SECTION II - FAMILY ISSUES

Promoting Pagan Family Values - Selene Silverwind

Promoting Pagan Family Values
By Selene Silverwind
SeleneSilverwind@aol.com

It's winter! It's winter! While the days are getting longer, the air is getting colder. It's raining, it's snowing, it's sleeting, all that nasty stuff. On the day we honor as Imbolc, the groundhog, that time-honored tool for divination, will crawl out of his hole in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and tell us if we have six more weeks of winter, but regardless of what he says, we all know that we do.

It's time to really get down and celebrate winter while we have it. Seeing as the US has co-opted Imbolc, we ought to celebrate the occasion. Allow your children to sleep a little late Imbolc morning, then when you awaken them, take them outside before they have even brushed their teeth to see if they can see their shadow. If they can, you will have six more weeks of winter. Then go back inside and make a nice warm breakfast. Light a candle at breakfast to welcome back the light. While the children eat, talk about what winter means to them and what they associate with the season. Discuss what is happening under the wintry earth and when spring will start to break through.

In most cases I recommend projects for individual children, but this time I'm doing something a little different. Start the class with a discussion of what happens in winter. What kind of weather we have, which trees keep leaves and which trees don't, and which animals hibernate and which animals don't. Make a list of all these things on the chalkboard. Next you will need a long, large sheet of blue paper (butcher block style). You should be able to find something suitable at the craft store, or even in the school supply room. Have each child make one of the items listed on the chalkboard out of construction paper while you paint a white strip along the bottom of the paper. When all the individual pieces are ready, glue the children's projects to the blue paper to make a cohesive scene. Add cotton balls and paper snowflakes if you want a snowy scene. After the mural is complete and hung on the wall for all to admire, the children can drink warm cider and snack on snowflake shaped sugar cookies.

Once again it's time for a winter party. Make it a potluck and ask everyone to bring foods that remind them of winter and, of course, you'll need to serve hot apple cider with a peppermint stick. The children can help decorate a snow cake. White cake, white frosting, and all the silver balls and sparkles they can manage. Perhaps make it a Snow Queen party and retell Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Snow Queen" to the neighborhood kids while the neighborhood parents catch up. There may also be a video of the classic tale that you can show instead.

Winter may be cold and dark, but our hearts aren't. Make this season a time to celebrate the wonder that is the white season.