Festival of Blossoms

Overview

The Festival of Blossoms marks the spring equinox on the Xaverion Islands, when day and night stand in balance and winter finally loosens its hold. Snowdrops, daisies, and early spring bulbs push through thawing soil, and the white hush of frost gives way to fresh green grass and scattered colour.

It is a celebration of visible change — the earth softening, the light lengthening, and warmth returning to
hearth and field. Across the islands, doors are opened, thresholds swept clean, and fresh flowers placed
in windows and along streets to welcome the season.

Seasonal Customs

In the weeks before the equinox, many households plant spring bulbs in clay pots so that they bloom in time
for Luna Noent Thoron. On the morning of the festival, these flowering pots are carried into streets and
marketplaces, arranged around wells, gates, and communal squares.

Flower crowns woven from daisies and early blooms are worn by young and old alike. Garlands are hung over
doorways, and winter greenery is replaced with fresh blossoms.

Sweeping the threshold on this day symbolises clearing away winter’s residue and making space for growth.

Food and Gathering

The Festival of Blossoms carries a distinctly homely character. Honey cakes, sweet breads, and warm milk
with honey are common. Early greens and preserved fruits from winter stores are shared in communal meals.

Villages often set long tables in the square, turning the day into a shared celebration rather than a private one.

Courtship and Celebration

The return of spring has long been associated with new affection. Harmless games of pursuit, playful dances,
and the gifting of flower wreaths are traditional elements of the festival.

While not every blossom leads to promise, the equinox is considered an auspicious time for new romances
to begin.

Religious Observance

Within the New Faith, the Festival of Blossoms honours Myalanna as the goddess of Spring and renewal.
Temples may hold equinox blessings, and ribbons in her colours — green and pale pink — are sometimes
braided into wreaths or worn at the wrist.

In regions where a Myalin tree stands, its spring bloom is regarded as a sign of the season’s true arrival,
though the broader customs of the festival remain unchanged.

Noble Tradition

Among the nobility, the season is also marked by the annual Ball of the Fox and the Hunter hosted by House Galahan.