Sometimes the Boston Secular Solstice has been hosted at my (Julia's) house because my husband runs the music and physical setup. While the adults are doing a long solstice downstairs, I’ve sometimes run a version for our kids upstairs. This year I did one heavily based on a text Dave Denkenberger wrote.
Dave’s text:
This Effective Altruism/Secular Solstice was adapted from Seattle and New York City events. The song (modified to make it easier to understand for kids) with the hand motions was a big hit with my 6 and 8 year olds.
Family EA Solstice
The solstice is about going from light to dark and back to light. So we will be talking about the good things we have accomplished, the problems we still need to work on, and how there is hope for the future.
We do this because we value community, and that if we want a brighter future, we’ll have to build it ourselves using empathy and reason. We hope to create community and share some of that vision with you tonight.
First, that simply by being here tonight - together, safe, warm, well-fed and at-peace - a million wishes from people in the past or in poor countries - are answered. Almost everyone in the past was a farmer barely surviving: no toilets, no school, not enough food, sickness, didn’t get to choose who to marry, didn’t get to vote. Tonight, we are living an impossible dream, and to every ancestor who lived and struggled and sacrificed for that dream, I say: Thank you.
Second, that our great-grandchildren, should we be so lucky, will tell stories about us. I want our great-grandchildren to tell stories of how we stood up to disease, animals being hurt, and the many ways the world could end.
Song: Six Days of the End of the World (adapted from Ray Arnold’s X Days of X Risk)
On the first day of the end of the world I could see:
A very bad disease
On the second day of the end of the world I could see:
Nuclear War!
A very bad disease
On the third day of the end of the world I could see:
Supervolcano
Nuclear War!
A very bad disease
On the fourth day of the end of the world I could see:
Asteroid or comet
Supervolcano
Nuclear War!
A very bad disease
On the fifth day of the end of the world I could see:
Robots taking over
Asteroid or comet
Supervolcano
Nuclear War!
A very bad disease
On the sixth day of the end of the world I could see:
Global warming
Robots taking over
Asteroid or comet
Supervolcano
Nuclear War!
A very bad disease
With all those problems, there is hope so we’re going to light candles.
I want our great-grandchildren to say that we fought and struggled to preserve the world no matter what. That we tried to feed everyone to matter what. I want them to tell the story of how the world was saved.
The stars don't care, or the Sun, or the sky. But they don't have to! WE care! There IS light in the world, and it is US!
The universe is not fair, and it does not owe us a happy ending. We have to build it - not because we’re heroes, or chosen, or destined for greatness. We are flawed, and confused, and very often weak. But we have to build the future anyway - because there isn’t anyone else.
Julia’s adaptation
I did this with my 8 and 6 year olds, and my toddler who was extremely put out that I wouldn’t let her grab the candle. Adapted from Dave’s text.
The solstice is the longest night of the year, and at this time of year we think about going from light to dark and back to light. So we will be talking about the good things we have accomplished, the problems we still need to work on, and how there is hope for the future.
Tonight we are lucky to be together, safe, warm, well-fed and at peace. So many people in the world wish for those things. Almost everyone in the past was a farmer barely surviving: no toilets, no school, not enough food, sickness, didn’t get to choose who to marry, didn’t get to vote. To every ancestor who lived and struggled and sacrificed so we could have good things, I say: Thank you.
Can you think of something we’re lucky to have? (everyone share something)
There are still a lot of problems in the world. I hope that in the future our great-grandchildren will tell stories of how we stood up to disease, animals being hurt, and the many ways the world could end.
What are some problems that you think are important to work on? (everyone share something)
With all those problems, there is hope so we’re going to light candles. (light the candles, turn out the lights)
(Sing Brighter than Today - this is not an easy song, and I wouldn’t have chosen it if we weren’t already familiar with it. A simpler option would be Ysaÿe Barnwell’s Hope with the verbs of your choice.)
The stars don't care, or the Sun, or the sky. But they don't have to! WE care! There IS light in the world, and it is US!
The world is not fair, and things don’t always turn out okay. WE have to try to make things turn out better. That’s a very big job. So we have to try our best.
Julia’s version for the youngest
Did when my kids were 2 and 4. Gets at a bit of the light/dark aesthetic but not at all the message. We did songs my kids knew, but you could obviously adapt this a lot.
Lights on. Sing Raffi's "Mr. Sun.”
Light a candle. Sing "Mr. Moon," turn out the lights, look at the candle shadows.
Sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
Lights back on.