December Event - Candlelight Revelry

[pumpkinhollow]

Candlelight Revelry

The Longest Nights

{ CONTENT WARNINGS: grief, especially in a winter/December context, exclusive to Mourner's Night. All others should be mostly cw free! }

It is always interesting to consider that across many cultures, and indeed across many universes, there is something that is shared across numerous groups of people from many, many different backgrounds, and that is the concept of winter holidays. Not every culture has them, of course, and they vary in importance, involvement, reason, and length pretty wildly. But it's fun to think about the fact that all kinds of humanoids all across time and space looked at that bleak stretch of time between the end of November to the beginning of March and thought to themselves, "we should put some kind of party in there so we don't all lose our minds." The people of the Emerald Isles, of which Marrow Isle is one, are much the same in this regard.

Since its inception, Pumpkin Hollow has celebrated the two main winter holidays common among the various nations across Northern Leviathan, which are Mourner's Night and Givingstide. Additionally, it's become a bit of a new tradition in Pumpkin Hollow to join in offworlder celebrations, such as Hanukkah, Solstice, and Christmas--- often with more being added each year as newcomers arrive with their own traditions! And somehow, each year, it seems as though for a few weeks all of the evils take a rest as well. Is it because this time of year is simply too sacred for them to create trouble and pain? Or is it because the weavers of this world are too busy booking family dinners, plane flights, and road trips to subject their little toys to more horrors? It is one of the great mysteries of the universe, isn't it?

Anyway, here's wishing you a cozy, restful, blissful holiday season, regardless of your traditions. May this next year be just as full of adventure and fun, with far less trials and tribulations. (For the players. The characters should continue to endure the torment nexus, of course.)

Local Customs

MOURNER'S NIGHT | December 10th

Nightfall comes early this time of year, so it isn't too long of a wait for the sky to grow fully dark. Dressed in mourning clothes and warm coats, the people of the town gather in little clusters in the streets, in near silence. Lanternbearers dressed like undertakers carry tall posts with blazing lanterns hanging from them, faces painted like skulls. There hasn't been a true and final death in Pumpkin Hollow for years now, but that doesn't stop the people here from holding their annual vigil for those that were lost before the barrier.

The lanternbearers guide the groups through town, converging on Main Street, where they are awaited by a long-bodied black carriage drawn by black horses with white skeleton-markings painted on them. A hearse. In the driver's seat, a woman in a tight black dress and a mistletoe-patterned black veil, which gives only the smallest glimpses of her pale hair. It's Fever, acting in the role of Mortanne.

Very few words are exchanged as this procession makes its way through the cold to Fall's Promise Cemetery, where by the light of candles and lanterns alone, Reverend Clayton retells the story of Mortanne's final kindness. Those who pass away are met where they find their end by a horse-drawn hearse, where they ride with Death and recount their life until they reach their destination--- the afterlife they've earned. A mournful hymn is sung that seems to make the sky itself ache, and then…

Silence.

Stay at the candle light vigil for as long as you want. Remember those who you lost back home, honor those who passed away before you arrived but whose influence you still feel every day, or simply pay respects to yourself. You died to be here, after all. And then, when the cold starts biting too much to bear, part ways, and find your way home with a candle in hand. You will surely be left with much to think about.

Those who gravitate towards the outskirts, however, or linger after most have gone, may spy another woman in a black dress and veil. For a moment, it would be easy to mistake her as Fever--- the resemblance is striking. But then you see much longer, stark white hair spilling out of the bottom of the veil, and feel a gaze meet yours that feels like it's calling you home.

GIVINGSTIDE | December 22nd

Ah, Givingstide! After the somber observance of Mourner's Night, you only have to wait eleven days to have some proper winter-themed fun!

Held on the day after the longest night of the year, this holiday is a "thank goodness, we made it" tradition that celebrates the beginning of the sun's return and the first step in the journey towards spring. All across numerous countries in Concorde's Northern Hemisphere, communities gather in large communal spaces to eat, drink, and be warm together while exchanging gifts. And for Pumpkin Hollow, that takes place in the Oak & Iron, the beloved tavern where most spend their first nights on the island.

A massive feast is held, where the tavern itself, local restaurants, and amateur chefs collaborate to create a menu of warming, hearty dishes. Soups and stews, pasta, roasted meat, bread, root vegetable dishes, and sweets galore are served alongside hot cider, cocoa, coffee, tea, mulled wine, and mead. Paper horses and snowflakes line the walls, and boughs of pine and holly create beds for skulls on tables and above the fireplace. A miniature sleigh is set up in the center of the room, piled high with gifts that everyone placed in it upon their arrival. Once everyone has gotten their food, the mayor and Dahlia take turns plucking parcels from the pile and reading off who they are for so as to hand them out. Although some do prefer to give the gifts directly. (The mayor, for once, looks relaxed.)

With all the gifts passed out, songs are sung and instruments played in groups while others dance or sit by the fire. Some will go out to play in the snow, and by the end of the night, more than a dozen snowmen will have popped up outside the tavern. Others still will remain inside, basking in the warmth of being among their community. Children play with toys, adults laugh, desserts are overindulged in, and all is well.

OFFWORLD TRADITIONS

Winter Holidays from Around the Universe

The interfaith space within the Temple of Sacred Roots stays busy this time of year! Since most local traditions are celebrated outside the temple, many of the main areas are offered to the pursuit of offworld religious observances for much of December.

Hanukkah is up first among the larger celebrations, running from December 14th through the 22nd this year. The island's Jewish population consists primarily of Anzu, Lev/Lyubov, and Zivia, though they'll warmly invite friends and family to join in on the festivities.

Christmas, of course, is on December 25th, though the preceding evening is also a busy time. Despite being a Pumpkin Hollow native, Dahlia Leeds has partners who observe the holiday, as well as a gaggle of young housemates and a television who are all very enthusiastic about Christmas. As such, she's made the decision to host a fairly well-appointed and cozy Christmas Eve party in her home (though she largely allows Radar and the teenagers to select the guest list). Dress in your Christmas best and have dinner at Leeds Estate before proceeding to the Temple for midnight mass! Non-partygoers are invited to attend the ceremony by candlelight as well, as usual. Christmas Day celebrations vary by household!

But for those who don't have anything in particular to do on the afternoon of the 25th, a recent town addition is also hosting a celebration for the Feast of the Winter Star from her own home world. Those who signed up can participate in the "secret gift exchange" organized by Haley. But you don't need to be in the exchange to come and have fun! Light and decorate a holiday tree in the snow, enjoy a potluck with friends new and old, and enjoy some stargazing afterwards--- it's a perfect way to cap off the day, whether you're incorporating it into your own holiday or just there to have a nice time.

Other holidays celebrated throughout the month are:

• Saturnalia on the 17th, celebrated by Gaeta
• Winter's Crest on the 20th, celebrated by Cassandra
• Dongzhi on the 21st, celebrated by Shen Qingqiu alongside his found family
• Mittvinter on the 21st, celebrated by Hector, Capochin, Godpoke, Patty, and their found family and close friends
• The Birth of Hathor on the 23rd, celebrated by Marik
• The Winter Solstice celebration on the 25th, celebrated by Sorceress and Wizard
• and Gyftmas on the 25th, celebrated by Mettaton and Papyrus

And of course there's New Years Eve on the 31st, celebrated by both locals and a majority of offworlders! Share some holiday cheer with your friends from all across the multiverse and take some time to get to know how your neighbor spends the season this year, and cap this year off with a wonderful, festive bang!

Happy Holidays!

Comments

[tartaros_avatar]

"A necklace it is, then," Stefan nodded. That was a relief. He'd planned it that way, and only belatedly realized Fever might want something else. He could get out ahead of himself sometimes, but it worked out about as often as it didn't.

Stefan placed the cider in a pot on the wood stove in the kitchen, feeding the fire with a couple more logs. "Well, your birthday highness, drag a throne over and get warm, then," he gestured to a small table and chairs nearby. "How's the day been?"

As soon as he stepped away from the stove, Lókhos swam in to fill the gap, barking quietly at Stefan. "Alright, alright, hold on." Stefan sighed. "He wants the washtub so he can lie down in front of the stove." He wasn't ready to admit that the basin wasn't used for anything else but the fish. Some people had dog baskets and the like, he'd figured a washtub was a decent substitute for a flying fish.

[abhorrently]

Grabbing a chair, Fever smiles, seeing an air about him that she wears frequently enough with her own troublesome companion. (Okay. Pet, fine. He's a pet. He's been a pet since he nestled in her space last winter and never went home.) One declares they're not going to indulge the creature, and then they're bringing down washtubs and letting them nestle in their clothing for warmth and wearing matching knitted hats.

"I have to say he has a good idea. I've never given up a chance to go to the hot springs, myself, especially in this weather."

There's something truly luxurious in the contrast between the crisp winter air and the natural warmth of the water, and she's going to treat herself to another trip soon enough. A birthday gift to herself.

"It's been a splendid day, though, since you asked," she adds on, taking a seat. "I'm doing exactly as I please without a single obligation, and if all birthdays are like this, I may very well understand why they're so highly praised."

[tartaros_avatar]

"Hold that thought," Stefan grumbled, but going to fetch the washtub was an excellent excuse. He retrieved the tub, and a couple more supplies he needed to get the pendant through the final stages of polishing. He wasn't a jeweler, he'd had to pester the craftsmen and women who were to get this thing done. But he knew how to keep a razor edge on a knife like nobody else in his old gang, and this was close enough to that. He'd make the thing properly shine before he handed it over.

Tools in his pockets and washtub in hand, he returned. "There," he set the tub down in front of the fire, and Lókhos barked delightedly, flopping sideways into the tub. The fish's floating sphere of water collapsed into the container as well, instantly filling it. "That's him dealt with for the night, he stays in that thing for ages." Stefan pulled up a chair to sit down next to Fever. "Maybe he is onto something. I've never gone to those hotsprings - the waterpark showed up at the same time I did, so I spent more time around Paradesium. I haven't died there yet, if you were wondering."

They'd had that whole conversation about the subject months ago. He'd been annoyed by the thought of resisting taking advantage of the strange properties of this place, but eventually it'd become a point of pride to keep avoiding death as he explored. The events of October had broken that streak.

"There's no reason why birthdays can't all be like that," Stefan said, dragging himself away from darker thoughts. "You need to keep something in life for yourself, otherwise you'll waste away to nothing."

[abhorrently]

"Or more than one something. It's your life, after all." She says this while looking at the fish, seeing him at such simple peace in his washtub and with warmth. "No matter how many stories I read, no one seems to have an exact answer as to how life is supposed to go, so I'm still open to more advice from people who don't have memory issues."

But it's all meant lightheartedly - she's not feeling the pain of her amnesia today. Only joy that she gets to spend her first known birthday with people she cares about.

"I'm glad you haven't gone and died out there, though. Last I heard, the wildlife were getting a bit twitchy, though that might just be because it was almost winter. It's beautiful, from the times I've visited - truly like stepping into a part of the world we're almost not supposed to be in. Have you found anything truly unexpected on your wanderings?"