November marks St. Martin’s Day!
It is celebrated in Germany and many other European countries. Usually the peak of this event at House of Knowledge is a walk, lit only by lanterns, as the evening dims to darkness. It is a time of reflection, as autumn is turning colder and we prepare for the long dark winter ahead. 
The Lantern Walk symbolically affirms that light can continue to shine, even if the light and warmth of the sun are waning. During this time, light and warmth come more from our homes, and from friends and family. We wanted to carry our light into the darkness in the company of our families, Kindergarten and other likeminded Beijing families through Chaoyang Park. Due to the Covid -19 situation we were not allowed to gather in a bigger group. That’s why we used our Victoria Gardens outdoor area instead to walk and sing our St. Martin songs.
Please read here something about the original story of St. Martin:
When St. Martin was a young man, he was a soldier. The legend has it that one day in the winter, while on horseback, he came upon a poor man, barely clothed. St. Martin took out his sword and cut his cloak in half. He gave one half to the poor man for warmth as an act of kindness.
To show empathy and thankfulness of what we have, we have also collected 62 of our own outgrown coats, jackets and winter garments to give to children in need. Our donations will go to Migrant Children of China.
We thank everyone for their participation and wish everyone a happy and peaceful transition into winter.