New Year's Festivals

For humankind, the New Year is born when the longest night dies. In Troyso, at least, the people all celebrate Xedesrise, an all-night celebration of feasting, singing, and visiting neighbors. There is much lighting of candles and lanterns of all sorts, to beat back the darkness. Townsfolk tend to gather in the east towards the dawn, ready to greet the reborn Xedes. There is great anticipation as the skies grow pink. When Xeitho finally makes its appearance over the horizon, those assembled cry out and cheer and there is much merry-making and dancing to greet the newborn Xeitho and the new year.
Dwarves, on the other hand, celebrate their New Year at High Summer, on the 15th of Highsun. To them, this is a special intercalary day, devoted to the head of their pantheon, Hjaldrom, God of the Forge. My dwarven friend assures me that, like the humans, there is much feasting and drinking and dancing. Quite raucous affairs, from the sound of it. He notes, too, that in the last generation or so, a new tradition has arisen. Younger folk go down beforehand to Kelna, the trade town, and buy up as many Gnomish whizbangers as they can afford. Then they go down to the lower levels and set them off, where they can travel very high up, and make a great echoing noise as they bang. Some of the older folk complain, but the younger ones simply say it is the fire and smoke from Hjaldrom's forge, and the banging of his hammer. When the festival is over and a new day dawns, it is the first day of their Year.
The Elven tradition is rather more solemn. It starts on the 7th of Leafwane, again an intercalary day for them, with a remembrance of those who have passed. This is very similar to our Xitonsdue, which we observe on the same day. Elves will erect small shrines in their houses to honor their ancestors, and leave offerings of food and drink, especially favorites of those who have recently passed on. It is common to wear white, and often folk will drape themselves with white veils, as if in mourning. Instead of large parties, the elves will gather in small groups and talk about their loved ones who have moved on. Small lanterns and candles are found everywhere, and the folk will convene until late in the night. The new day brings a casting off of mourning, and a greeting of the New Year with small feasts, and much poetry and music.

Calendars

The Humans, Elves and Dwarves all use separate calendars to count the passage of time.
Humans, of course, use the Birovan Calendar, named after the discoverer of the cure for the Withering.
Our calendar has 13 months of 28 days each, plus one intercalary day, Uenta's Day, the day that is not a day. We also use 7 day weeks.
Elven and Dwarven calendars each have 5 intercalary days, important festivals in their years, and both calendars are named after ancient Empires, but that is all they have in common.
A Dwarven Brulbrehork calendar has 12 months of 30 days. Their week is 8 days long.
The Elven Eladan calendar, on the other hand, has 9 months of 40 days. Their week is 10 days long.