GHSS Winter Festival - Thursday 20th June

The Winter Festival is one of Golden Hill’s most anticipated events of the year.  There is magic in gathering in the darkness by the warmth and light of the bonfire, walking with our lanterns through the hushed silence of the forest amidst the enchanting fairy houses, and the simple pleasure of coming together on a cold night for soup and a story.

The school community and parents can help create an atmosphere of reverence and awe in the following ways:

• Please leave mobile phones and cameras at home.  There will also be phone boxes in classrooms if you would like to leave your phone there during the lantern walk.  A school photographer will be documenting the night and photos will be shared with the school community.

• Please stay as quiet as possible during the lantern and spiral talk.  Parents and children will have the opportunity to chat during soup time.

• Please discourage your children from running around in the dark.  Instead, we will leave the grounds in quiet reflection at the end of the evening.

Thankyou for your cooperation in ensuring that our winter festival is as awe-filled and magical as possible.

What is the Winter Festival? 

Celebrating festivals are an enriching part of our school's cultural life and brings awareness to the rhythms of nature and the world around us. There is a ‘mood’ or underlying tone for each festival; Autumn is permeated with a sense of gratitude and abundance, while the spring festival is a time for ‘reawakening’ - a day that is marked with lots of frivolous fun, socialising and dancing.  

The impulse of the Winter Festival is quite different again.  This festival provides a space for quiet reflection, with the Winter Spiral representing the inward turning we experience as the night grows longer, encouraging self-reflection and introspection.  It also reminds us of our ability to bring light into darker times.

Components of the winter festival include:

THE WINTER SPIRAL

Once the lanterns have been lit, children and parent will proceed in single file towards the winter spiral, which happens to be in a surprise location this year!  The spiral allows for a rekindling of our inner light during a time of darkness; where we experience the longest night and the shortest day of the year.  It is the balance point within the year, for slowing down and taking time for introspection.  This time then becomes the turning point, as the days start to lengthen again and we walk from the darkest time back into the light, moving with nature towards spring and summer.

The Spiral reminds us of the fact that although there are dark times, we are not alone, and if we reach inward to our inner resources we will meet the changes ahead with renewed strength and resilience.

THE LANTERN WALK

Proceeding through the spiral, the children will continue their lantern walk through the candle-lit forest, past the fairy houses created by Class 6 children.  Thank you for refraining from using phones or chatting during this time.  

THE BONFIRE

This is a special occasion for our Class 6 students, who will light the bonfire with their own torches.  They spend much time learning and reciting a special verse/poem for the night, which is then followed by whole school songs.