Holidays & Traditons
Across Sternbergopolis, from coast to coast, there are many holiday festivities that take place unique to Sternbergopolan culture. You can learn more about these holidays and customs below.
Religious Holidays
There are many religious holidays celebrated by the diverse belief systems present in Sternbergopolis. Many you may be familiar with, and many you may not have. We will mainly focus on those specific to Sternbergopolis.
P'ekemakah
Date(s): 4 March to 17 March
Group: Maylins
Region: Northeast, Typically Nickelford
Overview: This holiday celebrates the spring season and the arrival of new plants, the end of the cold weather, etc.
Customs: Usually, the Maylin people go to their local temple on each of the Sundays that fall between this period, regardless of whether they usually practice prayer or not. Also, a popular tradition is the carving of intricate ice sculptures (or buying pre-made small ice sculptures), and melting them by various means, usually throwing them in a tub of hot water. This is usually done on the last day, but there is no specific rule.
Group: Maylins
Region: Northeast, Typically Nickelford
Overview: This holiday celebrates the spring season and the arrival of new plants, the end of the cold weather, etc.
Customs: Usually, the Maylin people go to their local temple on each of the Sundays that fall between this period, regardless of whether they usually practice prayer or not. Also, a popular tradition is the carving of intricate ice sculptures (or buying pre-made small ice sculptures), and melting them by various means, usually throwing them in a tub of hot water. This is usually done on the last day, but there is no specific rule.
Ikeneishehm (or Ikeneishehm-eu)
Date(s): 1 January to 3 January
Group: Maylins
Region: Northeast, Typically Nickelford
Overview: This holiday is the traditional Maylin new year's celebration.
Customs: Maylin people attend ceremonies and prayer at a temple on the morning of 1 January, then at home they usually feast upon meat for the following two days. This meat is traditionally bovine (officially oxen, but beef is more common nowadays).
Group: Maylins
Region: Northeast, Typically Nickelford
Overview: This holiday is the traditional Maylin new year's celebration.
Customs: Maylin people attend ceremonies and prayer at a temple on the morning of 1 January, then at home they usually feast upon meat for the following two days. This meat is traditionally bovine (officially oxen, but beef is more common nowadays).
Christmas
Date(s): 25 December
Group: Christians
Region: Throughout, most commonly east and central
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the birth of the Christian prophet, Jesus Christ.
Customs: People tend to attend services at churches on midnight, light and decorate trees in their homes, and eat a great deal of baked goods. There are many secular traditions, usually involving a gift giving figure sneaking into the home and leaving presents for Christian children. There are also many popular songs accompanying the holiday.
Group: Christians
Region: Throughout, most commonly east and central
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the birth of the Christian prophet, Jesus Christ.
Customs: People tend to attend services at churches on midnight, light and decorate trees in their homes, and eat a great deal of baked goods. There are many secular traditions, usually involving a gift giving figure sneaking into the home and leaving presents for Christian children. There are also many popular songs accompanying the holiday.
Hanukkah (or Chanukah)
Date(s): Early to mid-December (varies)
Group: Jews
Region: Throughout, usually in the center and far west
Overview: This holiday celebrates the miraculous story of a lamp that burned in a temple for eight days on one day's worth of sacred oil.
Customs: People light candles on a menorah each night and give gifts to family, sing songs, play games, etc.
Group: Jews
Region: Throughout, usually in the center and far west
Overview: This holiday celebrates the miraculous story of a lamp that burned in a temple for eight days on one day's worth of sacred oil.
Customs: People light candles on a menorah each night and give gifts to family, sing songs, play games, etc.
Maracham
Date(s): Late October (varies)
Group: Pixeanans
Region: Far north, usually in the mountain villages
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the coming of the winter months, and to help send the spirits off to "sleep."
Customs: People stand on mountain tops and recite tribal chants, and this is often followed by a community-wide feast with food gathered from the fall's harvest.
Group: Pixeanans
Region: Far north, usually in the mountain villages
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the coming of the winter months, and to help send the spirits off to "sleep."
Customs: People stand on mountain tops and recite tribal chants, and this is often followed by a community-wide feast with food gathered from the fall's harvest.
Easter
Date(s): March or April (varies)
Group: Christians
Region: Throughout, usually in the east and south
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, the Christian prophet.
Customs: People attend church ceremonies, dress nicely, and a gift-giving creature of some sort (usually a rabbit) leaves candies and small gifts for children.
Group: Christians
Region: Throughout, usually in the east and south
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, the Christian prophet.
Customs: People attend church ceremonies, dress nicely, and a gift-giving creature of some sort (usually a rabbit) leaves candies and small gifts for children.
Hara'achee
Date(s): 11 July
Group: Pixeanans
Region: Far north, usually in the mountain villages
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the arrival of summer and the beginning of profitable crop growth.
Customs: People attend several "planting parties," and often receive seeds for crops as gifts from gift-giving spirits.
Group: Pixeanans
Region: Far north, usually in the mountain villages
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the arrival of summer and the beginning of profitable crop growth.
Customs: People attend several "planting parties," and often receive seeds for crops as gifts from gift-giving spirits.
Other Holidays
There are also many other religious holidays, especially for the Maylin faith. This section only overviews the major and most commonly celebrated holidays.
Federal Holidays
National Holidays, or Federal Holidays, or not religion-related, are officially recognised by the Federal Government of Sternbergopolis as holidays. On these days, it is required that businesses and government offices remain closed, and these are usually accompanied by ceremonies and large televised parades, etc.
Commerce Day
Date(s): 7 March
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the thriving and prosperous businesses that serve communities and the country.
Customs: People write letters of appreciation to local businesses, have fundraisers, donate money, etc.
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the thriving and prosperous businesses that serve communities and the country.
Customs: People write letters of appreciation to local businesses, have fundraisers, donate money, etc.
Military Honours Day
Date(s): 26 April
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the people who serve the country in armed forces.
Customs: Televised armed forces parades (nationally and locally), local ceremonies and celebrations, flags flown at half-staff in memory of fallen soldiers.
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the people who serve the country in armed forces.
Customs: Televised armed forces parades (nationally and locally), local ceremonies and celebrations, flags flown at half-staff in memory of fallen soldiers.
Sternbergopolis Day
Date(s): 13 August
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the namesake and foundation of Sternbergopolis.
Customs: Televised parades, other local and national festivals
Overview: This holiday is a celebration of the namesake and foundation of Sternbergopolis.
Customs: Televised parades, other local and national festivals
Seymour Persyton's Birthday
Date(s): 5 October
Overview: The birthday of our founding father, Seymour Persyton
Customs: No specific customs.
Overview: The birthday of our founding father, Seymour Persyton
Customs: No specific customs.
Tyler Sternberg Day
Date(s): 18 October (observed 16 October to 18 October)
Overview: The birthday of our first and current President, Tyler Sternberg
Customs: Televised parade and other celebrations, people usually eat some sort of traditional Italian dish as a main meal. The parade and its associated celebrations span a total of three days, concluding with a procession of the President himself through the streets of Persyton.
Overview: The birthday of our first and current President, Tyler Sternberg
Customs: Televised parade and other celebrations, people usually eat some sort of traditional Italian dish as a main meal. The parade and its associated celebrations span a total of three days, concluding with a procession of the President himself through the streets of Persyton.
Harvest Day
Date(s): 24 November
Overview: A celebration of the fall harvest and the start of the winter holiday season.
Customs: Commercial parades are usually televised, and a family meal consists of traditional foods of the fall harvest. Sometimes comparable to Thanksgiving-like traditions.
Overview: A celebration of the fall harvest and the start of the winter holiday season.
Customs: Commercial parades are usually televised, and a family meal consists of traditional foods of the fall harvest. Sometimes comparable to Thanksgiving-like traditions.