Like any society, Themblise love to party! The hard-working farmers and merchants eagerly look forward to every holiday and festival. Below are a few of the celebrations that the Themblise treasure over the course of the calendar year.
Renewal
Onser 1st
The first day of the new year is called Renewal, and during this, Themblise celebrate all that they have accomplished in the past year. It is not a day to be a braggart, but rather to look back and quietly congratulate oneself on how one has grown, not matter how small the growth may be. Renewal is celebrated with the symbol of the oak tree, because of how it slowly grows over the periods of years to create a great beauty.
Feast for Families
Borlen 21st
In the Raviekan religion, it is believed that inside each and every living thing there is a piece of Ravieka. During the Feast for Families, Themblise not only practice thankfulness for their blood families, but also to people who have become a part of their family over the years. It is celebrated by making and bringing food to friends and family. A massive social gathering, the Feast for Families is a common day to announce engagements and have weddings. Unfortunately, for those without family and friends, this can be an incredibly lonely holiday.
Reminiscence
Leemair 1st
As the flowers begin blooming in full, the Themblise take a day to remember those have passed. According to Raviekan religion, the dead are reborn as other creatures and plants. It is a day that celebrates death and rebirth. Rather than a quiet, solemn day, Reminiscence is typically celebrated by eating passed loved ones’ favorite foods, singing throughout the day and night, and dancing until one’s feet feel like they are going to fall off. The focus is not only to celebrate those who have passed, but also to celebrate those who have been born. This includes taking in the beauty of the new spring, and being thankful for the land’s bounty. It is considered to be auspicious to be born on the first of Leemair.
Maithan Independence Day
Aspairoon 7th
On Aspairoon 7th, 765 the Black King overthrew the former king of Maithas in a one night coup. This began his monarchy, that would eventually spread to absorb Bevenkras and now Pemembras. Maithan Independence Day is a national holiday that is celebrated throughout Maithas and its new territory, and definitely not celebrated in Croon. During this day, everything is adorned in bees, and common for the Themblise to take ash and give themselves broad bee stripes across their bodies. The day does not celebrate the Black King (although he always gives a speech), but is rather a day that focuses on nationalism and patriotism to the monarchy itself.
Melody Day
3rd Baisen of Peaser
A day of song and dance! During this day, the Themblise trade dance moves, make musical instruments, and have impromptu belting of ballads! No one is shunned for their lack of musical ability as long as they try their best. It is traditional that children are given the opportunity to make and own their first very own instrument, whether that be a rattle or a drum. These often take form of a little workshop. Massive community dances are a focal point, with the local neighborhood supplying the music. There are so often competitions, from dance to singing to quality of instruments. Some places don’t celebrate one day, but turn Melody Day into several days of festivities. Clarion, the City of Bells and the capital of Maithas, is renown for its Singing of the Bells on this day, and make it a three day celebration.
Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice (Occurs during Stralen)
During the longest day of the year, Themblise celebrate with colorful clothes, and, of course, food and music! It is a day of desserts, with fritters and crumbles and cookies and cakes. Delicious! It is traditional to light torches on the western side of the village, to bid adieu to the sun as it sets. On the coast, the sailboats sail decently offshore and light lanterns in the west. As the sun sets, the lantern and torches remain behind like fallen bits of sun.
Mosaic Day
Raspair 7th
Themblise believe that the magic in charms can be amplified through using geometric patterns. Traditionally a holiday for artists, tile setters, and charmcasters, the celebration has expanded over the centuries into its current form. Today, it is a holiday that honors the magic in the world. Creatures use chalk, clay paint, charcoal, and other materials to paint geometric patterns all over the roads and on their bodies. Themblise pull out their most colorful and brightly patterned clothing, and have art competitions for mosaics, textiles, and pottery.
Fey Day
Balmoon 8th
For the Themblise, the number eight is seen as an unlucky number. Therefore, on the eighth day of the eighth month of the year, Themblise celebrate that the Feylands were created. No one knows exactly when or why the Feylands were built (or appeared), but the Themblise are sure glad that the monstrous, murderous Fey are locked away. The day is spent as a day of competition, where communities split up into Fey and Elturians, and hash it out over a variety of sports.
Crush Days
Alser 13th and 14th
Wine is one of the largest exports in Themble, and a large drive of their economy. After the grapes are harvested and sorted, then they are crush so that the yeast can begin during the juice into wine. While in modern Themble grapes are usually crushed by wood wine presses, in early viticulture, feet and hooves were used. The tradition has remained, and during the yearly Crush days, Themblise celebrate the harvest by crushing a batch the old fashioned way. Of course, on two days that celebrates wine, many creatures take the opportunity to taste the bounty of the previous years’ labor. Many creatures wake up on Alser 15th not remembering the previous two days, but are greeted with a pounding headache.
Celebration of Children
Corlen 19th
Every year, Themblise celebrate the future generations. Adults give gifts to and play games with children, who bop from house to house. Some houses have activities like an obstacle course, others have storytellers, while others give out little sweets. It is traditional that for children who are becoming adults during the year are given a gift that will help them on the road to adulthood. These include tools, household goods, family heirlooms, and money.
Season of Rain
Scamair 30th
Although hopefully by the end of Corlen the rains have already begun sprinkling, the Themblise wait to celebrate the new rainy season until the last day of Scamair. As an agricultural society, Themblise need rain for their crops to grow. A drought in the early 760’s brought several dry Seasons of Rain. However, rain or shine, the Themblise not only give thanks for the rainfall and the winter season, but pray to Ravieka for an abundant growing season in the spring. Musical instruments designed to sound like rainfall rattle the air as Themblise belt out songs about storms. Little traps are made outside of buildings to collect water, sometimes creating its own music as the rain falls. Tea and teardrop-shaped biscuits are typically eaten during the Season of Rain.
Winter’s Solstice
Winter’s Solstice (Occurs during Caeroon)
The longest night of the year is observed with quiet tales, warm drinks, and heavy food. Children gather around parents, neighbors visit neighbors, and everyone attempts to stay up as late as possible trading tales. If the weather is miraculously clear, it is traditional to bundle up warm, bring pots of tea, and stargaze. Some people trade myths and folktales, others tell stories of war, and others prefer to shake the children with nightmares with horror stories.
Hurdle’s Day
Themblise Leap Year Day
Hurdle’s Day is the Themblise leap day, celebrated every three years at the end of Caeroon. Although it is often raining and cold, the Themblise celebrate this day with jumping competitions (to hurdle over to the new year) and other sporting events! It is a time for the young to show off their skills by sliding through mud and puddles, although more often than not Hurdle’s Day leads to some broken bones and bruises…