So you can't see it really well, but this was our first "Lantern walk" at Fiona's preschool. The kids get a Lantern, which traditionally has a tealight in it, but, what we didn't know, usually has a battery operated light in it. I also didn't know it was supposed to be on a stick, so when we got there I was scrambling around trying to find a stick somewhere, in the dark. So then you walk around the neighborhood and stop to sing a song every once in a while. I don't have the "why" figured out, though, yet.
This is Fiona's best friend, Samed, he and his family are from Turkey. She insisted on holding his hand the entire time, which was very cute, but somewhat difficult, at least as a parent, when you're worried about a lantern catching fire (and why she's not carrying it in this picture, she did not forsee a fire hazard).
I'm pretty sure our two families were bringing up the rear the entire walk. And a big thanks to Samed's mom for sending me the pictures, as we of course had no camera with us.
7 comments:
Well...maybe it is like the German version of Christmas caroling? Except with lanterns and no hot chocolate?
oh, but there was hot (well, warm) chocolate!
Ooh...you got to partake in Martinmas!
yeah, i learned about the meaning of the lantern walk. something about a guy named martin who was involved in the spreading of the gospel (lighting up the darkness). the catholics and the protestants have different stories concerning him and i'm not sure if the martin is martin luther.
Basically the whole deal is about Saint Martin. It is not Martin Luther, but some Saint Martin who supposedly was very generous to the poor. The song "Sankt Martin" is always sung, in which one of the stanzas tells the story of how he is on his horse, and crosses roads with a poor man. It is cold, and the man is freezing. So Saint Martin took his sword, divided his cloak, and gave half of it to the poor man.
Laternenumzuge usually have to do with this Martin, but also just mark the time of the year when it gets darker earlier. The lanterns are supposed to bring some light into the world.
At the end of the walk, at least in the South, you also get "Martinsmaennchen" (Martin mannequins), a pastry in form of a man (kinda looks like a ginger bread man, but is made of different dough).
I could not resist but wikipedia this :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Day
Old childhood memories of a time long long ago... *sigh*
Now I understand why all those people were walking down our street in our village holding lanterns and singing...and the band was playing too...
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