Each of us is one small light, but together we shine bright!
Legend has it, on a cold wintry night, a Roman horse soldier came across a beggar. The beggar’s shadow was dim as he shivered in the bitter darkness with no food and no shelter. The soldier got down off his horse, tore his cloak in half and offered it to the beggar. The beggar accepted the cloak, thanking the soldier for the warmth it would bring. But, it was not the warmth of the cloak to which the beggar referred. No, it was the warmth in their hearts from the kindness the soldier had shown. That soldier would go on to become Saint Martin, patron saint of beggars, the poor, and tailors.
Waldorf schools across the globe celebrate Martinmas to remind us to kindle the light in our hearts at a time when looming days of winter lie ahead.
In the early grades, children gather around tables with empty mason jars. The tissue paper is cut into ribbons, creating beautiful patterns brushed together with glue. A tealight is placed in each lantern, a wire looped to form a handle for a small hand to hold.
The children stand around a campfire in the twilight, shivering and shifting from foot to foot as they wait for more to arrive. 
Their teachers begin to hum a song as family members urge the children to warm their hands by the fire. Their lanterns sit at their feet, dark and waiting for the celebration to begin.
The glow of the firelight plays off smiles as children hold fire at the end of a stick. The fire is passed from lantern to lantern as the teachers’ hum turns into words softly sung until others join in. Once all lanterns are lit, the voices rise up and it’s time to begin the long walk.
Children embark on a journey through the woods with their teachers and families. Their lanterns shine against the night as they’re carried through the trees. Small voices fill the leaves with the song. Others focus on their footsteps in quiet contemplation, watching the lanterns of those leading the way. Some laugh and join hands, helping each other over fallen branches as they continue ever forward.
At the High School, lights are carried to tables where students share a meal together. Voices echo off walls as students share stories and bread. Everyone is talking, everyone is laughing. The lantern light dances on the table. The chef serves soup as a teacher stands, telling the story of Martinmas. Students listen, playing cat’s cradle with string or buttering bread as they hear the tale. The dishes find their way to the kitchen and each light is put out on each table. But they’re not needed anymore, for every student walks out looking a little bit brighter.
