book - wool felt apples - dragon - spruce tree - playsilk - acorns - postcard - postcard frame

As the golden days of summer slip into the crispness of autumn, we arrive at a quieter, often overlooked festival in the seasonal year: Michaelmas. Celebrated on September 29th, this day carries a mood of courage, light, and inner strength—qualities that are especially cherished as the days grow shorter and the darker nights draw in. We harvest fruits and vegetables to make soup and press juices, happily sharing them at home with siblings or at school with friends.

Rooted in Christian tradition, Michaelmas honors Saint Michael, the archangel often depicted with a sword of light, conquering the dragon. In Waldorf homes and schools, this image becomes a living symbol: we, too, are called to find courage in the darker season ahead, to strengthen our will, and to meet our own inner “dragons” with steadiness and heart.
 

postcard Michael & Dragon + curved frame  - postcard saint michael + oval frame 

The Seasonal Table at Michaelmas

shown:  dragon - spruce tree - postcard - grapat fire - grapat mushrooms - grapat cones - acorn garland - st martin with horse - owl - autumn cloths - fire - vase

If you’re familiar with Waldorf traditions, you’ll know that the seasonal table is like a little altar to the turning year—a place where nature and imagination meet. For Michaelmas, the colors deepen into rich goldyellow, fiery reds or oranges, and earthy browns, echoing the harvest and the brilliance of autumn leaves.

Common treasures you might find on a Michaelmas table include:

• Golden wheat sheaves or gathered grains, a reminder of the harvest.

• Sunflowers, glowing like little suns.

• Crystals or shining stones, to suggest the sword of light.

• Handmade dragons, little figures of St. Michael with sword, maybe next to a fire.

• Conkers, acorns, apples, and gourds, gifts of the season.

• A candle or golden lantern, lit as a symbol of inner light.

• Autumn animals, closing the bridge between this table and the autumn one coming up.

These items come together not as decoration alone, but as a living story of the season, inviting children and adults alike to pause, notice, and enter the mood of autumn with reverence and warmth. If you have the enough space next to your autumn table, you can even display and store autumn harvest and treasures.

Dragon Candle

They days are getting shorter so nothing more relaxing than a candle! We decorated our candle with a dragon made out of decorating wax, perfect to lit at your dinner table this time of the year or next to your seasonal table to symbolise the inner light we take forward into the darker winter coming. Fun activity for kids too!

Why We Celebrate

Michaelmas is less about a single day and more about a feeling carried into the season. It reminds us that, even as the outer light wanes, we can kindle inner strength, courage, and goodness. For children, this might mean practicing bravery in small tasks—trying something new, speaking up, sharing harvest or helping a friend. For adults, it might mean meeting life’s challenges with steadiness and grace.

lamp - lamp silhouette dragon - dragon - spruce tree -  grapat cones - wool felt apples - red beeswax candle - lamp silhouette harvest

In our home, Michaelmas has become a gentle, grounding way to mark the turning of the year. We gather around the seasonal table, light a candle, share a simple meal (often with freshly baked dragon bread), and tell stories of St. Michael and the dragon. These traditions, simple as they are, help us step into autumn not with heaviness, but with a quiet glow.

Happy harvesting and inner blessings to all!

Melissa,

A Wilder Home

Explore our Michaelmas collection for more!