Festival of Light
When the nights draw in and the air turns crisp, we naturally look for ways to bring light, warmth, and connection into our homes. While Halloween and Bonfire Night often take centre stage at this time of year, not every family feels drawn to every tradition. And that’s the beauty of autumn, there’s space to create something that feels right for your family. A Festival of Light can be just that: a home-grown celebration, filled with glow, sparkle, and togetherness.
Lantern-Making Magic
There’s something enchanting about carrying a lantern through the dark. You can easily make your own using jam jars, glass bottles, or even paper bags. Decorate them with paints, tissue paper, or pressed leaves, then pop a battery-operated tea light inside. Not only do they look beautiful, but children love the sense of ownership in creating their own glowing masterpiece.
Stories by Firelight (Real or Pretend)
If you don’t fancy braving the cold, set up a cosy “campfire” indoors. Pile up blankets and cushions, dim the lights, and tell stories by torchlight. You could spin spooky tales, adventurous quests, or even make up a story as a family, with each person adding a sentence in turn. Add a plate of marshmallows or biscuits to snack on, and you’ll have all the atmosphere of a campfire without needing the flames.
Light-Filled Play
Autumn evenings are perfect for playful fun that glows. Children will love bending glow sticks into shapes, stars, or garlands to hang around the house.
Once the creative fun is finished, keep the energy flowing with a glow-in-the-dark dance party in the living room, neon clothes, glow bracelets, and favourite songs at full volume. Or set up a treasure hunt with hidden glowing objects or secret messages written in invisible ink, only revealed with a UV torch. Whether it’s art, adventure, or dancing, these light-filled activities make memories that shine.
Tastes of the Season
No festival feels complete without food. If you’d like a sweet treat without the bonfire, why not set up a fireless s’mores bar? Marshmallows can be warmed in the oven or microwave, then sandwiched between chocolate and crackers for the same gooey delight. Pair with hot chocolate topped with whipped cream or sprinkles, and you’ve got a seasonal feast that feels special.
A Celebration of Togetherness
The heart of a Festival of Light isn’t just about glowing jars or sparkly crafts, it’s about creating moments of connection. In a world where family life often feels busy and rushed, setting aside an evening to slow down, switch off the screens, and enjoy the glow together can be grounding and magical in equal measure.
And here’s the lovely thing, this doesn’t have to replace trick-or-treating, fireworks, or any other seasonal tradition. It can sit alongside them or stand alone, depending on what feels right for your family this year. Whether you’re dancing with glow sticks, lighting lanterns, or collecting sweets from neighbours, what matters most is the joy, laughter, and warmth you share.
So, this autumn, consider starting your own Festival of Light tradition. Who knows? It may become the memory your children cherish most when they think of this time of year.
Anisa is an accredited and certified Positive Parenting Coach, mother, and ex-deputy head teacher, with 25+ years of experience working and supporting children and families. Anisa specialises in empowering and positively transforming lives of parents and children, who are facing stress, anxiety, or just day-to-day challenges of parenting – working with them directly, in group environments, and through corporate channels. Anisa is hugely passionate about using her coaching skills, and educational background, to find ways for parents and children to move through the challenges they face in life, together.
Anisa is here to help bring about multi-generational change as she believes we often get stuck in the patterns from the past, following the path we ourselves tread, which isn’t always the right one to support our children and she is here to help families work things out, so they get to know that parenting does not have to be hard.
To book a Free Chat with Anisa, click HERE.
