Empire Day
Empire Day is a festival of lights, which is celebrated in Helstav every spring. Candles are lit to remember fallen ones and what has been, to honour the memory of the past, and to acknowledge bygone failures and learn from one's mistakes. The lights symbolize not only the process of burning away one's regret, but also an individual's inner light that is the path to happiness even in the darkest of times. It is meant to remind people that good will always triumph over evil, and knowledge over ignorance, as long as people learn from the past and work with each other against common threats rather than against.
Despite its solemn meaning, the holiday itself isn't celebrated in a somber manner. Empire Day, contradictory to its meaning, is a celebration of the power of unity and what can be accomplished if people work together.
History
Helstav is the only region to still celebrate Empire Day, the day that Emperor Valtyv began his conquest out of Helstav. Under Emperor Valtyv, when the holiday had first been instated, Empire Day had been a parade of the armed forces to remind the citizens of the Valtyvian Empire that strength lies in numbers, but after Emperor Valtyv's fall, the holiday lost much of its military character and instead remains as a spiritual reminder of Helstav's past.
Execution
During the celebration, the streets are flooded by the lights of the street lanterns, and candles illuminate almost every window and nook of every building. The rituals leading up to the climax of the festivities last for three days. The three days are colloquially called the Day of Regret, the Day of Change, and the Day of the Future, with each day focusing on one specific aspect of the festival. The Day of the Future coincides with the vernal equinox.
During the first two days, in the lead-up to the Day of the Future, the celebrators busy themselves with cleaning their homes, and lighting small lights and putting up decorations that remind them of their past in their homes. The decorations can be a memento of someone, or a souvenir of an event, and it is a highly personal part of the tradition, varying greatly from individual to individual.
During the Day of the Future, the celebrators adorn themselves in their finest white clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with oil lamps or candles, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where memories of the past are shared and treasured. It is a time of forgiveness, looking to the future while keeping the past in mind, and repairing broken relationships.
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