Dragon bread and clay modelled St Michael and dragon

It is a tradition in our home to bake our dragon bread each Michaelmas telling the dragon harvest story found in 'All Year Round'.  We have been doing this for at least five years now.  I love when festival traditions become established and are so eagerly anticipated by all the family each time that particular festival comes around again.  It is so heartening when the children ask for things to be done just as before.  So, we tend to do the same activities each festival and add new interest as well.


We also read about the Dragon of Krakow.  The boys' uncle and his girlfriend have just returned from visiting her family in Krakow and whilst they were there they visited the famous dragon den in Wawel Hill.  They told the boys all about the dragon den which had them entranced.

Michaelmas

Thou Michael!
Plunge deep the blue sword of autumn
Where the dark dragon lurks;
Till the stirring of iron in the blood and the meteor
Into me works.

This is one of our favourite festivals and I personally feel particularly drawn to the significance of this festival this year round. 

Each year we make our dragon bread and as we go along I tell the harvest loaf story found in All Year Round.  

I read the children the wonderful story, 'Nkosnati and the Dragon' adapted by C Wijnbergh and C Liknaitzky found in 'Hear the Voice of the Griot' by Betty Staley - a fantastic guide to African geography, history and culture.  I did an internet search and found another adaptation here. This story is about a young boy's courage facing a dragon, not with a sword, nor with physical strength, but with great courage.  The story works really well for Michaelmas, although I adapted it slightly.  After the story we made dragon shaped candle holders out of clay. Nkosnati loves to model with clay too!

Celebrating Michaelmas

Michaelmas must be one of both mine and the children's favourite festivals.  We have been enjoying Michaelmas poems and stories particularly The Kite and stories from Reg Down's Festival of Stones relating to this time of year.  Of course, we baked dragon bread! The children absolutely love the Harvest bread dragon tale found in All Year Round.  They get so excited by the story and always play the story out after enjoying the bread!