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Phaeran Holidays
Relevant Knowledges: Peoples and Cultures, Religion
The following holidays are generally known and widely celebrated in Calantyr and the Twelve Kingdoms. Phaeran holidays, being linked to the natural cycles of agricultural life, are among the oldest in these lands, and even those who are not particularly devout consider these days to be major events in the lives of their communities.
Midwinter
((Winter Solstice))
Traditionally observed on the day of winter solstice, Midwinter marks the end of the new year and the beginning of the new in the Phaeran religious calendar, which is still used as the secular calendar by agrarian kingdoms (although in Calantyr the new year is marked by Founding Day). Midwinter is considered a time to renew old promises, such as wedding vows and religious dedications, in memory of one's past connections and to give oneself strength to endure the darkest times of winter.
Midwinter is also the last feast day of the year. It is traditionally celebrated by an entire village sharing a communal roasting pit. Farmers slaughter the last of their autumn-fattened pigs and cattle, both to reduce the number of animals dependent on their stored hay and because the fresh meat can be kept outside in frozen cairns through the winter. Brewers break open the first casks of new beer and wine, which is by this time fermented enough to drink. Honey cakes -- one of the few sweets that can be made in winter, when no fresh fruits are available -- are another popular feast food.
Greenseed
((March 15 - 28))
The exact day of Greenseed varies from year to year, as it is celebrated when the local Phaeran priest deems the signs most auspicious to begin spring planting. However, it always falls in early spring and within a week of the equinox. Greenseed is celebrated as a time to purify the old and begin the new.
Peasant celebrations of Greenseed usually begin at twilight (as the day has been spent seeding the fields in accordance with the priest's omens) and occur on the nearest large hill. A pair of "purification fires" is ignited on the hilltop: the right fire must be kindled by a girl, and the left fire by a boy, both of whom have just reached marriageable age. The village's adults then pass through the fires, one by one, signifying that they are purified of the sins from the past year and may go forward with clean souls. According to peasant folklore, children conceived on Greenseed night are blessed with good fortune, so most married couples retire to their homes immediately after passing through the twin fires.
Greenseed feasts usually include salads of purslane and dandelion leaves, as these bitter leaves are among the first greens of spring. Egg dishes and sweet custards are also traditional, and tiny wild strawberries in regions where they grow.
Redemption Day
((May 20))
Sacrosanct as the birthday of Alyeta the Peaceful, greatest saint of the Phaeran faith, this day has become a time for forgiveness and the healing of old resentments. People are encouraged to confess their sins against one another and ask forgiveness from those they have wronged; this is freely granted, for belief holds that one cannot be forgiven without forgiving others in turn.
In peasant villages, people commonly keep glass pitchers of "redemption wine," a bittersweet drink of crushed red jadice berries, water, and rose petals, from which they dispense small ritual sips to those they have forgiven. Other foods associated with this holiday include crystallized rose petals, summer berry dishes, and braided, circular loaves that symbolize the intertwined relationships of all in the same village.
Midsummer
((Summer Solstice))
Celebrated on the night of the summer solstice, Midsummer is famous (or infamous) as a time of drunken revelry and debauchery. In Phaeran belief, it is simply a festival of appreciation for the earth's natural riches. Feasts involve fresh fruits, wine and "young meats" such as lamb or veal; most celebrants are very drunk by nightfall. Village celebrations involve singing and couples' dances. In the cities, the traditional Phaeran forms are blurred together with the overlapping Tharacian customs on Midsummer's Night, but music and dancing (albeit in more sophisticated, sensual forms) are still an important part of the festivities.
Midsummer is also considered the one time of year when marriage vows can be relaxed, if not forgotten, so even devout and loving spouses may seek new partners on this night. Folklore holds that children conceived on Midsummer's Night will be lucky but flighty, and may be prone to lazily coasting on their gifts.
Harvest's End
((November 11 - 15))
Harvest's End is traditionally considered the last day of autumn; winter begins the next morning. It is a celebration of the year's bounty, but is considered more solemn than the other holidays because it marks the beginning of winter, the season of death. Private ceremonies remembering ancestors and dead relatives are common on the night of Harvest's End, which is more often celebrated with one's own immediate family than as a villagewide observance. Celebrants often stay up long into the night, telling tales about the departed and remembering their deeds.
Harvest's End is also an important feast holiday. Many animals are slaughtered at the end of summer grazing; nuts, apples, and autumn vegetables accompany them to the table. Apple and pear ciders traditionally take the place of beer and wine on this day.
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