Golden Festival
Celebrated on the 20th of Denv, the first month of summer. The Golden Festival gives thanks to Elise for the crops of the first harvest, after the growth of the spring crops.
Symbolising the the golden glow of the summer sun people dress in golden coloured flowing clothes to gather in communal spaces decorated in gold and gold themed objects, in rural areas this is often crops harvested with golden a golden hue, such as bundles of grains and root vegetables.
In the Morning Priests of Elise lead the attendees to the freshly harvested fields where thanks is given to the Goddess for the bountiful harvest and golden offerings are scattered across the fields for a rich second harvest, while ancient songs of growth are sung to enrich the lands while giving thanks for what has been given.
Once this portion of the Golden Festival is complete they return to the decorated communal spaces, where a great feast is thrown using the last of the winter stores, accompanied by wines and liqueurs made from the autumn and winter hedgerow fruits. The feasting often lasts throughout the day, its length a symbol for the prosperity of the year ahead, with multiple rich and hearty dishes accompanied by crusty loaves of bread, butter and honey. Many families will prepare pickled or preserved foods through the autumn and winter especially for this feast, as offerings for their personal bounties in the coming year, the popularity of such symbolising the year ahead. Even following a year of poor harvest communities always try to hold back a portion of the winter stores for this feast, else they can not give thanks risking another winter of tight belts and difficult times. It is said that the more lavish the Golden Festival, the more bounteous the year will be, leading to many smaller rural communities preferring to struggle through a particularly difficult winter with a sizable store of food, than risk the following years bounty.
Once the feasting finishes great fires are lit, with the community gathering around to dance, sing and play music. It is considered the greatest of fortune if the sun rises the following morning before the last of the revelers heads home.
Symbolising the the golden glow of the summer sun people dress in golden coloured flowing clothes to gather in communal spaces decorated in gold and gold themed objects, in rural areas this is often crops harvested with golden a golden hue, such as bundles of grains and root vegetables.
In the Morning Priests of Elise lead the attendees to the freshly harvested fields where thanks is given to the Goddess for the bountiful harvest and golden offerings are scattered across the fields for a rich second harvest, while ancient songs of growth are sung to enrich the lands while giving thanks for what has been given.
Once this portion of the Golden Festival is complete they return to the decorated communal spaces, where a great feast is thrown using the last of the winter stores, accompanied by wines and liqueurs made from the autumn and winter hedgerow fruits. The feasting often lasts throughout the day, its length a symbol for the prosperity of the year ahead, with multiple rich and hearty dishes accompanied by crusty loaves of bread, butter and honey. Many families will prepare pickled or preserved foods through the autumn and winter especially for this feast, as offerings for their personal bounties in the coming year, the popularity of such symbolising the year ahead. Even following a year of poor harvest communities always try to hold back a portion of the winter stores for this feast, else they can not give thanks risking another winter of tight belts and difficult times. It is said that the more lavish the Golden Festival, the more bounteous the year will be, leading to many smaller rural communities preferring to struggle through a particularly difficult winter with a sizable store of food, than risk the following years bounty.
Once the feasting finishes great fires are lit, with the community gathering around to dance, sing and play music. It is considered the greatest of fortune if the sun rises the following morning before the last of the revelers heads home.
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