Lights-Shared-art

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Lights-Shared-art - 8/31/01

"Lights-Shared - A Children's activity" by Countess Tessa of the Gardens, OP.

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NOTICE -

This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set

of files, called Stefan's Florilegium.

These files are available on the Internet at:

http://www.florilegium.org

While the author will likely give permission for this work to be

reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first

or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file.

Thank you,

Mark S. Harris

AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous

stefan at florilegium.org

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"LIGHTS SHARED" Children's Activity for any time of the year

Contributed by

Countess Mistress Tessa of the Gardens,

the Founding Baroness Bordermarch / Ansteorra

Liz Lee / <enaz at ih2000.net>

SUPPLIES:

* candle tapers, enough for each child to have at least one;

(Spare tapers are needed in case of cracking)

(After-Christmas craft sales are great for stocking up inexpensively)

* deco upholstery tacks

* sequin stars, discs

* glass beads

* tiny straight pins

* aluminum foil; rolls or sheets (the pull-up squares for baked potatoes

work very well) (If using rolls, prepare 12" squares in advance)

* one large wide candle to be the focal "Light" source for Lights Shared

* matches or lighter

* prepared messages to be set early on empty, unadorned feasting tables

* small rocks or weighted objects

* parchment papers, or gold painted paper towel rolls, writing implement

ACTIVITY I:

During daytime activities, under supervision, children may decorate 6" or taller candle tapers, about two inches from the bottom, by inserting a few metal deco upholstery push-tacks or sequins, glass beads and very tiny straight pins, being careful not to split the taper's base. The children may want to style a family initial or simple shape from a device or something such as a happy face to decorate their candles. Rest the finished candle in a cool spot on a parchment sheet, labeled with the child's name; or place the child's finished candle inside a gold painted paper towel roll with the ends slightly crunched as closures. Label with the child's name.

ACTIVITY II:

Let the children parade supervised well in advance of feast table set-up time to the empty unadorned feast tables and place Lights Shared "announcements" on the empty tables, held down by small rocks in case of breeze. Ductus tapius also works. The announcements could read something like the following:

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~Light Shared~

Feasters who are setting this table this evening,

Please do not light flame to your candles. Our Children have a special ceremony to perform to Share Light. If you are the parent of a child younger than 10 who has participated in the children's activities of today, please bring your child shortly before dusk (or appointed time) to the large white lit candle at Countess Tessa's table where an aluminum "gauntlet" will be fitted around your child's hand for protection, and the child may retrieve a candle he/she decorated for you earlier today. If your child was not at the decorating activity, a taper will be provided. There, with hand protected with his/her "gauntlet," under your supervision, your child may touch flame to the wick of his/her candle. Then, please accompany your child to your table and light your other candles there or set his/her candle at your place setting. A clump of foil can be molded to provide a candle stand base if you do not have a candle stand.

If your child is older than 10, he/she may do this with or without a

responsible adult, as you deem most fitting.

You will find sheer wonderment in the eyes of the children as you spend this moment with them watching their expressions while Lights Shared ripple to brighten the hall, the world, verily, your dream and theirs. The light in their eyes is no comparison to the mere lit candle.

~A tradition sprung from hearts in Bordermarch, Ansteorra

~Inspired by Love and Light shared to the whole world.

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Activity III

This involves children in early parts of the evening. Follow what is outlined in the "announcement" above which is placed on feast tables. Children of Royals and Dignitaries otherwise busied at dusk may be sent with any appointed adult and may Share Light across the high table at an appointed time. If they are going to sleep before feast is over, they will have had a tremendous involvement in the evening.

Clean-up is simple. Dispose of the foil crumples and any wax drippings, being careful of deco tacks if the candle has burned to the bottom.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

We've done this in Bordermarch a while, and the delight in the children's eyes is uncontainable.

The stuff of which dreams are made.

The whole experience is as thrilling as birthday candles!

Photographs without flash could preserve the moment.

This also is rather a tradition among adults in neighboring strongholds

on either side of the Sabine River at the Gulf of Mexico where Ansteorrans meet and play with Meridians.

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If this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in

the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also

appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being

reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.