A Waldorf-Inspired Advent: Week Two
As the days grow shorter and darker here in New England, I appreciate traditions that bring warmth and light into our home. Waldorf Advent traditions center around the light- carrying light in the darkness, honoring the light of the natural world, and sharing our inner light. During the Advent season, we are invited to celebrate the unique gifts of the natural world and discover a deeper connection with nature, ourselves, and one another.
On the second Sunday of Advent, we read the second line from Rudolph Steiner’s verse The Four Lights of Advent:
The second light of Advent is the light of plants—
Green plants that reach up to the sun and in the breezes dance.
We can reflect on the meaning of this verse and on lessons offered by the plant kingdom. On the surface, we’re reminded of nature's gifts and how, during this season of rest, we bring greenery, seasonal fruits, and the warm, comforting scents of cloves and cinnamon into our homes. While nature sleeps, these folk traditions remind us of life in the midst of winter, the cycle of renewal, and hope for the return of light and spring. We can reflect on the ways plants nourish the earth and on the beautiful reciprocity we share with them: we breathe out what they need, and they breathe out what we need.
The deeper meanings that I interpret from the verse are those that we can also find within ourselves: growth, the instinct to reach toward light, and living in rhythm with the natural world. Plants lean toward sunlight to thrive, and in our own way, we grow toward the light- the things that bring us joy, energy, and nourishment.
We light an Advent candle and decorate our seasonal table with greenery, berries, and citrus fruits.
This year, I’m integrating this Advent celebration into our Advent calendar. Each Advent calendar pocket will hold a card with an activity or craft, and one small gift per week. All week, we’ll be connecting with the plant kingdom through activities, including crafting a gift to give. We’ll also be reading some themed books and making a recipe.
Week 2: Plants
Activities:
Pinecone Weather Station
Collect pinecones to use for this experiment. Click here for instructions.
Pinecone Christmas Trees
A classic craft for the holiday seaason! Click here for instructions.
Make Pomanders
Stud oranges with whole cloves. It’s so simple and smells amazing! Use them to decorate!
Make a Mini Terrarium
Add some layers of rocks and soil to a small- to medium-sized clear glass jar. Add moss, a small plant, or herb seeds.
Tape Resist Birch Tree Art
Place tape on watercolor paper. Watercolor paper to look like the sky. Remove tape. Add accents to the tape resist areas to make it look like birch trees.
Craft a Gift to Give: Simmer Jars
Combine your favorite winter aromatics: dried orange slices, dried apples, cinnamon sticks, dried cranberries, eucalyptus, juniper, pine needles, star anise, and cloves. Fill jars, tie them with ribbon, and add a tag listing the ingredients.
Small gift:
A plant or bulb
This week’s small gift will be a plant. Either a mini potted plant or a bulb to grow in water. Sometimes Trader Joe’s carries hyacinth bulbs in glass jars similar to the ones in this photo.
Recipe:
Gingerbread Cookies
Nothing fills our home with warmth quite like the scent of gingerbread drifting from the oven. This week, we’ll bake our beloved gingerbread cookies- with the same recipe I’ve been using for at least 15 years, and the same recipe that my mom used. A simple tradition that makes the season feel special.
Books to read:
Wintergarden
A young girl and her mother create a windowsill herb garden, discovering the joy and enchantment of bringing plants indoors during winter.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
A sweet holiday story where a giant Christmas tree brings unexpected joy to everyone it touches. It teaches the lesson of how one person’s trash may be another’s treasure.
Penguin and Pinecone
A penguin finds an unexpected friend in a fallen pinecone and embarks on a gentle, heartwarming journey of care, connection, love, and growth.
The Tree That’s Meant To Be
A small, crooked fir tree is overlooked while all the other trees are chosen for Christmas. The creatures of the forest help the little tree discover that it’s love, and being different is what makes it truly special.
The Pine Cone’s Secret
Follow the journey of a pine cone from seed to towering tree. This book weaves the life cycle of nature into a gentle, lyrical poem.
Mrs. Maple’s Seeds
Each year, Miss Maple gathers little orphaned seeds and cares for them throughout the winter. When spring returns, she gently sends them out into the world to grow into the plants they were meant to become.
I’d love to hear about your family’s holiday traditions in the comments!