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I figure that the children don't need me hyping the big North American holidays, especially Christmas, so unlike with days like Martin Luther King Day and Chinese New Year, I tend to let the topic emerge from the kids. The one aspect of the season I do make sure to note, is that the days are getting shorter and shorter leading up to the Winter Solstice, which took place on Friday this year in Seattle We decided to celebrate with a neighborhood lantern walk around Fremont on Thursday. Our 4's clas* is an afternoon session and sunset wasn't until shortly after 4 p.m., so it wouldn't quite be dark, but we've had some extremely overcast afternoons lately, and were anticipating another one to give us at least a little dark and damp into which we could shine our lights. We made lanterns during the week. We planned on warm cider and cookies upon our return. The weather turned out just as we had hoped: overcast and rainy, but with the unwelcome addition of high winds. Indeed, the winds were enough of a concern that there was even some email banter about whether or not we should be roaming the neighborhood with the potential for falling branches. Then, as I was eating my lunch in the clas*room, the power went out, followed immediately by the sound of a transformer exploding somewhere near the school. Normally, we cancel school when we don't have power, but there wasn't time to notify everyone so I waited outside in the gust and drizzle, planning to take a poll of the parents as they arrived. The clas*room has plenty of windows and enough residual heat to get us through, so I was game for pressing on, which is the sentiment that won the day, with the caveat that should the high winds continue, we would forego the walk and just stick with cider and cookies. We played in the wet, windy gloom for a time. It was a skeleton crew in that many had already left for their holiday destinations, but we were in high spirits. Several of the kids told me they were excited about the lantern walk. I tried to prepare them for the idea that it