Waldorf Without Walls

Newsletter

Vol. 10 Issue 40

December, 2006

Waldorf Without Walls

A quarterly newsletter for Waldorf Homeschooling.

Editor:

Barbara Dewey

Table of Contents

• Ten years of Waldorf Without Walls
• Advent/Solstice Song
• More Winter and Advent/Solstice Ideas
• Hidden Meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas
• Upcoming Lectures and Workshops
• Family Arts Weekend in Ohio
• Walled Lake, Michigan

Archive

Disclaimer

While Waldorf Without Walls supports the diverse exchange of ideas, the articles published herein do not necessarily represent the opinion of the editor, but try to answer the needs of subscribers as they are voiced in letters, phone calls and e-mail. Opinions expressed are those of their authors.

Happy Holidays!

May we all pray that the year 2007 brings peace to the world.

Ten Years of Waldorf Without Walls!

This issue completes ten years of the publication of this newsletter! It started as a one-page newsletter, mailed via snail mail. It went through several incarnations, growing to 8 pages as a little booklet, and then back to full letter size when, about five years ago, it went electronic. It is hard to believe it has been that long!

Advent/Solstice Song

Here is a good song to sing while you are proceeding around the Advent/Solstice Spiral

You can also use "Down with Darkness," which appeared in the October issue.

More Winter, Advent and Solstice ideas

Winter Wonderfest is an online festival of crafts, stories, family celebration ideas, and music for isolated holistic homeschoolers, and the rest of us too! There are now more than 20 articles from 12 holistically-inspired contributors: http://www.wonderhs.com/wonderhomeschool/id128.html

The Hidden Meaning of "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

Contributed by Eric Fairman

(Okay, I'm not sure if this is really the case but it certainly makes an interesting story...)

People often think of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as the days preceding the festival. Actually, Christmas is a season of the Christian Year that last for days beginning December 25 and lasting until January 6 - the Day of Epiphany when the church celebrates the revelation of Christ as the light of the world and recalls the journey of the Magi.

From 1558 until 1829 people in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. During this era someone wrote "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a kind of secret catechism that could be sung in public without risk of persecution. The song has two levels of interpretation: "the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the church."

Each element in the carol is a code word for a religious reality.

1. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ.
2. The two turtledoves are the Old and New Testaments.
3. Three French hens stand for faith, hope and love.
4. The four calling birds are the four Gospels.
5. The five gold rings recall the Torah (Law) the first five books of the Old Testament.
6. The six geese a-laying stand for the six days of creation.
7. Seven swans a-swimming represent the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
8. The eight maids a-milking are the eight beatitudes.
9. Nine ladies dancing are the nine fruits of the spirit (Gal. 5).
10. The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.
11. Eleven pipers piping stand for the eleven faithful disciples.
12. Twelve drummers drumming symbolize the 12 points of belief in the Apostles Creed.

There you have it, the hidden meaning of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and the secret behind the song. Gives different meaning to the song…doesn't it ?

Upcoming Lectures and Workshops

Workshops are currently being planned in:

Family Arts Weekend

Bowerston, OH, January 19–21, 2007
at Taproot Farm, Barbara's home.
http://waldorfwithoutwalls.com/seminars/familyweekend/

Walled Lake, Michigan, February 24-25

Contact Alison Lee: qichong@comcast.net