Feast of Lathander

Celebration of the Warming Sun

The Feast of Lathander (also known as the Feast of the Morninglord, or the Spring Festival) is an annual festival celebrating the coming of Spring and new life, and is typically held for three days over the 15th-18th Tarsakh in the High Forest and Deep Woods. Aspects of the festival, particularly the feasting and giving of flowers, have reached other parts of the world, although the traditions of making offerings to Lathander, hunting, martial contests, and gathering together with the community tend to be isolated to the Eaerlanian elves and the Lymandyr wood elves from the Deep Woods. It is also a popular festival with halflings, who never miss an opportunity to celebrate food and good company. 

History

It is widely believed that the Feast of Lathander started shortly after the ancient elves fled from disaster in the south and settled the forests of northern Anuan. With the new, temperate climate being that much more hospitable, but their people suffering greatly over the winter, the coming of Spring was seen as a great gift from the gods and Lathander the Morninglord in particular. For this reason, as much as the celebration has its roots in welcoming the warming of the sun, it also venerates the treacherous journey the elves took to reach their new home. The community, family, and bounty of the High Forest is held in high regard and the first ceremonies started with thanking Lathander for these gifts with offerings of flowers. Over time, the festival started to include new traditions, such as hunting game for a communal feast, the gifting of flowers and hand-made trinkets to loved ones, and the settling of old grudges, sometimes through bloodless combat. Due to the gradual addition of so many traditions, the Feast of Lathander eventually stretched out over three days rather than one. 

Participants

Everyone is welcome at the festival, even visitors from different lands. For three days at least, everyone is treated as an equal and being openly violent, rude, or excluding to anyone is very much frowned upon.

Observance

The festival is traditionally held in the middle of Tarsakh, on the 15th to the 18th days of the month, although depending on how Spring falls on a given year this can be earlier or later in the month to coincide with sunny weather. Typically, the first day of celebrations are taken up with offerings of flowers to Lathander and loved ones, followed by hunting and the crafting of gifts to give to family. Some people craft their gifts weeks or even months in advance, however, especially considering one of the most popular things to do is propose to a significant other with a hand-made engagement ring. The second day is spent preparing for for the communal feast, with some people choosing instead to take part in a number of martial competitions or shop at peddler's stalls that inevitably pop-up to coincide with the celebrations. The third day is one of plentiful entertainment that lasts well into the night. Come noon, everyone in the community sits down to a feast, with families typically sitting together. Afterwards, there is a toast to give final thanks to Lathander, before music is played, people dance, and generally mingle and converse into the late hours.    

Primary Related Location

High Forest

Related Ethnicities

• Eaerlanian
• Lymandyr