This was such a wonderful day! Everyone came in costume, and the mom's had worked hard to make the place look like a medieval market (as opposed to a backyard bbq) ;) All the kids were given drawstring bags with coins with which to purchase their goods at the faire. They were introduced to the queen and the noble who told them the history of the yule log and the wassail ceremony. Then the kids traipsed around the yard singing "Here We Come A 'wassailing" and ended in a wassail ceremony at an apple tree! Then they all grabbed on to the rope and helped pull the HEAVY yule log. (The procurement of said yule log was a whole 'nother story!! A funny one!)
Each child had a chance to sing for some cider and toast (given out by the kindly noble) before entering the fair and being free to visit the different booths, sampling food, buying items and playing games. Among the activities/booths:
(I included a few reference links, but each item at the festival was so well thought out and truly relevant! It was great fun and tremendous learning!)
- wassail and toast
- chess
- apple roasting
- illuminated letter painting and ribbon braiding
- a boy selling oranges imported from the far east
- homemade gingerbread cookies
- pasties
- shells brought back from pilgrimage to Spain
- golden, jewel encrusted reliquaries
- homemade pretzels
- games of nine men's morris (and wooden game boars for each family to take home!)
- waffle/wafers
- potato cakes
- herbed fritters
All the kiddos.
We shared a booth that sold pasties along with our shells brought back from Santiago de Compostela.
Gingerbread nativity!
Sitting down for some entertainment. The older kids put on a GREAT mummer's play. Then H partcipated in a rendition of the Three Shepherds Play. (see the video below) N is enjoying a roasted apple.
Yippee! Homeschool is fun!
An angel!
Our booth
A booth selling wafers and a game of Nine Mens Morris.
Wandering the market, selling their wares.
We also participated in a Christmas ornament exchange. We now have a beautiful collection of ornaments that will bring back great memories as we hang them on the tree each year!
N and B paint their initial.
My sweet sis, K was in town and joined us for the festivities!!! (She is the reason I have so many great pictures of the day!)
The amazing mommas that make it all happen!
No comments:
Post a Comment