Christmas in TWP

[Big Bad Badger]

For our next issue of The West Pacifican, I am writing an article of Christmas traditions in TWP. If you would like to submit traditions that you may have in your nation. it would be a great assistance to me for the article.  I would like your submissions to be In Character about your nation.

 

Thank you for you help!

[Elegarth]

You mean In Character? My old nation The Seeker of Power used to have a history about traditions... I could change it to Elegarth's

[Big Bad Badger]

Yes! That's exactly what I'm looking for!

[Jolly Ole Saint Nick]

Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!

 

Did someone mention Christmas!

 

Well, well, *chuckles*.  Since 2004 I have been celebrating Christmas in NationStates.  Some years I have spent Christmas Eve on my 'Sleigh Ride' across NS, visiting up to 100 regions a year to wish them 'Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night". Some years I have gotten requests to visit their region for the next Sleigh Ride.  Oh yes, and there was one year where my Elves and I were stationed in the Warzones until we set out upon the Sleigh Ride that year.  I say 'elves', but of course, not all of them were elves *chuckles as his belly shakes*.  Some of those helpers were even new to me, such as Rudolf the Blue Nose Reindeer.  Such variety in NationStates!   My helpers have followed me from region-to-region on some Christmas Eve's. There have been those regions that deserved coal instead of gifts over the years, that's true. But the number of those is truly small.  Back home in Christmas, we watch a constant parade of raiders and defenders as our SC Liberation protects us from refounding by these groups.  We are thankful for the Security Council Resolution in Christmas.  We in Christmas have no desire to become a raider or defender enclave, but instead we are a home for both and all.  Christmas is not about those 'sides', but about Goodwill toward all.

[Elegarth]

Holidays Traditions in the Elegarthian Empire

As a foreword, please know and understand that the Elegarthian Empire is the free-form government federation of nations who have been founded by The Seeker of Power, also known as Elegarth the First, ruler of The Seeker of Power. This includes:

- The NPO’s original nation of The Seeker of Power.

- The West Pacifican Delegarth Nation of Elegarth.

- The North Pacifican Democracy of Deslim the Recruiter.

- The South Pacifican Guide-Writing Anarth the Journalist

- The East Pacifican Rebel of Raegarth the Conqueror

- The TRR Self-Indulgent Rejectedgarth the Handsome.

- The Wandering and Lonesome Tuki.

All these nations share the same traditions, as dictated by Elegarth the First. All of them are funded by the state, when required.

• The Secular Holiday Mandate. No festivity is based on a religious belief. All religious beliefs are allowed in the privacy of the Elegarthian’s Homes, but frowned upon on public areas: religions are a matter of spiritual and personal growth, for those who choose it.
• The Family Holiday Principle. On Dec 15th, the paid Holiday starts and all institutions not related to national security and health (like the police, fire-stations, and hospitals) stop working. Those who work for the institutions that do not stop working receive double pay for each worked day. The Holidays go from the Dec 15th to Jan 2nd. People is encouraged to spend their days off with their families and neighbors. Community work is also performed during these days.
• The Good Neighbors Dinners. Community centers, big houses and educational centers are open up for the communities to celebrate communal dinners; everyone is invited regardless of social status or economical capacity, to be a part of the celebration, each person needs to collaborate with something to eat, enough to share with a least one more person. Homeless or unemployed individuals are covered by the state.
• The Holiday’s Debt Collection. On Dec 1st, all banking institutions exchange any overdue debts for community work, so that people whose debts are going out of control can work their debts out by giving back to the community, during the Dec 15th to Jan 2nd period.

Besides these, the people has kept the gift giving tradition alive, but culturally speaking it is not mandated. However, there is an overall preference for hand-made gifts that truly reflect the effort personally placed upon the creation of the gift. Typically, families give gifts to their neighbors and friends alike. Also, the state funds gifts of new clothes for unemployed and homeless individuals.

Decorations in homes can be whatever the individuals desire to use. Public buildings and streets are decorated with lights and colors, reminiscent of winter season, nature, and the sun, moon and stars. Religious or commercially imposed decorations are avoided.

[Yy4u]

For our next issue of The West Pacifican, I am writing an article of Christmas traditions in TWP. If you would like to submit traditions that you may have in your nation. it would be a great assistance to me for the article.  I would like your submissions to be In Character about your nation.

 

Thank you for you help!

The night before Christmas(TWP style)

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the region,

Not a nation was posting, cause they were all sleepin'!

The preferences all set to vacation mode with care,

In hopes that St Delegarth soon would be there.

The newbs were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of endorsements danced in their heads.

And mamma in her slippers, and a cat in my lap,

Had just settled down for a long movie recap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should show,

But a miniature sleigh, and five tiny RO's.

With a little old driver, so lively and swarth,

I knew in a moment it must be St Delegarth!

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now PD!, now Yy,!, now Badger and Medio!

On Bhang Bhang! On all you, we got to go!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of endos, and St Delegarth too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard, just out of view,

The prancing and pawing of each little shoe.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St Delegarth came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of endos he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And sent all endorsements, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

 

[Elegarth]

Loved it

[Big Bad Badger]

That is terrific! Perhaps a story like that is how the article should go!

[Hariko]

A Harikene SPCA Christmas ad.

 

Reads: “Will you give her a home?”

 

[Papercuts and Skittles]

P&S does not celebrate Christmas. They don't have any holidays during the year actually.

 

It does however shut down for a week at the end of the calendar year when everyone returns home, much like the Chinese New Year celebrations.

[Drachmaland]

Drachmaland does not have any religion-related holidays.

However, everyone is utterly free to observe whatever they want, whenever they wish.

There are no religious traditions either, for the only Drachmalandian tradition is pure logic.

Still, everyone is again utterly free to name "tradition" whatever they have deviated from pure logic for.

[Consular]

Conite Union observes New Year celebrations, but not christmas, so I can't give an awful lot of IC help alas.

[Zogradia]

Zogradia observes Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, Chinese New Year, and several other holidays unique to Zogradia (more in the factbook), and allows employees to take the day off on those days.

[Tweedy]

The peoples' of Mayor Tweedy are from anywhere and everywhere and their traditions are many-fold and holidays numerous. If the inhabitants share a common ethos, it's one based on an end of year event called Hogmanay extended over nine months of the New Year, enabling the people partake in a bit of cleaning-up and some even going to work!