Celebrating Summer Solstice the Waldorf Way

Tricia Kambourian
Jun 18
3 min read

June 20th marks the summer solstice or midsummer - the longest day of the year. Solstice means “sun stand still” in Latin, as the sun appears on the same point on horizon for three days. This has been celebrated for eons throughout history and cultures and it is one of the festivals honored on the wheel of the year. A day to revel in the sunlight that shines down on us for the longest amount of time all year and to mark the coming of summer’s abundance.

A Solstice Verse

You can share this verse in the morning to mark the day, before a meal, or before creating a solstice craft or activity. Or speak it as you take a nature walk outside in the sun.

King Sun he climbs the summer sky

Ascending ever higher.

He mounts his gay midsummer throne,

All made of golden fire.

His glowing mantle, flowing free,

His shining gifts he showers

All golden on Earth and sea

On men and beasts and flowers.

Solstice Celebrations

Make Sun Bread

Baking fresh bread with children is a fun and gratifying way to encourage them to help with making their own food, give them a sensory experience, and then enjoy a beautiful loaf of bread fresh from the oven that also honors the Sun.

Recipe

3 eggs

3 tbsp sugar

1 stick of butter, melted

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 packages active dry yeast

3 tbsp lukewarm milk

In a small bowl, combine dry yeast and lukewarm milk. Let stand until it becomes foamy, about 5 minutes. While you wait, mix together the eggs and sugar well. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and butter. Combine egg mixture to flour mixture and beat well.

Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and stir. Knead the dough on a greased surface for about 10 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, place in a bowl and cover. Let it rise for about an hour, until it doubles in size.

Once it has doubled in size, punch down dough (or allow your children to do this - always fun for them.) Knead the dough for a few minutes and split it into two equal size balls. Use the first ball of dough to make the sun’s face. Create a flattened, round circle. Use your finger to poke two eyes and draw a smile shape (use care to make pretty deep indents so they don’t close up during baking.) Make a small round ball shape of dough for the nose.

Use the second ball of dough to create the sun rays. Split the dough into multiple long snakes. Roll them up into snail type shapes and attach to edge of the sun’s face, using water to help them stick together.

Cover your sun and allow it to rise in a warm spot for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 400. Make your sun for 12-20 minutes, checking often to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Once you remove it from the oven, enjoy it plain, with butter, jam, or honey for a delicious solstice snack.

Make a nature mandala

Take a nature walk and gather flowers, leaves, sticks, acorns and all the small nature treasures. Use them to create art! Creating mandalas is a wonderful way to take a moment to meditate, breathe and focus our energy. Bonus points if you create a sunshine mandala!

Make a sunny window star

Use kite paper to create colorful stars for your windows that will brighten the room when the sun shines through them.

Find kite paper here