The Blossoming Dance

The Blossoming Dance is a Halflings coming-of-age ritual in which halflings who have recently turned 17 (the traditional halfling age of majority) present themselves to the community at a public dance.

Execution

The youths presenting themselves line up before the community at the front of a large town hall or courtyard, where their families, friends, and neighbors gather. Participating youths wear white or light-colored linen dresses and suits, often decorated with complex embroidery, as well as a piece of their Halfling clan beading and a specially made garland (see below). A civic or religious leader makes a speech about the duties and joys of adulthood. Each of the presented youths then announces their name and clan to the crowd, and all take to the dance floor with the rest of the community and choose partners to dance with. The rest of the night is a lively celebration full of food and revelry-- as most halfling celebrations tend to be.

Components and tools

The morning of the dance, the youths being presented gather in the dance hall and weave garlands for themselves to wear as headpieces, necklaces, and/or corsages. These garlands vary from person to person and are an expression of the youth's individuality; however, they also adhere to a strict "language of flowers" that expresses the wearer's gender, sexuality, and readiness to marry. Common symbolism is displayed in the chart below:

Plant	Gender (personal)
Ivy leaves	Man
Pink carnations	Woman
Striped/variegated carnations	Fluid gender
Sage	Non-binary gender
Dandelion	Agender

Plant	Gender (interested in courting)
Red poppies	Men
Cherry or apple blossoms	Women
Begonia	Nonbinary/other
Thistle	Gender is irrelevant

Plant	Courtship status
Gardenia	I am ready to court
Myrtle	I am ready to marry
Daisy	I am not prepared to court or marry
Bluebell	My heart is already claimed
Clover	Let fate decide what it may!

Observance

The Blossoming Dance typically takes place under the full moons in April and August. Those with winter or spring birthdays present themselves in April, while those with fall and winter birthdays present themselves in August.