Winter Solstice

History

The Winter Solstice celebrates the end of the longest night of the year and happens every year on Nightfell 21. The tradition of celebrating the Solstices stems from the The Age of Solitude.

Execution

The Winter Solstice celebrations vastly vary between small villages to bigger cities. In small villages and communities, it is mainly the farmers and hunters who celebrate it. They stand vigil from dusk until dawn, celebrating the triumph of the sun over the night, often lighting candles or small fires to help the sun overcome the darkness. They take this day as a sign that the arduous winter times, which often go hand in hand with hunger, have ended.
They also use this day to pray to Aherin, Neneyar, and Vaias. They hope that the Gods may make the upcoming sowing fruitful and the birthings of game animals plentiful. If winter has been unusually mild and few have died from the cold or starvation, they also thank Neris for having been merciful.
In bigger cities and well-off communities, this is different. While they typically still give thanks to the Gods, their focus is more on the people. For them, the Winter Solstice has evolved into a day to gift loved ones presents.

The Winter Solstice is celebrated as part of the Ebean Calender.