1st: Winter Festival (sacred to Saturn) PUBLIC HOLIDAY

There is a solemn worship service at the Temple of Saturn and the Wintertide Temple this day to pray for the health, prosperity and safety of all through the cold months of winter. Stored fruits and grain crops are blessed to ensure there is plenty to last. It is said that all gods of the world are worshipped from sunrise to sunset, and there are prayers to the unknown and forgotten gods, lest they be offended.

In the evening are bonfires lit on high hills in the country, and public spaces in towns and cities. An effigy representing the old year is burned thus, for in times ancient the Winter Festival marked the start of the season's wheel turning. 

There are wild celebrations and fireworks, and children are given money for good luck. The traditional treats to eat around the bonfire are jacket potatoes cooked in the embers, dough twisted onto sticks and charred on the flames, gingerbread, liquorice, and toffees. 

An old saying is when the Winter Festival falls on Wednesday, there will come a great affliction to the earth, for Woden's Day at the Winter Feast brings woe to man and beast. This happened last year, and you will remember that two naval ships were sunk in storms with much loss of life, and there was a mine explosion causing great damage.  

Icy weather on the Winter Festival means that the weather shall be mild at Yuletide, while a mild Winter Festival means a freezing Yuletide. I notice that most years the Winter Festival is mild. Another piece of folklore is that a child born on the Winter Festival will be blessed with magical powers, and that all children born in November will be fortunate and greatly beloved.    

2nd: Festival of Song

The winter social season begins with a night of choir singing at The Pantheon winter assembly rooms on Taybourne Street in Camden. Twenty-seven choirs take to the stage, with the one judged the best to receive the prestigious Lady Sybil Blessingberg Award.    

4th: Football Season Opens

The first game of the football season is always played in Camden between the two oldest teams, The Royal Grenadiers and The Dragoon Guards. Expect a strong military presence to support their sporting brethren.  

8th: Day of the Dead (sacred to Ceres) PUBLIC HOLIDAY

This day is set aside as a day of remembrance for the dead. People light candles in the Temple of Ceres for their dear departed, pray for them, and sing hymns. They also visit and clean their graves or tombs, bringing flowers, lighted candles, and decorations to place there. 

It is common to eat sugary treats this day to remember the sweetness of times shared with loved ones - currant biscuits, raisin bread, chocolates, and pomegranates are traditional foods today.  Everyone who comes to a house on the Day of the Dead will be offered these treats, making it a highly popular day for children to visit people. The Temple of Ceres and the Board of Guardians distribute such treats to the poor. 

11th: Yuletide Markets Open

This day do the Yuletide Markets open, allowing shopping for everything needed for the midwinter holiday, including food, gifts, toys, and decorations. It is only one copper coin to gain entrance, with all proceeds going to charity. 

In country areas, this is the traditional day to slaughter beasts to ensure enough meat for the winter. The market at Bradfield will soon be selling it to city dwellers.

13th: Day of the Father (sacred to Jupiter) PUBLIC HOLIDAY

This day is a high feast of the god Jupiter, and as Jupiter is the father of the gods and called the Sky Father, it is a day to honour fathers. People buy their father small gifts, traditionally a bottle of wine, and spend time with him. It is usual for the family to gather together in order to share a special meal.

17th: Commemoration of the Coronation of King Bernard the Benevolent PUBLIC HOLIDAY 

The anniversary of King Bernard's coronation is remembered each year with great fondness by the people of Lindensea. The celebrations commence in the afternoon, with the king being taken by golden carriage in a long procession of soldiers and nobles. It is not uncommon for the king to alight from the carriage and walk for part of the way, in order to greet his loyal subjects.

Once the procession reaches the Temple of Luna, the High Priestess performs a blessing ceremony upon King Bernard and the kingdom. The carriage returns to Camden Palace by a different route, allowing more opportunities to see the monarch. In the evening is a grand banquet for two hundred guests of the realm.   

The common people celebrate this day with bonfires and merriment, ringing bells loudly to give praise to the king, and dancing in his honour.

21st: Wrestling Championship Grand Match

The final match of the year for the wrestling championships take place at The Apollo Gymnasium in Sudforth. I have been told it is a very noisy, smoky affair, not suitable for a priestess to attend.   

24th: Day of the Winter Feast PUBLIC HOLIDAY

On this day is holiday given so that every family and household may celebrate the coming of winter. It is in between Winter's Eve and Yuletide, so the perfect time for another feast! This is considered a good day to get married, and many combine the winter feast with their wedding breakfast. 

Children and young people receive gifts of money and treats today; poor children sing winter carols hoping to be rewarded with coins and sweets. Young girls promenade the streets in their new winter finery, while young apprentices and students are often taken out for their first taste of beer or wine today. It's a popular day for parents to visit their children who are in boarding school or away at college.

Servants and labourers are given a week's holiday today to enjoy the feast, and some decide never to return, finding other employment in the meantime. In the evening are held dances, concerts and parties of all kinds. The Board of Guardians organises public dinners and parties for the poor, and those without friends or family. 

The traditional meal today is creamy smoked salmon soup; roast pork stuffed with sage and onion accompanied by redcurrant jelly, mashed potato and turnip, and green sprouts; orange and lemon meringue pie; and elderberry wine. Popular treats to nibble or give away as gifts are caraway biscuits, sweet lemon and currant loaf, toffees, apples, and oranges. 

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