Day of Shameless Gluttony
The Day of Shameless Gluttony is a ritual associated with the Autumnal Equinox. In the middle of the harvest season, many Altairians choose to take advantage of the sudden surplus of fresh fruits, grains, and game. While many Equinox traditions are about giving thanks, the Day of Shameless Gluttony is all about unapologetically gorging oneself on all the food that makes the Equinox special.
History
The Day of Shameless Gluttony dates back to at least 950 G. E. It perhaps got its name from faeries poking fun at moralistic human missionaries, who condemned the feasts as gluttony and waste.
It has remained pretty much the same throughout the years, taking place primarily in rural areas such as the Nursery Rhyme District. It is a well-beloved and anticipated tradition that comes back year after year.
Execution
On the day of the Autumnal Equinox, a huge feast is prepared. Through a Stone Soup Ritual, the table, located outside underneath the fiery-leaved trees, is prepared. This feast includes many dishes associated with autumn, making good use of native fruits, grains, and wild game, amongst other things.
It is at the hour of sunset when the feasting begins. These affairs are not civilized; it is custom to eat until you physically cannot anymore, not bothering with decorum or even utensils. The residents of the Nursery Rhyme District act just as the animals they are, attacking their food. Amberjack Cider commonly makes an appearance to help with this.
The feast ends when everything is eaten, which is usually some hours into the night. Most will fall asleep at the table, overcome by a food coma and possibly drunkenness. There they will spend the night until morning, when they will assist with cleaning up. Many will not eat again for days after the event, their appetites satisfied for the time being.
Human Perception
As mentioned above, human missionaries did not have a high view of the Day of Shameless Gluttony. In their eyes, it was yet another example of the faeries' sinful depravity. Conversely, the faeries of the Nursery Rhyme District saw the humans' refusal to indulge as suspect, perhaps linked to the perception of the humans' religion as evil, one that venerated death and decay over life and vitality. This was one of the many things that strained relations between humans and faeries in the olden days.
Equinox Carol: "Pumpkin Pecan Bellyache"
The song "Pumpkin Pecan Bellyache," despite being associated with the Winter Solstice, was written for the Autumnal Equinox in specific homage to the Day of Shameless Gluttony. It is believed that the song was written to make fun of how bloated and fat Altairians often feel after the event.
Lyrics
It's beginning to look a lot like the Solstice,At least as far as I can see.
I got myself in an awful mess.
Can somebody please tell me,
Why when I look down,
I can't see my own feet.
But I can't really frown,
'Cuz it was all so sweet.
But now I got a bellyache,
A pumpkin pecan bellyache,
And I've tripled in girth,
But I really don't care at all!
From this point on, the singer will add their own lyrics about all the foodstuffs they consumed on the Day of Shameless Gluttony, adding the chorus at the end of each stanza. Celebrating Altairians make it a competition to see how many stanzas they can add to the song. At the end, the chorus is sung two more times before all the carolers burst out laughing, usually hopped up on Amberjack Cider.
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