The Holiday Celebration
The seven days of Zoubar Celebrate the winter solstice and terminate in the New Year. The human nations of Faerin, Lorn, and Vidar have very similar Solistace and new year celebration rituals.
Most people will be off during the Zoubar Celebration from normal work, stores and essential service are on reduced hours if open at all. Stores that stay open with limited services will generally be completely closed on day four of Zoubar during the shortest day of the year. This is done so families can be together and uplift spirits in the long nights.
Starting on the first day of Zoubar, towns and villages light a bond fire that will stay lit for all 7 days until the new year begins. This is a community celebration designed to help keep the world lit when the nights are there longest and coldest.
During the week it is customary for competitions. Wood chopping, to show off physical skills and build up the wood needed to fuel the community fires. Cooking to show off culinary skills and get food for feasts. Are the most common skills showcased but regional variation and themes exist. Things like games, dances, celebrations, drinking, and eating will break out during the 7 days of Zoubar. Many couples are matched and given time to play while work is on hold, weddings happen often in the winter.
Decorations
During the first days of the event decorations of Blues, Whites, and Silver will be set up to represent the snow and cold that exists now. Over the next seven days; Green, Yellow, and golds are added to the decorations to highlight the return of spring and to bid the sun come back and warm the world. It is possible to thus see the hope of the sun's return back into the world as the whole village morphs the cool somber tones into that of warmth and spring.
Often there is a central decorative Moon that transition to a Sun decoration. Each Day of the cycle for the seven days it is updated. starting fully as a moon, and ending fully as a sun. On day one it is a whole moon, on day four it's a half moon and half sun, and on day seven it is a complete sun. Normally that change is made at night so the children wake to a new phase each morning.
The Seven Days of Zoubar
- Day 1 is the day of Self Reflection. It is a time to put the past behind. Whatever bad things happened this last year, they should be forgotten. Cleanse your mind of any bad spirits and open yourself to new opportunities that next year will bring.
- Day 2 is about your Kith. Friends that you have not spoken with because life has gotten in the way should be reached out to and spent time with on this day. A lot of beaked goods and food baskets will be based around this day. In part because it warms the hearth and calms the soul.
- Day 3 is about your Coworkers. This is about appreciating the people you work with, work for, or your employees. Social boundaries are reduced, and the high and low will share a meal together. Often time people will cook for there servants to show their appreciation for them.
- Day 4 is about Community. Everyone comes out as a community and celebrate, feast and make merry for the shortest day of the year. Leave nobody behind. If you did not connect with members of your community in the last few days, now is the time.
- Day 5 is about the Deities. They came back into the world and look over us mortals. We now see a new day has begone, there is more sun today than yesterday. Recount the glory of your pantheon in all its forms and this wonderful world that you are a part of.
- Day 6 is about Kin. The big parties have started to wind down, and people look to the elders that give them guidance, and the children that will forge the future. Personal family celebrations as people sit around the fire and reflect on the value of hearth and home.
- Day 7 is about New Beginnings. The bond fire has been kept lit for the last six days, each family will light a fire from the flames to say goodby to last year, and start their new year clean and open to new possibilities.
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