We, the Advent Fair Committee, are cordially inviting you to host a booth at the Manila Waldorf School Advent Fair. The fair will be held on November 30, 2025 at the school grounds in Timberland Heights, San Mateo, Rizal. This year's theme is Pakay, Payak, at Yakap: Isang pagdiriwang ng Advent na nagsasabuhay ng mga pangunahing pagpapahalaga ng Waldorf sa pamamagitan ng pagiging malinaw sa ating
layunin o pakay, pagiging simple o payak sa ating gawain at gayak, at mainit na pagtanggap o pagyakap sa lahat! We found three beautiful Filipino words to help guide our preparations. We chose this word to invite everyone to pause, step back and reflect on what we hope to accomplish with this festival –and how it aligns with the essence of Waldorf education: bringing the community together while nurturing imagination, critical thinking, and social responsibility, all grounded on experiential learning. With this in mind, we especially encourage all Class booths to showcase students’ discoveries and learnings in class through thoughtful activities and creative works. Second is PAYAK. It means “simple”-- taking away all the superfluous and the noise, leaving only what is essential. It speaks of beauty in simplicity, discernment, refinement, culture, and grace. We are invited to distill what we do so that what remains in our creative works, activities and presentations truly reflects our principles: developmentally appropriate learning, the integration of arts into core subjects, and fostering a strong connection with nature. The spirit of simplicity should be especially evident in the program presentation and the guidelines that we will be giving out. Third is YAKAP. It is a hug or an embrace–a gesture of warmth and welcome. It embodies inclusivity that transcends race, generations, and even the boundaries we often impose on ourselves, our creativity and our potential as human beings. It calls us to foster a harmonious relationship between thinking, feeling, and willing. This spirit of embrace is the atmosphere we hope to infuse throughout the festival. Advent is a time of preparation that is like a warm hug–the feeling of coming home. And so this festival will bring us all together, uniting our energies and intentions, and invite the whole community to take part in something exciting, joyful and purposeful. The Advent Fair is a festival that is very close to our hearts. Four years after the pandemic that once brought not only the Waldorf community but the whole world into standstill –we now gather again and we are challenged to rekindle the joy, excitement, and meaning of celebrating this event together. We aim to improve on what was by breathing life back into the traditions we cherish, to remind ourselves of what makes it truly meaningful, and allow it to resonate with not only students, parents and teachers but also with everyone who takes part in this fair.
