The days are shorter, the nights are colder, and the leaves on the deciduous trees have fallen. We are headed toward winter, a time of deep rest, a time of projects, a time of wonder at snow and lights and the beautiful winter sky with the skeletons of trees etched against the horizon.

I love the anticipation of a cozy, candlelit December. We are coming into the month of December, a month of anticipation and preparation in the Christian Calendar but also a month of cozy anticipation for many as winter arrives. We can set up a seasonal table with snow white and pink silks, crystals of quartz and amethyst, glass vases, paper snowflakes or an beautiful Advent tableau with a dark blue silk with candles and gold paper stars. The traditional Advent wreath can come out.

We are moving from a time of mourning and remembering our ancestors, the saints, those who have gone before us to passing through the winter to a new year and a new path. We are preparing for what is to come. What are the deepest longings of your heart for the coming year?

Advent can be a time of fasting and preparing and contemplating for this new beginning. I have already chosen my word of the year for 2024 (for more on that tradition, see back posts)..I think this is going to be a restorative year, so I chose the word CREATE. I will have one child finishing college this year in December, another child who is now living on her own many states away, another child beginning high school in the fall of 2024, and we will have been on our farm for three years in the spring. I have also dealt with a major life threatening health challenge this year and treatments are wrapping up, so I think 2024 is going to be an amazing year for renewal and restoration for myself and my family and also for creating all kinds of things to help others. I am looking forward to this so much.

This post talks  Advent from a Waldorf perspective.  If you are from another faith tradition and are blogging about this month, please leave a link to your blog below so my readers can find you!   I am Christian and therefore can only write from the perspective of our life, but so appreciate other perspectives. One thing I am thinking strongly about is how we as a family make a very conscious effort to slow down, not speed up, this holiday season.  You can see my contemplation about that in this post about the  simple holiday season.  and this post which holds  answers to parents’ holiday questions.

Here are some things we are celebrating this month:

December 3- First Sunday in Advent

December 6 – St. Nicholas Day –please do see Christine Natale’s tremendous post here St. Nicholas Day and starting new holiday traditions  and  favorite stories for St. Nicholas

December 10 – Second Sunday in Advent

December 13 – Santa Lucia Day

December 17 – Third Sunday in Advent

December 24- Fourth Sunday in Advent

December 24- Eve of the Nativity

December 25 – Feast of the Nativity, and the first day of the Twelve Days of Christmas  – there are many back posts on the Twelve Days of Christmas if you search under “Family Life” and “festivals” or use the blog’s search engine.

The Twelve Days of Christmas, December 25- January 6th

Our traditions include walking an Advent Spiral, crafting and baking.  If you need gift ideas for this season, please see  last minute gifts to make  and more last minute gifts to make.  There are many wonderful ideas our readers submitted as well in the comment sections.

I would love to hear from you – what holiday traditions are you creating, what are your goals for the next year, what are doing with your homeschooling. I can’t wait to learn from you all and create with you!

Blessings and love,
Carrie