St. Martin's Day

Last Thursday we celebrated St. Martin's Day at Enzian and Ludwig's school. Similar to the Chinese Lantern Festival, children carry lit paper lanterns when night falls. The occasion is, however, nothing close to the Chinese tradition. St. Martin is most famous for cutting his cloak into half to share it with a beggar in a snowstorm to prevent him from dying. This act of selflessness is always re-enacted on this day, before the procession starts. The children will then sing songs of St. Martin as they carry their lanterns.

It was our first-time celebrating St. Martin's Day in Germany. The turnout was huge, with lots of parents and children participating. Here, the school principal re-told the story of St. Martin in front of so many enthusiastic children.

Soon afterwards, the procession began. The night was cold, but the sky was clear. It was an untypical November weather. Great for an outdoor event like this. We walked about 1km and arrived at a roaring and blazing campfire that lit up the school field. The fire was fierce, but it was a welcoming sight as it warmed us all up immediately.

These lanterns were bought, at the last minute, thanks to Opa who went searching for them. Most stores ran out of stock long ago. Next year, we will be more prepared and make our own cool paper lanterns. It was a nice way to spend an evening, away from the routine.