Moon's Renewal (Dhésé Líedhíerann)

Moon's Renewal is a three-night midwinter holiday celebrated by lun'Aeldvari. It begins at sunset on the longest night of the year (a new moon) and ends at dawn on the third night once the new crescent moon has been sighted and celebrated. Winter solstice falls in the exact middle of the lunar Aeldvaren calendar, and Moon's Renewal kicks off the month of Long Moon.
The original celebration of Moon's Renewal is uncertain, despite nearly a hundred thousand years of recorded history. Some records state that Moon's Renewal was first observed during summer solstice, not winter solstice. Others claim the holiday was once a joyous festival centered around the Lady of Heaven, the creator deity responsible for the cel'Aeldvari (the Heavens Elves, mainly the sun elves and moon elves). Yet other histories record Moon's Renewal as a time of deep, concentrated lunar magic on behalf of, and blessed by, the moon and/or the Lady of Heaven.
For modern-day lun'Aeldvari, Moon's Renewal is a positive but usually solemn holiday. They consider the moon's yearly rebirth to be sacred, but they also make a practice of contemplating the effects of the longest night on non-nocturnal peoples. Their close kinship with sol'Aeldvari, who may not feel the typically frosty temperatures but assuredly miss the longer days, can add further solemnity to the night's festivities.
Many traditions have survived from millennia long past, such as personal prayers made to the Lady of Heaven, meditative contemplation on the moon's cyclical nature, and sky-gazing during the longest night. More modern traditions include making mirror charms, ice artwork (from mundane ice or from frozen arcane water), and white or silver isianélen (starlights). Isianélen are strings or nets of points of light either artificial or arcane in nature, often depicting specific constellation, that are suspended on a ceiling or hung from a bough or a roof's eaves.
Originally, starlights were made from tiny candles connected with silvery thread, but modern-day examples have gained an enormous range of materials and styles, most of which are less of a fire risk. The most common method for making starlights is making a sparsely-beaded curtain with quartz beads, then imbuing the beads with a twinkling arcane glow that will last a day or two. (Starlights are not restricted to Moon's Renewal and are often made and displayed year-round, but they are most commonly crafted and lit during this holiday.)
Origami-like papercraft is quite popular with all ages, as it can represent both the intricate beauty of the moon and also its ever-changing nature; papercraft that is not magically preserved will usually fall to deterioration within a few days. Papercraft stars, snowflakes, and birds are particularly popular and usually get woven into hanging starlights. Writing wishes or prayers on a papercraft boat that is released into running water that reflects the newborn crescent moon towards the end of Moon's Renewal is a widespread modern tradition.

by Fred Heap (Unsplash)

Dates
Begins: Long Rising Resumption (1.1.1)
Ends: Long Rising Grace (1.1.3)

by Ty Barbary via Midjourney