Yuraalian New Year

The Yuraalian New Year is a celebration which, as its name suggests, ushers in the start of a new year. It begins on the night of the triple full moon (the Yuraalian calendar is based on the lunar cycles) and lasts for four days and nights. Each day has its own associated traditions.

The Brightest Night

The Brightest Night commences the New Year. This is the night when all the moons are full and their combined light rivals that of the evening sun. The liveliest of the celebrations take place on this night, beginning with a parade at sundown, followed by outdoor festivals which include live music, traditional dances, and, of course, the New Year feast.

The New Year Feast

Perhaps the most important part of any Brightest Night festival is the New Year feast. Once the food has been served, the ceremonial horn is blown and the New Year speech is given (usually by the mayor, if the festival is organized by the city/town). After the speech, a priestess offers prayers to the Mother Goddess and to the gods of the ending and coming year (associated with those years' zodiac signs), although some secular festivals no longer include the prayers. Then, the horn is blown again, and everyone may eat. Foods vary according to regional and local tradition.

New Year's Day

Following the Brightest Night is New Year's Day. There are special religious services on this day; for the non-religious (or followers of religions without other New Year traditions), it's mainly just a day off.

Coming of Age

On the fourth and final day of the New Year holiday, all Yuraalian adolescents born under that year's zodiac sign (in other words, those turning sixteen that year) celebrate their entry into adulthood. Although legal adulthood in modern times begins on a person's seventeenth birthday (for Yuraalians), the coming-of-age ceremony during New Year remains a major life event with social and religious significance.

Miscellaneous Info

Blue and white are the colors of New Year. These colors are worn for good luck throughout the New Year festival, especially on the Brightest Night. (However, many Yuraalian Terrans instead wear red, an old Terran tradition.)

Primary Related Location

Yuraal