As the school year began, the mornings grew crisper, and rain jackets became a daily necessity in the Portland Metro area, signaling the end of summer. Each year, our lives are marked by two solstices and two equinoxes. The recent Autumn Equinox officially marked the shift from summer to fall, when the sun was positioned directly above the equator, resulting in nearly equal daylight and nighttime hours. This year, in the Pacific Northwest, the equinox occurred on September 22nd at 12:44 am. Fall continues until the Winter Solstice on December 21st, a time traditionally celebrated for the harvest, gratitude for the earth’s bounty, and preparation for the colder, darker months ahead.
Cultural Ceremonies and Rituals
The Portland Metro area sits on traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, and Molalla tribes, who have cared for this land since time immemorial. Many tribes in Oregon traditionally followed the seasonal round, moving to different locations to harvest, hunt, or fish as resources became available. For the Tualatin Kalapuyans, fall marked the transition to salmon fishing camps and the harvesting of berries, acorns, and basketry materials. At Willamette Falls, tribes from across the region gathered to trade resources before winter’s arrival (Lewis, 2016). This deep connection to plant cycles has been a crucial part of human history, and the fall harvest before winter dormancy has long been sacred to both botanical and human communities worldwide.
Mabon, a Celtic celebration of the Autumn Equinox, originated in Scotland, Cornwall, and Wales. It was the seventh of the year’s festivals and one of three traditional harvest celebrations (Hartman, 2024). The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, or Zhong Qiu Jie in Mandarin, took place during the September Harvest Moon. Homes were decorated with lanterns, and communities gathered under the moonlight to share food, dance, and celebrate the harvest. Thirteen types of offerings were made to the moon to symbolize the thirteen months of the lunar year (Tan, 2018). In Mexico and the southern United States, the Huichol or Wixárika people celebrated their harvest around the equinox. Children played a central role in their harvest ceremony, Tatei Neixra (Schaefer, 2016). These seasonal shifts were shared experiences across cultures, reminding us of our collective history and our connection to the land.
Activities and Crafts for Your Family
Here are some activities that families enjoyed to celebrate the beginning of fall and the recent Autumn Equinox:
Autumnal Sun Catchers
As fall ushered in shorter days, capturing the sunlight became a beautiful way to welcome the season. Families took nature walks to collect colorful fallen leaves. By cutting out the center of a paper plate or a cardboard circle and attaching clear contact paper or masking tape, they created sticky surfaces for arranging leaves. Sealing the sun catchers and hanging them in a window allowed the leaves to glow with autumn light!
Materials:
Paper plate or sturdy cardboard with the center cut out
Fallen leaves
Clear contact paper or clear masking tape
Hole punch and twine for hanging
Rolled Beeswax Candles
Candles have always brought warmth and light into our homes, especially during darker months. Rolled beeswax candles were a simple and delightful project for children and families. By cutting beeswax sheets, measuring the wick, and rolling, families could easily create candles to light up the season. A hair dryer was used to gently melt the seam, securing the candle.
Materials:
Beeswax sheets
Scissors
Cotton wicks, 1” longer than your beeswax sheet
Hair dryer
Leaf Wreath
Decorating doorways with seasonal wreaths became a joyful way to celebrate fall. Families gathered leaves, acorns, pinecones, and flowers to craft wreaths that welcomed guests and honored the beauty of the season. By attaching their natural finds to a circular cardboard base, they created unique and colorful decorations for their homes.
Materials:
Circular cardboard cutouts (repurposed cereal boxes work great)
Scissors
Dried flowers, leaves, acorns, pinecones
Hot glue or tape
Hole punch and string for hanging
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