hope, and the changing of the season.
As an eclectic homeschooling family, we have adopted our own Waldorf-inspired Seasonal Rhythm, and Candlemas is a favorite festival day to observe every year!
We celebrate Candlemas by doing a simple candle-making craft, and rolling natural beeswax sheets into beautiful candles.
These lovely and easy to make candles can also be decorating with pretty bits of lace, twine, cinnamon sticks, and dried flower sprigs, like lavender.
And they also make wonderful handmade gifts!
Another way to decorate them is to use mini-cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the beeswax that can be pressed onto the outside of the candles after they are rolled.
So easy, simple, and so pretty!
We use these kits, which make it easier still.
Working with beeswax is a very satisfying sensory experience for children, and helps develop the fine-motor coordination they will need when drawing, painting, and writing.
Materials you will need:
- Candle making kit, or sheets of natural beeswax
- Candle wicks (these are included in the kits we use)
- Scissors
- Hair dryer
- Mini cookie cutters (optional)
- Twine & lace ribbon (optional, but are included in some of the kits)
- Dried orange slices (optional, but are included in some of the kits)
- Cinnamon Sticks (optional, but are included in some of the kits)
- Dried Lavender and/or rose stems with flowers (Lavender is included in some of the kits)
Instructions:
- If you wish, trim the beeswax sheets to whatever size candle you want to make. Our kids like to trim them in half.
- Measure and cut a piece of wick to fit your candle, with an extra 1/2 inch left on the end where the candle will be lit
- Gently warm the beeswax sheet with the hair-dryer on the warm setting (please help young children with this or do it for them so that they don’t burn themselves!). This can take a little time, but is faster than warming it in your hands (which is also an option if you don’t have a hair dryer on-hand)
- Place the wick along the edge of the candle in the direction that you will roll it.
- Roll the beeswax sheet around the wick as tightly as you can, gently pushing down so as not to crack the wax. If it is not rolling easily, warm it a bit more with the hair-dryer. It should feel pliable, but should not be melting.
- Once the candle is rolled, decorate it by wrapping some lace ribbon around it and tying it on with some twine.
- Tuck a slice of dried orange and a cinnamon stick into the twine, or a sprig of dried flowers
- Alternately, you can cut out little shapes with mini-cookie cutters and warm the cut-outs with the hair dryer and press onto the outside of the candles.
And that’s it!
I hope this helps you create a beautiful and nourishing Candlemas tradition for your seasonal rhythm.
~xo
Did you try this simple craft? Let me know how it turned out in the comments!
2 thoughts on “Waldorf-Inspired Candlemas Celebrations + Easy Handmade Candle Craft”