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Dawn
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| Posted: May 15 2006 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
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So as not to hijack Mary's Ascension thread, I am going to respond to Jenn's question here in a new one! 
JennGM wrote:
| Dawn, I have not heard of this book. Can you give a review? It sound great. And what other British book are you referring to? |
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(Jenn was asking about a book of festivals I mentioned in regards to activities for the Ascension ...)
I have a few books I love leftover from my days as a Waldorf-y homeschooler. There was a lot I loved about Waldorf (mostly, I realize now, the crossover with CM) but I never bought into any of the Steiner spirituality stuff (too Catholic for that  ).
One thing that appealed to me was how the school year/family life revolved around the Christian feasts (or as they call them festivals). I tried to glean ideas that supported our family's faith and bring some of the whimsy of British customs to our celebrations (we're part English, plus I'm a serious Anglophile ).
Enough background, sorry! Here are the books I like:
Festivals for Children ~ This is the one I quoted in the previous post and actually it's German in origin. She has some strong feelings about not explaining or exposing the children to too much at an early age (very Waldorf). For instance she doesn't advocate explaining the events of Holy Week to a child younger than 12 -   - but as with anything, I take what I like and toss the rest.
A Book of Feasts and Seasons ~ similar book with lots of neat British customs for holidays like St. George's Day, St. Barbara's, St. Stephen's, Maundy Thursday, Rogationtide, St. Anne and St. Joachim, Martinmas and St. Andrew's etc., etc.
All Year Round ~ From the back cover: "This book is a festival store cupboard: a treasure trove of tomorrow's much loved childhood memories, all mingled together with a mix of coloured thread, delicious cooking smells, softly sparkling candle light and the snatch of a favourite song. AYR is brimming with things to make; activities, stories, poems and songs to share with your family. It is full of well illustrated ideas for fun and celebration: from Candlemas to Christmas and Midsummer's Day to the winter solstice ..."
Family, Festivals and Food ~ Not as good as AYR, but similar in style and content. Very British and old fashioned. From the back cover "Even though Christmas comes but once a year, there are at least 18 other festivals to celebrate! Each festival, such as Candlemas, Whitsun or Midsummer, has its own chapter. There are over 650 songs to sing, games for fun, food to make, stories, poems and things to do - with over 200 illustrations ..."
The Children's Year ~ from the back: Creative handwork may give joy and satisfaction to adults and children alike. Here is a book relating the making-of-things to the seasons; taking a reader through spring, summer, autumn and winter with appropriate toys and gifts to create ... There are soft items for play and beauty, and there are firm solid wooden ones; moving toys such as balancing birds or climbing gnomes ... From woolly hats to play houses, mobiles or dolls, here are over 100 potential treasures to make in seasonal groupings.
So there they are in a nutshell. I use them along with several other (Catholic) resources when trying to plan out the next feast or season.
I'd love to hear other's suggestions too, British or no!
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JennGM
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| Posted: May 15 2006 at 4:56pm | IP Logged
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Thanks, Dawn for taking the time to answer!
I have a few of those already, such as "Book of Feasts and Seasons"...excellent, excellent. "Family, Festivals and Food" and "Children's Year" I had for a few years and didn't understand the Waldorf connection (I had no idea about it at the time). I couldn't understand the lack of religion, although it talked about these festivals. It wasn't until I was on CCM and saw discussions that a lightbulb went off!
I have a British Isles one for you, too. Feasting for Festivals by Jan Wilson. Good recipes, a few crafts, and nice explanations of feasts.
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JennGM
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| Posted: May 15 2006 at 6:20pm | IP Logged
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Two books that follow English festivals, but not Catholic are by the author Dorothy Gladys Spicer. All her works are OOP, Yearbook of English Festivals goes through the year all over England with explanations of various customs. Then From An English Oven is the cookbook that covers both everyday and festival foods from all over England. Both very informative.
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Genevieve
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| Posted: May 15 2006 at 6:23pm | IP Logged
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Dawn, I would love to hear your Catholic resources. 
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Dawn
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| Posted: May 15 2006 at 7:27pm | IP Logged
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Genevieve wrote:
| Dawn, I would love to hear your Catholic resources. |
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Hoo boy, I have a thing about books ~ as in I don't buy myself new shoes for years but instead blow the budget on books and craft materials ~ but I know we can all relate here, so here goes:
These are on my favorites shelf:
The Catholic Parent Book of Feasts
A Year with God: Celebrating the Liturgical Year
The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days and Every Day
A Continual Feast: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Joys of Family and Faith througout the Christian Year
And in just a few days, Cay's Catholic Mosaic: Living the Liturgical Year with Literature will be placed on this very same shelf.
I also love Mary Reed Newland's A Year with Our Children and Maria Von Trapp's Around the Year with the Von Trapp Family (Both are available online but I can't locate the URL right now; a while ago I printed them out and keep each one in a binder.)
Hope that helps!
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Genevieve
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Dawn,
Thanks for sharing. I figured since I too like Waldorfy crafts, we might have similar taste in Catholic liturgical resources.  I currently only have Earthways but hope to add Toymaking with Children and of course most of those you recommended above. I'm with you about shoes and books. Sometimes I think even food is overrated. 
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| Posted: May 15 2006 at 9:14pm | IP Logged
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Genevieve wrote:
| Sometimes I think even food is overrated. |
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SOOO overrated.
A friend of mine teased me about my love of books. She had borrowed some, and returned most of them, but not all. So a few days later I asked about the missing one, which she hadn't mentioned, but I noticed. "My Preciousssss...." she said. And she's right.... 
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momwise
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It's definitely not British, but I also have Fiesta Time in Mexico in which almost every holiday covered is a Catholic feast. I love feast and festival books. I have found a couple of Easter books but most are for the Christmas season. I have an anthology of diverse festivals called apropriately Festivals and not surprisingly many traditional festivals around the world are Catholic. There are stories for a Milking Song from St. Bridget's (st. Bride's) day, St. George, St. Crispin, Michaelmas, Shrove Tuesday and Midsummer's and 12th night among others.
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Dawn
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| Posted: May 16 2006 at 4:31am | IP Logged
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Genevieve wrote:
| I currently only have Earthways but hope to add Toymaking with Children and of course most of those you recommended above. I'm with you about shoes and books. Sometimes I think even food is overrated. |
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Oh, I love Earthways, Genevieve!! I use that all the time, too. When I taught the young group (we called them Little Sprouts ) at a homeschool coop we used to belong to, I used this book exclusively! Wonderful nature activities and crafts.
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| Posted: May 16 2006 at 6:47am | IP Logged
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Here is an excerpt from All Year Round on the Ascension:
"Forty days after Easter, as described in Acts 1:2-12, the Risen Christ was "taken up" into the heavens and "a cloud recevied Him out of (the disciples') sight." the story gives us the picture of the disciples as they "looked steadfastly out toward heaven." On Easter morning Mary Magdalene found what she was seeking in a garden, where the Water element brings to life the Earth element. On Ascension day the disciples' longing drew them to seek among the clouds where the Water and Air elements mingle, creating potent and ever-renewing forms charged with blessing for the earth.
"Behold the Highest, parting hence away,
Lightens the darke clouds, which hee treads upon
...Bright Torch which shin'st, that I the way may see."
(From John Donne "Ascension.")
Between the common ground of our daily life and the vaulted heights of our ideals, the longings of our heart swell like summer clouds. They may be shapeless and ill-defined at first, but if they take on form and substance they can begin to shine for us, become an inspiration, a 'castle in the air' that builds its own foundation on the earth. By freeing our thoughts into the mobile landscape of the clouds, we may find our own life-landscape refreshed and re-affirmed.
In some parts of Europe Ascension Day is a public holiday, but no longer in England. If it is possible to take an outing, try to leave the car behind and walk to a hilltop. Find a space there to day-dream awhile, to watch the mist rising, to see the showers fall, to feel one's mind and soul broadened by the boundless creative life of the far-ranging clouds.
At this time of year, when the meadow flowers open their thousand blossoms to the sun, and the dandelion clocks give their little stars to the breeze, nature appears secure in the promise of the future. Whether the clouds overhead are black or white, we too can feel linked to the stream of blessings which unite heaven and earth.
The soft summer clouds lie beyong the grasp of little fingers, but a billowing, silken parachute is perhaps the next best thing ..."
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Then there are several crafts and activities for celebrating the Ascension out in nature with children ~ parachute games and toys for summer air like a flying streamer bag, streamers on sticks, a whipper whopper, and windmills.
As you can see it's a real mix of religion, festival tradition, and nature. As I said before, I take what I like and the rest I leave.
I love the book suggestions! Any more? (Dh is cringing as I make a new wish list! )
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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Topic: British "festival" books
