Christening Anniversary

"Oh, she's such a sweetie. Never has done me wrong, she hasn't. And y'know, today is her birthday. 27 years she's been running. All hail The Winged Boot!" -drunken captain

To most captains, their ship is a part of them, and they often celebrate the birth of the vessel as much, or even more, than their own.

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Christening

Ship christening is an ancient tradition that carried over from the mostly forgotten days of sailing. But captains of any vessel are often superstitious folk and so they'll take any good luck charm they can get. The christening happens just before the first flight of the ship, and like in ancient times, the captain will break a bottle of champagne across the bow. This is usually preceded by a short speech, and followed with the ship leaving port.

Birthdays

The term "birthday" became acceptable for one's ship after a televised event of the Earth Space Force (ESF) celebrating the anniversary of the vessel Hammerhead. The admiral in command used birthdays as a metaphor for the ships anniversary in the fleet and the phrasing stuck. As time continued and the tradition evolved, captains would come to celebrate their ships birthday but forget about their own.

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"Ship birthdays are as common as everyone's actual birthday, the only real difference being I actually want to be invited to a ship's birthday."

The Celebration

Each captain has a special way of celebrating their ships birthday, usually related to a near-tragic incident from the ships past. One thing is common throughout the galaxy however; drinking, and lots of it. Many captains will consider the day a holiday for the crew, even going so far as to provide a paid-leave day, so many crews look forward to the event as well. Smaller ships have small parties, while larger ships can have massive parties, although there are always exceptions. For instance if a smaller, but well known, vessel is parked in the hangar of a large ship on its birthday, the larger ship may play host for the occasion.

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Famous Ship Celebrations

The Welcome Wagon | 4 May

The birthday of The Welcome Wagon is well known throughout the galaxy and may be the largest party to be held each year. Many political heads, entertainers, big-time entrepreneurs, and famous captains attend the event, along with thousands from whichever system The Wagon is parked outside of.

Bazy Lum | 17 Sept

The Bazy Lum is the ship of four-time Bootleggathon winner Lenny Parkins. A fully custom mid-size cargo rig with incredible power, many consider it an honor to host the ship for its birthday.

Cracked Anvil | 28 Nov

While mostly infamous for her part in the Ferryman Raid, the Cracked Anvil is a famously indestructible vessel. Although many would prefer her owner, known only as "Charlotte", be apprehended, or killed, for her crimes, the Raiders celebrate the Anvil's continued life, usually by conducting raids and bringing tribute. The day has become considered one of the worst possible days to travel on the outskirts of the galaxy.

"I'll be damned if we don't see the Bazy Lum on her birthday. We have nothing else going on!"
"You promised you'd join dinner with my parents..."
"Bah! Reschedule. Tell them I'm sick."