The lantern walk is a celebration between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice when we acknowledge the light shining within each of us; that this light needs to be fed and protected just as the light in our lanterns. We band together as a community to create light and warmth as the cold and darkness set in for the season.
The children will be making lanterns with their classroom teachers but, if you’re inspired, we encourage families to make and bring their own lantern for the walk as well! Here are a couple of examples:
Are you planning to join in? Help make the lantern walk the best yet – sign up volunteer
Important Details for Parents
To manage dinner, here’s the plan:
- Please bring a nut-free snack to share and a mug. Snacks will be shared pot-luck style and cider provided.
- Bring cash for pizza. The School Council will arrange a pizza sale to add to our snacks and stave off the hangries.
- We’ll enjoy all these treats right after the walk.
Please dress for the weather!
Event Schedule
| DETAILS | |
|---|---|
| 5:00 pm | Gather behind the school, drop of your snack, get your lantern lights and join the circle at Crocodile island |
| 5:15 pm | Opening circle and songs begin |
| 5:30 pm | Walk through the neighbourhood begins |
| ROUTE | North on Robert to Harbord West across Harbord to Major South on Major to College East along College to Robert And back north up to the school |
| At the school, we’ll gather to sing a couple more songs before inviting the youngest students to get a treat followed by the next youngest until we get to the oldest students. | |
| 6:00 pm | Back at the school we will enjoy our snacks, cider, and have an option to purchase pizza. |
Learn the Lantern walk songs
Help out with the songs through our walk! Find the lyrics with video links
Fire’s Burning (traditional)
This will be sung as a 3-part round.
Fire’s burning, fire’s burning
Draw nearer, draw nearer
In the gloaming*, in the gloaming
Come sing and be merry *Gloaming is an archaic term for dusk, the time of day between daylight and darkness.
Glimmer Lantern Glimmer
This song will be sung in unison.
Glimmer, lantern, glimmer, Little stars a-shimmer,
Over meadow, moor and dale, Flitter, flutter elfin veil,
Pee-witt, pee-witt, tick-a-tick-a-tick,
Rou-cou, rou-cou.
Glimmer, lantern, glimmer, Little stars a-shimmer,
Over rock and stock and stone, Wander tripping little gnome,
Pee-witt, pee-witt, tick-a-tick-a-tick,
Rou-cou, rou-cou.
Rise Up O’ Flame (traditional)
This will be sung as a 3-part round.
Rise up o’ flame
By thy light glowing
Bring to us beauty
Vision and joy
This Little Light of Mine (H. D. Loes)
This song will be sung in unison.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. x3
Let it shine. x3 (all verses in same format)
Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine…
In my brother’s heart, I’m gonna let it shine…
In my sister’s soul…
All around the world…
(quietly) This little light of mine…
(at end, repeat “Let it shine” x3 slowly)
Humbly (Laurence Cole)
This song has 3 parts sung together in canon, parents can sing Part 1 over and over
Part 1: Humbly we walk here, humbly we sing here, humbly we bless this ground.
Part 2: Humbly, and with gratitude, remembering the ancient ones who walked this ground.
Part 3: Humbly, we walk this ground with the Spirit of Blessing in our hearts.
I Walk with My Little Lantern
This song will be sung in unison.
I walk with my little lantern,
My lantern, myself and I,
Above the stars are shining,
On Earth we are stars to the sky.
The rooster crows, the cat meows:
Hey! Hey! Hey! La bimmel, la bummel, la bey! (x2) _We walk with our little lanterns,
Our lanterns so shiny and bright,
We wind our way through the darkness,
A sea of twinling light.
The pale moon cries as we pass by:
Hey! Hey! Hey! La bimmel, la bummel, la bey! (x2)
We walk with our little lanterns,
Our lanterns so shiny and bright,
We sing sweet songs in the darkness,
Our voices so cheerful tonight.
As we go round, how good it sounds:
Hey! Hey! Hey! La bimmel, la bummel, la bey! (x2)
We walk with our little lanterns,
Our lanterns so shiny and bright,
We wander home in the darkness,
With a flickering fading of light.
The flame grows dim, but still we sing:
Hey! Hey! Hey! La bimmel, la bummel, la bey! (x2)