Laterne, Laterne

Last night the girls' school held Laternennacht, an Autumn tradition in Germany that is similar to a combination of our trick or treating and caroling traditions. Everyone gathers in the school gym to sing German songs like Laterne, Laterne and Der Herbst. As the songs conclude everyone parades around the park adjacent to the school with their beautiful lanterns glowing. It's really an awesome sight that I've never quite been able to capture photographically.

 




















Some of my favorite laternes {paper lanterns} are the handmade ones that the kids get to make in their classrooms, each one comes out so different and unique. I always look forward to the girls bringing theirs home. These ones shipped in from Germany are awfully cute though too!


We finally got to see the Hand Chime Choir in action tonight:
 




















I now understand better why Alyssa loves it enough to skip out on recess every day, it looks like a lot of fun and suits her interests so well.


 Here's one of Alyssa's friends, Martina playing with Emma and Rebekah. She's always so sweet to the little girls!


 For the first time ever at Laternennacht, some of the 5th graders were invited to sing up on the stage. Alyssa loved it!


 A photo of all the kids making their way around the park and back to the front of the building to collect their treats. I love the parade of tiny glowing lights making its way around the park, every year I'm struck by the simple beauty of it.


 The wind kept taking the paper light lanterns and blowing them all over the park. Countless kids were screaming and running in busy pursuit of run away laternes.


 Here's Kamele feeling a little sad that her paper plate lantern was ripping. The cookies and apples she got a few minutes later helped dull the disappointment :-) It was a really fun night!


A video of the Hand Chime Choir and singing: