Saturnalia Activity Menu

Saturnalia

Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December and later expanded with festivities until 19 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum, and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms: gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves as it was seen as a time of liberty for both slaves and freedmen alike.

Saturnalia

Saturnalia may have influenced some of the customs associated with later traditions associated with Christmas, like decorating trees, giving gifts, and feasting. A common custom was the election of a "King of the Saturnalia", who gave orders to people and presided over the merrymaking. The gifts exchanged were usually small figurines made of wax or clay known as sigillaria. In Roman mythology, Saturn was an agricultural deity who was said to have reigned over the world in the Golden Age, when humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labour in a state of innocence. The revelries of Saturnalia were supposed to reflect the conditions of the lost mythical age.

Activity menu

Clay Station

Candle Dipping

Note Writing

Outdoor Ornaments

Clay Station

Romans had a strong tradition of giving small or silly gifts during Saturnalia. Gifts were usually exchanged on December 19th, which was the day of the Sigillaria, the day of gift-giving. Gifts ranged from white candles called Cerei and small wooden figurines, to sausages, dice, wine, ear pics, sponges, bladder footballs, and books of bad poetry.

Make Figurines:

Animals People Body Parts The clay is air-dry, so once you are happy with your creation, just let it sit. If it is not dry enough to carry on your way out, leave it on my window sill. Feel free to mold your piece around some ribbon to make it into a hanging ornament.

Candle Dipping

Saturnalia is a festival of light leading to the winter solstice, with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing the quest for knowledge and truth and alluding to the celestial bodies of the cosmos.

Make Cerei (Candles)

The crockpot is full of melted wax. Be careful, it is very hot! Take a candlewick and dip it into the wax (as deep as you want the candle to be tall). It will leave only a thin layer of wax on the wick. Dip the wick into the cup of water to help it cool. Repeat until the candle forms. Tip - dip the wick only briefly in the wax. If you leave it in too long, it will just melt back off.

Note Writing

Write a note of thanks or Saturnalia greetings for a GLHS staff member. If you are writing to someone who doesn't know Latin, be sure to translate on the back.

Words & Phrases

thank you - gratias tibi agofor helping me - me iuvandofor loving me - me amandofor believing in me - me confidendohappy holidays - felices dies festorumenjoy your break - fruere vacationemrelax - requiesceenjoy this gift - hoc donum fruereI appreciate you - te censeohurray Saturnalia - Io Saturnalia

Outdoor Ornaments

Using trees to decorate at this time of year has been a ritual for thousands of years. During Saturnalia, children might make sun symbols, stars and pictures of the two-faced god Janus who watches over the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one. The children hung these symbols on trees outdoors, as Romans did not bring trees inside.

Make Ornamenta:

Fold your own origami (no, not Roman) ornaments and attack a ribbon to hang them outside.

Star Folding Video

Star Folding Video