Festivities

[historiology]

Type: Video
Sender ID: historiology (Sorey)
To: Public
Subject: Holidays?
Warnings: N/A? He's just excited and curious

[Someone is excited and seems to be getting into the spirit, dressing up with one of the hats for the celebrations as he uses the phone. Look, Nimona, he figured this out and has totally got this now! Really.]

Hey! Did you guys all hear about the celebration coming up? That Frostsinger? With the sleigh and presents? That sounds neat. I want to help figure presents and ride in a sleigh too! I mean, This is just from what I am gathering from talking to the locals? The decorations and stuff. But it seems like fun so I want to help if I can. I guess there wasn't so much of that sort of thing back home or at least that we had a big deal like this back in Elysia. Did you guys all have something like this too? The presents and decorations and all?

Comments

audio;

[theturksway]

Sure, we had a few different winter celebrations back where we're from. Some of the traditions were kinda similar, I guess, and some silly superstitions, too.

audio;

[historiology]

So yours were similar to what people do here? I guess that makes it easier to adjust and go with what you would normally do then at least.

[theturksway]

Some of 'em, sure. And I'm sure there are more on other continents than what I'm familiar with. [He's never really thought about it before. They kinda--Shinra kinda burned bridges when it fought to rule the entire world. He tries not to think about it too much.] So you really didn't have anything back in your world?

[historiology]

I mean, we had presents on my birthday and that sort of thing? But I guess I was also raised by seraphim so that might be why there's still a lot of stuff I am learning. About humans and their traditions and holidays and stuff.

[Not that the seraphim did not try to help and support Sorey, changing some things about the way they lived since they had found him and taken him in. But they were seraphim, elemental spirits, not humans.]

[theturksway]

Yeah, birthdays can be a celebration in some places. But you didn't have the winter stuff, huh. Oh well. Mostly just missing out on the excuse to have hot chocolate, yo.

[Haha... wait. What did the guy say?]

...did you say you were raised by seraphim?

[He totally butchers pronouncing that word.]

permatext

[vermilloci]

It seems like such a fun little tradition!

We have something like it, too, in Orience, called Starry Night. We decorate wreaths and garlands with ornaments that resemble the stars, and when the whole town pitches in, it's like standing among them! We make ornaments in the shapes of the Eidolons' constellations and then hang them up as hiiiiigh as we can on trees, and if it's a clear winter night, we all go out stargazing! Complete with a mug of hot cocoa, blankets, and cozy fires nearby, of course. Gifts are given, too.

Sleighs aren't a part of our tradition, though. What's going to be pulling it here? Dolphins?

permatext

[historiology]

Wreaths. I think I saw some decorations earlier! Not sure if the ones here are similar to what you were used to but that does sound really pretty.

I just heard something about that Frost lady with the sleigh. I should have asked. I guess I was a little distracted and excited. I do want to try riding on the goblin carts back home so I bet the sleigh would be really fun too!

[....Sorey no. Alas no Mikleo here to tell him this doesn't seem like the safest idea. When Sorey has never driven anything at all in his life.]

[vermilloci]

Oh, are you hoping to be on the sleigh with the frostlady?? That sounds like a wonderful idea! I bet she would appreciate the help, too. Her job must be so complicated and busy.

[historiology]

I don't know if I would be allowed but I would like to! I bet it would be fun! Maybe not as fun as those goblin carts back home but still. I mean, who doesn't like giving presents?

Text; sender: dragoonoflight

[dragoonoflight]

It's definitely different from what I'm used to, I'm not familiar with the sleigh or presents, but we do have a winter religious holiday around this time of year.

Often there are feasts and parties and a small gift exchange, nothing too extravagant, as well as preparing a meal in honour of Greagor. The décor is of course, dragon-themed, and it's good luck if you can spot a wyvern.

text | id: historiology

[historiology]

It sounds like a few places back home had some sort of similar celebrations at least.

Dragons? That's not usually a good thing back home, what that means for the seraphim. But I guess it might be different where you're from. Are dragons important with this Greagor then? Your feasts around this time of year?

[dragoonoflight]

How unusual. Dragons are the messengers of the great goddess Greagor. The Emperor is meant to be the incarnated version of the goddess herself.

The feasts are somewhat related, although they are still just feasts and festivities, opportunities to gorge on food far too rich at other times of the year.

[historiology]

They are messengers? Oh. That's very different to back home. It usually means something awful.

Any chance to enjoy a good feast is great though! I have to agree there.

Video

[ricebird]

[Oh no... Sorey is being adorable right now, Kotori actually has to keep herself from giggling too hard.]

Yeah, there are things like that in my world. Back home there's Christmas; it's a bigger deal in other countries, but in mine it's more of a casual thing to give presents, have small parties... and you know, go on dates, if you have someone special like that.

[Which, from her muttering that last bit and blushing, she clearly never has. ANYWAY.]

New Year's is more important in my culture. We get together with our families, even travel to them if we need to, eat special foods like mochi or toshikoshi soba or different kinds of osechi, visit the shrine at midnight for the bell-ringing if you're religious, and staying up to watch the first sunrise. Oh, and kids get money from their relatives, and we send postcards to friends and family too!

[Although Kotori's New Years have usually been quiet for most of her life. Her mother Megumi's parents both died when Kotori was still young, and after the divorce she doesn't see much of her father or his side of the family, although she still gets New Year's money.]

Video

[historiology]

Dates? Oh so it could be with friends and family or like, a boyfriend or girlfriend sort of thing?

[Sorey has at least picked up on the idea of that sort of thing? Even if it hasn't really been something he has been surrounded by growing up with the seraphim for the most part. Not that Sorey is necessarily thinking along those lines in relation to himself and his feelings for anyone (or, well. Mikleo) but he is at least familiar enough with the concept of some people being more than friends.]

Ah, New Years! Is that coming up soon then as well? Or, I'm not sure if that timing might be different here or back home depending, actually...

[ricebird]

The uh... boyfriend or girlfriend thing...

[ANYWAY!]

And... good question. I haven't actually looked at the calendar yet, but it could be either a set date, or one that changes based on the lunar calendar.

[Japan's new year used to be lunisolar until the 1870s.]

[historiology]

I guess I wouldn't necessarily know about that sort of thing. I don't have anyone like that.

[Or at least. He has yet to admit it. If he did have feelings more than friendship for Mikleo and vice versa. They're best friends, childhood friends and he doesn't necessarily have much if any reference for what is normal or more than that given he hasn't had the most usual upbringing with having been brought up by the seraphim.]

Yeah, some celebrations might have a specific date and others might change depending on the time of year. I guess I should probably try learn about what holidays or celebrations the locals might have here.

video; un: paradisea

[empyrean_mirror]

There's not much of a winter like this in Sumeru, but I've heard they have celebrations like that in some other countries. And during the Saberuz festival, people traditionally used to hand out candies and gifts to children, in honor of Lord Kusanali's birthday...

[Kaveh pauses, and smiles almost wistfully.] It's fallen out of tradition for a long time but, from what I'd heard, she'd like a celebration like this one with the Frostsinger very much, too.

video; un: historiology

[historiology]

Sumeru. There's so many different places I've not heard of that everyone here is from! It's kind of exciting, thinking of all the celebrations, all the history...

If it is similar enough to this Frostsinger and what people do here I don't see why you or others couldn't still celebrate here? I mean. The gifts thing and stuff? Even if this here might not be for Lord Kusanali.

video;

[empyrean_mirror]

I might. Making toys isn't usually in my job description, but it's not too hard to do some things.

...In some ways I guess the traditions of different worlds are just the differences between countries, on a much grander scale. When I look at it like that, it doesn't seem so incomprehensible.

video;

[historiology]

I guess it depends on the toy? Some might be simpler and some more complex, more complicated? I haven't made any either but the idea of giving presents is nice though. I like that.

[Sorey certainly does not claim to be an expert but even so. The idea is cute and he wants to try and help if he can.]

But yeah, it makes sense? I guess that some places would have similar celebrations, just maybe different ways of celebrating them? Like the new year, or birthdays or that sort of thing.

text / un; Enterprise

[lucky_e]

Something like this. Just replace the Frostsinger with a figure called Santa Claus, who delivers presents to everyone. The decorations are also kind of different as well, along with a couple of other things.

text / un; historiology

[historiology]

Santa Claus? So this Santa has a sleigh too. I guess that makes sense? I mean that some places might have similar sort of stories and celebrations. Traditions.

[lucky_e]

They're also connected with winter and a specific time of year. Did you have something similar from your home?

[historiology]

I'm not sure if I would be the best person to ask from home? I didn't grow up among humans to know all the holidays and celebrations they have, being raised in the village by seraphim - ah, elemental spirits.