If you’ve read my blog for awhile, you know that I love the Waldorf tradition of finding life’s rhythms and using the seasons to guide the natural rhythms in our home. I have always loved the changing seasons, and my home reflected those changes. But now I live in a place where seasonal changes are very, very subtle. We seem to have two basic seasons: hot and warm.
So…I’m wondering: should I keep following the seasons that the calendar assures me are happening and bring out the decor that I’ve collected over the years, or should I embrace OUR seasons and OUR reality, celebrating the quiet little changes that our environment displays?
I’m looking for your feedback. Please leave a comment!
Warm as Pie 
What a great pondering! I think sticking with the traditional is great because it is so ‘life’ and the cycle of it. And provides such wonderful teaching opportunities. That said as far as decorating perhaps you can do some kind of creative mix.
Actually, I’d love two seasons, warm and hot. Well, maybe not too hot! I would miss fall though and maybe spring, but I’d definitely not miss winter! So maybe I’d go with the beautiful rich fall colors and decorations, then do the Christmas theme, then I’d go straight to the beautiful spring colors of Easter, then summer. I’d love to skip winter here! LOL
I agree – a mix could work for you. That way you won’t feel like you’re losing your traditions but you can incorporate new ones, maybe more every cycle. From the way you phrased the question, it sounds to me like you already know what you want to do!:)
No matter where you are living you still have the meaning of the seasons and the traditions that you and hubby grew up with in your heart. You just have to incorporate it the climate you are now living in (which I hope will not be too many years), but no matter what you choose it will be the right decision for you. LOL
Come home and we will discuss it…love Mom S 🙂
What a good pondering. We’re encountering the same think in the south and I find we aren’t drawn to read the wintery books as it feels ridiculous on 80 degree January days. For this year, we’re doing winter light, but I miss the seasons dreadfully (and am hoping for a more seasonal location soon). But, should we find ourselves in the south I think I’ll need to decorate for autumn and winter all the more, because I miss them so and I don’t feel complete without the full cycle of seasons.
Good question. Where I live we have four seasons, but our winters are probably like the falls you were used to as a child. It snows very rarely, and most days are sunny. I’ve felt ridiculous a lot of times tying to “pretend” we are having the kind of weather of the north. I think it would be nice as a family to let kids know the season they experience in the rest of the country, but to accentuate what is really happening in your place. Is it rainy or dry? are some particular plants flowering or yielding fruits? What about birds and other animals? Some other traditions or decorations can be used no matter the weather. For instance, here we have christmas in summer, and most “snowy” decorations look lame, but lights are always nice, and also evergreens.
Erica, I´ll use this since I can’t find the “personal message” option on iVillage anymore. Most of the girls were still having trouble with the boards, so we’ve set up another one at google groups:
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/wttgrads
I hope we can see you around there! I miss you a lot!