Advent Spiral: Greenery needed please!

We will be holding our Advent Spiral on Friday 27th November this year, and we are disappointed that all this has to be done without you present this time. 

Advent is a word derived from the Latin verb aduire meaning ‘to come’ or ‘to arrive’. It is a time for preparation and, most importantly, for the children it is a time of waiting which can bring about a sense of awe and wonder towards the special day that is to come.

The spiral will be held in the morning, in the downstairs Kindergarten, and because we would like the children to be able to hold the mood after the spiral, we would like all children to leave school at 12.35pm, apart from the After School Club children, who will stay on until 3.30, and be collected as usual.

Within the school we mark the beginning of Advent with candlelight, bringing with it a sense of warmth and light to help us through the cold, dark winter days and nights. The candle in the apple placed on greenery represents spirit joining with matter. Christmas time allows us to contemplate the journey of incarnation from the heavens into the earthly physical realms. Awe and wonder are fostered amongst the children with stories and this lovely ceremony. All the children can share his birthday with their friends and families, a time of warmth and love, sharing and giving.

We ask you to please respect the mood of quiet and calmness that we try to foster and we suggest that once you reach home, you try and have a quiet afternoon and evening. Your children will then go to bed with the feeling of quiet, calm and the Advent Spiral which helps set the mood for the beginning of Christmas. You could light the candle in the apple for their bedtime story.

If your children are allowed to go home and watch the telly, what they watch will take over any ‘Adventy’ mood and fill their heads with other stuff. We strongly recommend no telly, to allow your children to live with the mood of calm and quiet and really experience a sense of this both at school and in their homes.

Advent Spiral cannot happen without a spiral, so could we please join forces next week and bring as much greenery as we can muster – please let the office know and we will place it inside the little shelter in the playground where it will be covered with a tarpaulin. We need to make an adequate spiral for the children to walk so we would be grateful if you can all bring in some ivy and/or other evergreens – long bits please, if possible. We will be setting up the spiral in the Kindergarten room on the Thursday before (26th November) in the afternoon.

We hope you will enjoy hearing about your child’s experience of the peace and calm of this beautiful ceremony and we wish you all a wonderful Advent.