The Lantern Festival
As autumn’s golden hues fade into the quiet darkness of winter, we find ourselves turning inward, seeking the warmth and radiance that live within and around us. Across the world, communities and cultures have long honored this turning of the year with celebrations of light — each one a reflection of humanity’s shared longing for hope, peace, and renewal.
In the Hindu faith, families gather for Diwali, the festival of lights, where tiny lamps called diyas flicker in windows and doorways, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over adversity. In Lyon, France, one of the oldest light festivals in the world, the Fête des Lumières fills the city with glowing art and color, transforming streets and buildings into a radiant tapestry of gratitude and community. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, during Loy Krathong, thousands of lanterns rise into the night sky while delicate offerings drift upon the water — gestures of release, forgiveness, and new beginnings. And in Sydney, Australia, the Vivid Festival turns the harbor into a celebration of creativity and light, illuminating the night with imagination and wonder as the southern hemisphere prepares to welcome winter.
Whether light shines as a symbol of hope, peace, or renewal, the thread remains constant across cultures — it is the light of the human spirit, ever seeking connection, courage, and meaning amid the turning seasons.
At the heart of our own lantern tradition lives an old story — the Legend of Saint Martin, carried through centuries on the wings of kindness. One cold winter’s night, a young soldier came upon a beggar shivering by the city gates. Moved by compassion, he took his cloak and, with a single, gentle gesture, cut it in two, sharing warmth and comfort with another soul in need. Though born of a distant time, this story continues to live in the human heart — reminding us that even the smallest act of generosity can kindle a light that shines far beyond itself.
It is in this same spirit that our school community gathers for the Lantern Walk. As dusk deepens and the forest grows still, children and families set forth together, their lanterns glowing softly against the darkened path. The gentle light we carry is more than a flame — it is a reflection of the warmth we nurture within, the light of compassion, courage, and love that guides us through the lengthening nights of the year.
In the hush of the woods, beneath the bare branches and the wide, listening sky, we are reminded that light lives not only in the lanterns we hold, but also in our hearts — a light to share, to tend, and to carry through the dark winter days ahead.
May the lights of this season guide and inspire you — through the darkness, toward one another, and into the bright promise of what lies ahead.
