Creating Holidays #21: Flowers!

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Minibit

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Oosie! I missed a week; we're going to make up for it with a much lighter themed holiday this time; let's make a holiday around flowers!

Create a holiday that incorporates flowers in some way; it could be a flower-viewing day to celebrate spring, or a day to have a garden party or take care of flowers; use your imagination and create a holiday for flowers!

Holiday Name:
When is it celebrated?
Who celebrates?
What is done to celebrate?
How old is this holiday?
Has this holiday changed much from its roots?
Where do the festivities take place?
Is there anything it is taboo to do on this holiday?
Do people dress differently for this holiday?
Is any kind of decoration traditional?
Are any colours, symbols, or icons associated with this holiday?
Are any spirits or deities associated with this holiday?
Is it an important/widespread celebration, or a smaller affair?
Are there any foods or drinks associated with this holiday?
Do any natural events coincide with this holiday (ie: an eclipse)?
Does it celebrate a specific kind of flower?
What is done with flowers?
Do people raise flowers just for this day?
Do public gardens make any special provisions for this holiday?
Does "The language of flowers" or any other kind of symbolism play a role?

Previous Holiday Challenges:

Seasons!
Death!
Food!
Protection!
Costumes!
Travel!
Animals!
Time!
Parents!
Invention!
Gifts!
Inebriation!
Superstition!
Religion!
Miracles!
Birthdays!
Manliness!
Games!
Purification!
Flowers!
 
Holiday Name:
Floraganza
When is it celebrated?
May 15
Who celebrates?
Everybody. It is a celebration of life, and life knows no race, religion or creed
What is done to celebrate?
More flowers are planted, decorations are made from dried and preserved buds
How old is this holiday?
Older than history
Has this holiday changed much from its roots?
For some it has become a way to show off, instead of celebrating the life that is around them
Where do the festivities take place?
Every house yard and garden is decorated and displayed, but the communities all find a common place to come together and celebrate from dusk to dawn
Is there anything it is taboo to do on this holiday?
Taking a life, be it plant, animal or person
Do people dress differently for this holiday?
People tend to dress in the colors of their favorite flowers, but it isn't required
Is any kind of decoration traditional?
Dried petals, preserved flowers
Are any colours, symbols, or icons associated with this holiday?
Life and birth
Are any spirits or deities associated with this holiday?
It is not about worshiping anything, just celebrating life. Flowers being the symbol of life
Is it an important/widespread celebration, or a smaller affair?
It is a world wide celebration, though, the communities are responsible for hosting their individual celebrations
Are there any foods or drinks associated with this holiday?
A pot luck is hosted by the individuals or neighborhoods, where people bring their favorite dishes, often seasoned with flowers
Do any natural events coincide with this holiday (ie: an eclipse)?
Just the natural rush of blooms associated with May
Does it celebrate a specific kind of flower?
No. All flowers
What is done with flowers?
Flowers from previous years are dried and used as decoration on houses and in people's hair
Do people raise flowers just for this day?
People plant full gardens just for this day. To display their talent for nurturing life.
Do public gardens make any special provisions for this holiday?
Community gardens are tended and decorated for the shindig
Does "The language of flowers" or any other kind of symbolism play a role?
No
 
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lotus_flower-555px.png
Holiday Name:
Festival of Awakening Beauty (Lotus Festival)

When is it celebrated? This holiday is celebrated after the first rain of April, as declared by a village elder or priest

Who celebrates? Everyone in the village, although it is most popular with young women and children

What is done to celebrate? It is tradition to go around and place a flower in a the hair of a maiden or child, or to simply gift them with a flower, to celebrate the natural beauty blossoming in everyone, no matter social class.

How old is this holiday? It was birthed over 100 years prior to its spread, in a single village.

Has this holiday changed much from its roots? Yes. Modern days, various flowers hold various subliminal messages. For example, a rose would symbolize a love interest, where a lily would symbolize strong friendship and a forget-me-not would symbolize an apology for various wrongdoings. Some women may even judge the festival as a competition instead of a celebration.

Where do the festivities take place? Often times in a central location for the village, such as a plaza.

Is there anything it is taboo to do on this holiday? Vanity, and unnatural beauty. Like the lotus, a flower that rises from the murky pond waters to become a beautiful bloom, the festival holds strong to reducing everyone to their pure form, with the removal of social class and reputation. Elaborate or brightly colored robes are looked down upon for this reason.

Do people dress differently for this holiday? Traditional plain robes are donned, usually of a neutral or natural colour. Tans, light browns, vanilla and olive are the most common. The hair is to be worn down, and accessories are kept to a minimum.

Is any kind of decoration traditional? Other than an abundance of paper flowers, the only decorations is whatever that spring had bloomed.

Are any colours, symbols, or icons associated with this holiday? The lotus flower

Are any spirits or deities associated with this holiday? In some villages, their own deities of beauty, spring, and love may be worshipped at this time.

Is it an important/widespread celebration, or a smaller affair? A smaller affair. Most city folk have lost connections to nature and do not celebrate this holiday.

Are there any foods or drinks associated with this holiday? The holiday ends with a big feast, with everyone bringing an item. The location will vary from year to year.

Do any natural events coincide with this holiday (ie: an eclipse)? Once in a while, the spring equinox, maybe.

Does it celebrate a specific kind of flower? Lotus Flower.

What is done with flowers? In the end, the maidens and children get to keep one flower and they compile the rest in a big bouquet to gift the host of the event that year.

Do people raise flowers just for this day? Yes! This is often times the first holiday of the year for many villages (minus New Years), so it's very popular.

Do public gardens make any special provisions for this holiday? Some villages do celebrate the festival in the public garden, if they have one.

Does "The language of flowers" or any other kind of symbolism play a role? Varies from village to village.
 
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