Advent Celebrations 2012
Advent is a very special time in Schneller School. The week before
the first Sunday in Advent, boys and girls of every Family (boarding
home) make an advent wreath.
Martin Bernhard makes a beautiful big wreath for the church. On the
first Sunday in Advent the youngest child of the boarding department
present during the children's service lights the first candle on the
Advent wreath.
Singing in evening chapel slowly shifts to Advent and Christmas hymns.
As is traditional in Lebanon St. Barbara's day is celebrated on the
evening of 3 December. A special wheat porridge is offered for dessert
after the evening meal in every boarding home. The very young
boys
and girls make masks to cover their faces, and they all go to the
director's house in the evening singing traditional Lebanese rhymes at
the end of which they all receive sweets. All kindergarten children of
the Academic Department also make face masks and visit the director's
office on St. Barbara's Day on
December 4. They also receive sweets after singing those rhymes.
St. Nicolas Day is celebrated on 6 December during evening chapel. At the end
of the chapel service Santa gives all students a bag of tangerines and
nuts.
Advent and Christmas handcrafts are made by students to decorate
their boarding homes.
An additional activity this year was the baking of
biscuits in the boarding homes by children assisted by their educators
(night-duty staff). Katja Buck, editor of Schneller Magazine reminded us
how much children enjoy baking biscuits during advent, so we decided to
add this wonderful activity to our advent season. The children were
delighted to bake the biscuits, and of course, enjoyed eating them.
Both the
Academic and Boarding departments prepare special programs to celebrate
Christmas.
Some boarding homes lead evening chapel by various activities
that include hymn singing, bible reading, pantomime, and prayer.
The
older boys of the vocational department put up the Christmas tree in
church and decorate it right after the second Sunday in Advent.
We thank all our students, teachers, and educators for all the wonderful
activities during Advent.
We wish you all a blessed Advent season and a joyful Christmas
time!