Children’s Day Celebration – Online Sunday Gathering

December 14, 2020 by Christopher Morel

Sunday Gathering (Dec. 20 at 4 pm)

Children’s Day Celebration with Shambhala Touching the Earth Collective and Shambhala Office of Families and Children



Join the international Shambhala community for a fun-filled celebration of Children’s Day and Solstice.  This family-friendly online Sunday Gathering is a way to connect with the cycles of the seasons and the importance of family and children.

Presenters will include Sangyum Agness Au, Daniel Naistadt, Andrew Forbes (musician), Laura Simms (story-teller), Barbara Bash (artist and calligrapher), and more!

You are invited to bring a candle, matches, and paper, markers, and crayons. You can click here for more information about this year’s worldwide Children’s Day celebration.

Sunday December 20th, 4 to 5 pm (Atlantic Time)

Click here to register for this free event!  (donations gratefully accepted – patron price helps to support this event and Sunday gatherings)

And click here to view an offering from Children’s Day gathering, December 2019, in Halifax.  The page includes poems and a link to a short video of dance from the Four Dignity animals – Tiger, Lion, Garuda, and Dragon.

 

 

Dear Friends,
 

As we move toward Children’s Day on December 21, 2020, we’re reaching out to send you warm greetings, and to acknowledge the turbulent times we’ve all been living through. We hope that all of you are well, and finding ground in practice and loved ones.
 

The year-end holiday of Children’s Day is also the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere, and the Summer Solstice in the Southern hemisphere. Our major holidays in Shambhala are tied to these seasonal shifts to remind us of our undeniable link to the natural world as human beings living on this planet.
 

On December 21st, we won’t be able to gather in most places due to the pandemic.  It seems like we could all use some connection and kinship, so we want to offer ideas for marking the seasonal change and celebrating our children.
 

  • Create a Children’s Day/ Solstice shrine: The usual elements can be found here, and there is also room for lots of creativity and including your own family traditions.
     

  • Consider family or friend gatherings online to share a meal, play games or share stories of holidays past with young ones. Children love to hear the stories of how they were born, or tales from our own childhoods. You could also share the Children’s Day Story by Marty Janowitz included here.
     

  • Outdoor activities: If considered safe in your area, gather for a hike or small campfire with a few friends.
     

  • Socially distant outdoor gatherings: Invite friends or neighbours to stop by for a doorstep hello, and offer them hot cider or cocoa if it’s chilly where you live, or a refreshing lemonade or iced drink if it’s Summer Solstice for you. We could maintain distance and still share a moment.
     

  • Household baking activities: Children often love traditions, so sharing seasonal food and drinks and involving them in the preparation is a heartfelt experience. This year we are particularly inspired to share ideas for baking as a household. Theresa Spicer has created a lovely piece about baking decorated saffron breads for Children’s Day, and offers it for your enjoyment. Click here to view.

 

We would also love to see what your family or household bakes together! We can share photos on the Shambhala Network conversation that we’ve started here.
 

Please feel free to share this email and resources with anyone that might be interested or find these resources supportive.
 

Yours in the warmth of the Great Eastern Sun,
 

Wendy Friedman
On behalf of the
The Shambhala Office of Culture