Frost Yule
A celebration to mark the end of winter and the coming of spring the following day, Frost Yule is a feast dedicated to the god of winter, Malfrost, which is widely celebrated across Kelbonnar, though it is a feast of special significance to communities who dwell in the north of the world, or in mountainous regions, who bear the brunt of the snow, ice and hardship that winter can bring.
History
Ever since sapient humanoids walked the Material Plane of Kelbonnar, the end of winter and the waning of Malfrost's influence have been celebrated. However, that is not to say that the celebration is meant to be a slight to the god of winter, far from it. Frost Yule is instead regarded as an opportunity give respect to Malfrost, and his power, to thank him for making it through another winter and to look forward to the good things that the new year will bring.
Traditionally, all communities held celebrations for Frost Yule, though over the centuries many places have almost entirely lost a tradition of celebrating Frost Yule, principally because they exist in places where even at the height of his power over the Material Plane, Malfrost's touch is barely felt. The city-states of the Kaldara desert for instance, have little cause to mark Frost Yule as anything but a date, which indicates the coming of a new calendar year.
Execution
Given that it takes place at a time of the year where in many places it is still bitterly cold and often snowbound, there are no great processions that might accompany other great festivals, in most communities that honour the feast. Instead, households partake in more low-key affairs, which are nevertheless still joyous at their heart.
During the daylight hours, every household keeping the feast will open their doors, a symbolic invitation to the god Malfrost that he is welcome to come in and share their fire and partake in their food and drink should he wish. This divine welcome has become extended to all within the community, and people will move between each other's houses during the day, taking drink before each others hearths.
At night, everyone shuts their doors, symbolically closing them to the old year, and a household will not reopen their doors to the wider world until the dawn of the new year, lest the bad luck of the old sneak into their dwellings and into the new year as well. In many communities, this part of the feast is so rigorously adhered to that no one is allowed to leave or enter a house once the door is shut, regardless of whoever may still be lingering under the roof from the day's drinking.
During the hours of darkness, each household will hold their own feast and will continue to carouse late into the night, with many eating and drinking until they see the first light of the new year.
Components and tools
Generally there are no specialist components to the parts of Frost Yule, but most regions, communities and even households have their own sub-traditions within the feast that dictate what drink and food will be served.
For instance, in the Empire of Turelion, it is traditional to have bottles of wine saved to offer to any who darken one's door during the day of Frost Yule, whilst in the Five Holds whisky is the tipple of choice.
The foods that are served at the feasts that happen throughout the night, tend to be foods which have been specially preserved so that they last the winter and saved for the occasion. This tends to mean that most tables will be laden with pickled vegetables, preserved fruits hard cheeses and smoked or dried meats.
Participants
For the most part, people lead their own Frost Yule celebrations, but in places where there is a temple or a cleric of Malfrost, it will be the anointed of the god who officially lead each festival.
Normally, the involvement of Malfrost's clergy will be restricted to offering sacrifices to the god at dawn, followed by them liberally partaking in the days traditional drinking, with them settling down for the night's feasting in whichever house they have ended up in by the time night falls.
Observance
Frost Yule is celebrated once a year, on the 50th day of Trelltal, the 10th and final month of the year. The feast has always been located on this day as it is traditionally regarded as the end of winter and as the 'death' of the year, which is followed by the first day of spring.
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