Martinmas Lantern Walk

Tonight is our Martinmas celebration and it's snowing ~ the first real snow of the year.

We've been making balloon lanterns this week. Later this week, we'll gather with friends new and old, hear a story about a small boy who makes a lantern to hold Father Sun's spark and walk through the woods, share a meal and have a bonfire.

Most years we make Martinmas Lanterns from old canning jars, seen below. I posted directions for how to make them over on The Wonder of Childhood here. . 

This year we're baking Martinmas pastry, either Volaerens (donkey droppings) or Weckmann (bunmen), the dough is the same, a sweet brioche, the form is different.

The donkey droppings come from a story that goes like this:

Many, many years ago, before your grandparents were born, a young boy who came to be known as Saint Martin was journeying in the dark of the night with his donkey. Neither moon nor star glowed that night. The forest was very dark. Saint Martin was walking alongside his donkey. His donkey was clomp, clomp, clomping along the leaves that covered the forest floor when suddenly he disappeared into the wood. Martin searched far and wide yet the donkey was not to be seen. Soon he came upon a village where the children were playing in the town center. The children were given lanterns to help find Martin's donkey. They quickly found the donkey and led him to the village square in a festive parade of children, lanterns and donkey. Martin was grateful to the children for their help and to thank them he turned the donkey droppings into sweet little pastries for the children to eat. They named them volaerens which means donkey droppings in the Flemish language and still bake them today in some villages while children all over the world celebrate this day with walks and songs and lanterns.

Our Favorite Lantern Songs

I'm walking with my lantern,

My lantern is walking with me

In heaven the stars are shining,

On earth are shining we

Oh lantern bright!

You shine tonight!

May all the Angels see,

May all the Angels see,

I'm walking with my lantern,

My lantern is shining on me,

In heaven the stars are shining

On earth are shining we

The cock doth crow,

The cat meows,

La bimmel, la bammel la boom!

The cock doth crow,

The cat meows,

La bimmel, la bammel, la boom!

and this song which is known as "the second grade song" for the children learn it in second grade:

Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Saint Martin rode through wind and snow

On his strong horse, his heart aglow,

He rode so boldly through the storm

His great cloak kept him well and warm

By the roadside, by the roadside, by the roadside a poor man arose,
Out of the snow in tattered clothes
He said please help me with my plight
Or I shall die of cold tonight

Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Saint Martin stopped his horse and drew
his sword and cut his cloak in two
One half to the beggar man he gave
And by this deed a life did save

Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Saint Martin rode through wind and snow

On his strong horse, his heart aglow,

He rode so boldly through the storm

His great cloak kept him well and warm

The music for this song is here although the words in this version are a different translation.

Maybe a post with snapshots and recipes tomorrow.....

The next day.....

Martinmas Blessings upon you and yours!