I have had numerous requests to share my little monthly lists.  I am happy to share one with you, but I am not sure it will be of service to you other than to provide an example.  This is because these lists are very specific to my Anglican faith, and also to the seasonal changes within the climate and area of the country in which I live, and also to what I have available locally regarding celebration in food, events and  place.

For me, the weaving of the natural and the liturgical year is common to our family. So, to plan, the first thing I literally do is get out My Book of Common Prayer and find out when things such as Lent, Easter and Ascension are, Feast Days of Saints, and things that I just know from tradition within my Parish that happen each year.  I also try to think in terms of attending the Divine Liturgy itself, but  also what speaks to that particular season through nature because that is where  I can more show my children in our home what ties this whole season back to the Holy Trinity.

For example, the days between Easter and Pentecost, (when we celebrate when the church was born), is a time I like to think about family.  We are part of the family of humanity, we are part of the family of the Church, if we make a birthday cake for the church on Pentecost, what could we be doing to talk about the Church and family and us as the broader picture of Anglicans around the globe to lead up to this?  (Please remember that I have older children as well, so things are more direct for them than just the indirectness that goes on for a tiny child under the age of nine!)   The idea of family, of living in communion,  is a huge concept, but there are indirect ways to do this.  Or, for another example,  how about the days after Pentecost as a time of growth?  There are many sweet picture books about nature and growth to have in a book basket, many ways to experience a beautiful garden and how we grow as Christians.  These are just a few examples.

The second thing I do is just start making free form lists with what I associate with each month – bonfire?  certain foods?  certain events in our community? certain craft  or handwork projects?  certain songs?  I get out my memories, my notes from previous years, my Early Years books and make lists.

Then I can take these ideas and plug them into a monthly rhythm and a weekly rhythm.

So, here is an example for you, but you really need to sit down and do this for yourself.  I don’t mean this harshly, but if creating a family culture is important to you, if Waldorf homeschooling is important to you, then you will try to do your own lists after you see this example.  You must be a person of initiative in order to have this be true to your own family.

So, here is my list, for example, for September:

Labor Day, an American Holiday  –>

8th  The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos

14th  Holy Cross Day  (find books about St. Helena for book basket)

21st  Feast of St. Matthew

29th Saint Michael and All Angels  (dragon, red cover for nature table, icon of St. Michael, dyeing red cloaks of courage, baking dragon bread, feats of courage and strength, bonfire, roasting smores)

harvest vegetable soup

bread

grated carrot and apple salads

fall greens kale, mustard, collards

leaf banners

pinecone people

picking apples

applesauce

baking whole apples

apple cake  remember apple cake book

stories  — Grandpa’s Farm and Carrot for two weeks (movement with story), Little Boy Knight  (Suzanne Down)  for two weeks

songs  working, harvesting fruits and vegetables, apples,

Circle – Opening verse, movement verses, songs, ring games, closing verse

Props needed for stories and verses:  see prop list (and then I have a summer schedule where I sit down and make things I need for the school year!)

This is just a small example of the beginning stages of planning a mood of celebration for the whole family.

Love,
Carrie