#Activities and Festivals - April

[usagimen]

   She's currently pondering what the new Spring menu should be, sakura flavor is a given with most deserts. Maybe citrus? Do curses even like citrus flavored lattes? 

[templeofelysium]

some ancient greek holidays

these holidays follow the lunar/athenian calendar, so I will either be providing the moon phase or Athenian date and the corresponding Gregorian months. also this is pretty obvious but these are just very general descriptions of these holidays, to give you an idea of which you think you'd like to practice. no one is forcing you to do every single one of these, nor is it expected. do whatever works for you.

if there's anything you think I should add, let me know

HEKATE'S DEIPNON

when: during the new moon phase purpose: honor Hekate and the souls of the restless dead, cleanse self and home activities: a meal set out at Hekate's altar (often including garlic, raw eggs, cake, leeks/onions, or fish), a sacrifice (usually of an animal, but it can be your choice), and burning of incense and/or cleaning house as purification deities honored: Hekate, the dead

NOUMENIA

when: the first day a sliver of the moon can be seen purpose: a day of rest and feasting activities: offer frankincense, flower garlands, wine, and barley cakes on the altars that had been cleaned the day before deities honored: household gods like Hestia, Hermes, Hekate and Zeus, celestial deities like Apollo and Artemis, or personal protective deities (like Athena was for Athens)

AGATHOS DAIMON

when: the day after Noumenia purpose: it's personal to each family but is often a ritual to honor the intermediary(ies) between mortals and gods, and to ask for things like good luck or protection activities: wine/other libations, offerings placed on an altar personal to the Agathos Daimon which can include incense, food, and things related to snakes deities honored: deities commonly associated with snakes, like Dionysus and Hermes, as well as the goddess of luck, Tyche, and Zeus, who is often called Agathos Daimon

RURAL DIONYSIA

when: during the month of Poseideon (december/january), but the festivals often happened on different days depending on the place purpose: honoring Dionysus and cultivation activities: a procession of men carrying phalluses, girls carrying baskets of bread, people with water, bread, cakes, and wine). dancing and singing contests, possibly even dramatic performances, and choruses of dithryambs. deities honored: Dionysus

CITY DIONYSIA

when: 10th-17th of Elaphebolion (March/April) purpose: honoring Dionysus activities: a reenactment of Dionysus being rebuffed from Athens, one or several dramas/plays, dramatic competitions, singing and dancing, feasting and offerings (especially of bread or phalluses)/libations (often of wine) deities honored: Dionysus

PANATHANEA

when: 23rd-30th of Hekatombaion (July/August) purpose: celebrating the birth of Athens activities: a huge procession showing off a large tapestry woven by only women, a torch race, a meal of meat for everyone in the city, athletic games deities honored: Athena

THARGELIA

when: 6th (for Artemis) and 7th (for Apollo) of Thargelion (May/June) purpose: celebrating the birthdays of Apollo and Artemis activities: the beating and banishment of an ugly man and woman (as purification, but you could just do the usual cleaning and incense burning) on the 6th. offerings of the first harvests were given to Apollo (but you could just cook a dish and offer part of it), a procession of children carrying a wreath with fruit, honey, wine, oil, and bread along with singing on the 7th. deities honored: Artemis and Apollo

THESMOPHORIA

when: 11th-13th Pyanepsion (October/November) purpose: honoring Demeter's loss of Persephone to the Underworld activities: a procession of women up to a space where men were banned, sexual activity was abstained from, they lived primitively (fasted and sat on a floor of branches), and sacrificed of piglets in the first days. then had feasts and prayed (often for things Demeter could provide, like good harvests or fertility) on the last day deities honored: Demeter and Persephone

DIASIA

when: 23rd of Anthesterion (February/March) purpose: honor Zeus Chthonius activities: solemn but joyful night rites of sacrifices, sheep/pig shaped pastry offerings, feasting, dancing, and hymn chanting deities honored: Zeus

KRONIA

when: 12th of Hekatombaion (July/August) purpose: honor Kronos (and to some extent Rhea) activities: feasting in large groups, where slaves can join their masters at the dinner table. like an early version of Labor Day deities honored: Kronos

THEOGAMIA

when: 27th of Gamelion (January/February) purpose: to celebrate the anniversary of Hera and Zeus' marriage activities: feasting, offerings/libations, and possibly also hosting a person's own marriage deities honored: Hera and Zeus

[redrose10]

I have a bunch of stories saved that are like half finished so I’m going to work on finishing those up. Here is the first one!

Idol Yoongi x Reader

Warnings: None

Word Count: 920

While writing this I kind of imagined it as a part two of this one I wrote a while ago.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It was late April meaning the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and the city was full of people out and about attending various festivals and activities surrounding the beautiful scenery. You were excitedly bouncing up and down waiting for Yoongi to zip up his jacket. Tonight he had asked if you wanted to go for walk near the river to see the blossoms and get a snack, a very rare opportunity to go out in public with him.

Every once in a while you would go out to a restaurant if Yoongi trusted the staff enough to respect his privacy, but ever since the two of you began dating over a year ago most of your dates consisted of staying in at his place. He usually kept his personal life hidden to begin with, but he wanted to keep an extra low profile since he was currently fulfilling his military obligation.

You didn’t mind date nights in at all, but you had to admit you were excited for the extra treat of going out.

Since it was late April the air was warm enough that you didn’t need more than a light jacket, but not yet hot or humid. It was perfect.

Yoongi held your hand and walked you towards the festival. Kids running around filled with excitement as their parents frantically chased after them. Couples, some just beginning their love and others having spent decades together both walked hand in hand.

Even though you could only see his eyes thanks to the face mask and Yankees cap covering most of his face you could still see the smile radiating off of Yoongi. You squeezed his hand a little and leaned in against his shoulder and gently pinched your hip to reciprocate,a silent I love you that the two of you had grown to know.

“Hungry?”, he asked pointing in the direction of a hotteok stand.

Your absolute favorite!

Eagerly you nodded while already pulling him in that direction. He paid for your snack and walked you over to an empty bench near the water.

Impatiently you waited for the hotteok to cool after learning your lesson one too many times. Time passed as you took in the scenery. The calm water. The people passing by. The delicate flowers hanging above you.

You could sense Yoongi’s stare.

You gave him a big smile and finally took a bite of your hotteok. The melted sugar inside was nearly like lava, but it was worth the pain.

You took another bite and another. You noticed Yoongi hadn’t touched his.

He was still staring at you instead.

“You better eat yours before it becomes mine too.”, you laughed taking another bite of your own.

“Marry me.”, Yoongi proposed suddenly.

With wide eyes and a mouth full of burning hot sugar your head whipped around to look at him, “Wwhapft?”, you mumble.

“Y/N will you marry me?”, he asked this time.

After managing to swallow down your mouthful you turned your body to look at him fully.

“Why?”, you said without really thinking about what you were saying.

He scoffed, “Why? What do you mean why? Why do you think?”

“I…I don’t know…I mean are you sure? I’m just me and…and you’re you?”

Yoongi’s brows furrowed in confusion, “Of course I’m sure Y/N. I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t.”

You nodded knowing that made sense as Yoongi always thought things through to the fullest before acting on them.

“Look Y/N.”, he said pulling a beautiful ring out of his pocket, “I love you. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone before. I didn’t even know love like this was possible. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know things are going to change soon. We’ve never been in a relationship while I was outside of the military and I want to go into it with you knowing I’m fully committed to you…to us. So will you marry me?”

You stared down at the beautiful ring he was holding between his thumb and pointer finger and then you looked at his eyes that staring at you with such adoration. Your heart immediately swelled with joy. He had pulled down his mask slightly giving you the chance to see his reddened cheeks and shy smile.

You placed your hands on his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss and then a second one and a third one.

After releasing his cheeks you turned your attention back to your hotteok which you had abandoned on the bench next to you during the shock of the proposal.

You were two bites in when Yoongi cleared his throat next to you, “So I uh I’m guessing that was a yes? I mean you kind of didn’t really answer me so….”

“Oh my god I’m so sorry. Of course it’s a yes!”, you giggled.

He laughed but let out a breath of relief and happily slipped the ring on your finger watching as you admired the sparkle.

When the crowds started clearing and the air got a little too cold you both decided it was time to go back home.

You noticed the hotteok stand from earlier was still open. Excitedly you bounced up and down giving Yoongi puppy dog eyes.

Playfully he rolled his eyes and pretended to grumble about it, but was already pulling you in the direction of the stand. He was ready and willing to buy you all the hotteok he could for the rest of your lives.

[sl-ut]

Going to a music festival with Abby

also in response to this ask and references this fic

more college!abby

abby was a hostess at heart. there was something about being the one to organize group trips and activities and making an effort to make sure that everyone had a good time that really tickled her fancy, even when it was something that she was not entirely interested in herself.

she's not much of a drinker, and everyone knows that. but, what she lacks in a party spirit during the school year, she makes up for it on holidays and during the summer break.

it's rare for her to be able to let loose that often so when she does, she is the life of the party fr fr and always wants to make sure all of her friends are having a good time.

coachella was a bi-annual trip for her and her friends. they liked to do some sort of trip after they've all finished their exams, but coachella is expensive af and they're not all as rich as abby is (though she usually takes on a larger cut of the cost to make sure everyone can go i love her smmmm)

after what had happened during their new years getaway, abby understood that her gf was not rearing to be put in another confined space with owen again, but when he and mel announced their fourth break up of the year (and yes, it's only april) and both decided not to come, abby couldn't deny that she was relieved.

now she was able to relax and chill w her girl without having to keep an eye out for any micro (or macro) aggressions

they don't camp. abby wouldn't be caught dead allowing her girl to stay in such conditions, and she's wayyy too much of a clean freak to survive a weekend in those campsites.

instead, abby rents a boujie spanish style airbnb for her an her friends, a nice place to avoid the heat during the day with the ac and private pool before they headed to the festival for the evening.

abby and her gf drive down from seattle, making a cute little getaway out of it as they stop to stay at small bnbs and see the sights on their way to coachella valley, but it only takes them about two days with a few stops added in for fun, so it was rather fun for the pair of them.

everyone else flies down and meets them at the airbnb, all exhausted and glad to have agreed on a chill night by the pool rather than doing much excessive partying.

so after a quick run to the nearby grocery and liquor stores, they're all sipping some drinks and enjoying a little bbq around the pool.

as the evening is winding down, they all hear the sound of the front door's code being put in, all turning to find owen appearing with a large grin on his face.

"hey guys, guess i could make it after all. good thing you all put the address and code in the group chat, right?"

they all looked at each other in surprise, all of them having admitted to being glad that there would be no drama, but they all awkwardly greeted them.

"yeah, abs told me how upset you all were that i wasn't gonna make it this year so i figured i could work something out."

abby could tell her gf was PISSED

she was suddenly eerily quiet, and no longer interested in the movement of abby's fingers along her inner thigh

yes, she had said it to owen when she'd bumped into him at the gym, but she hadn't expected him to make a last minute decision to come. truthfully, she just didn't want to make anything more awkward when he'd said that he was bummed about not going.

while owen caught up with the group, y/n went inside to take a quick shower, wanting to remove the sweat and chlorine from her skin

she made herself scarce while owen settled in, not wanting to have to play nice with him or pretend that she wasn't annoyed with abby.

owen cornered her in the kitchen when she finally reappeared, coming over to "clear the air" but she could clearly see how smug he was looking at her.

"i'm literally here to hang out with everyone except for you, owen. fuck off."

he def played the "she's just insecure cause i'm abby's ex" card all weekend but literally no one cared.

she tried to give abby the cold shoulder for the rest of the night, but after abby apologized and explained what happened she ended up giving her the warm finger instead (that sounds so gross but im laughing so im leaving it in.)

they end up having fun, lazing in the sun all day and then getting dressed up to go to the festival at night

abby would hold her gf on her shoulders so she could have a better view

abby also looked soooooo sexyyyyyyy

her outfits were pretty tame for coachella but she still looked so hot

day one she wore a slutty little vest, only buttoning the top two to cover her chest while her abs were able to peek through, and a pair of denim shorts. she alternated for the other days but they all generally had the same vibe.

at the end of every night, they were all pretty tipsy when they got back to the airbnb so they would spend maybe an hour or so more drinking and having a good time before she and her gf would sneak off together

but they weren't very sneaky at all bc the rest of them could hear exactly what was going on

abby was hitting it from the back, the side, the front, from below, from above, and every other possible angle

thank GAWD she packed her fav strap

but overall this sounds so much fun even tho i generally don't love music festivals i love the vibes and i love abby smmmm

[cheritzteam]

[MM] A man who will give strength to our tired coordinator! ! ZEN's Birthday Event in April 2025

Hello, this is Cheritz.

These days, we can truly feel the peak of spring through lighter clothing and blooming flowers. 🌼

Somehow spring seems to stay shorter than other seasons, doesn't it?

It's a wonderful time for outdoor activities, and various festivals are happening everywhere! 🎡✨

Especially when looking at the 🌸cherry blossom festivals🌸 that can only be enjoyed in spring, am I the only one wishing that this year's spring would last a bit longer?

And in this perfect weather that seems almost like a lie, a protagonist with settings more unbelievable than lies is celebrating his birthday. 😉

Dear coordinator, you haven't forgotten, have you?

ZEN's birthday is back! 🎉

Following last year, ZEN will spend another busy birthday this year!

I wonder what kind of day he'll have this year? 🤔

Please check the notice below for more details~ 😉

< ① #Happy_Birthday_ZEN >

A man who's working through his schedule on his birthday due to circumstances he can't talk about(?)! 😂

Following last year, somehow he's spending the busiest day of the year on his birthday again.

What happened to his plans to spend the whole day with you, coordinator?

If you're curious about his story 🧐 please check out https://tinyurl.com/2yapmhls 😎

A bonus hashtag event has been prepared to celebrate ZEN's birthday!

Please celebrate his birthday using the hashtag #Happy_Birthday_ZEN,

And don't miss out on the 50 hourglasses⌛(for 15 winners) we're giving away through a drawing♥

Event Period : March 27 (Thu) - April 6 (Sun) KST

Winner Announcement : April 17 (Thu) KST

< ② In-game Login Event >

We've prepared special login rewards to celebrate ZEN's birthday and April Fool's Day! 🎁✨

Don't miss out and make sure to collect your ZEN’s Birthday & April Fool's Day Commemorative Login Rewards by logging in during the event period! 😊🎉

ZEN’s Birthday Celebration & April Fool's Day Login Reward : March 30 (Sun) - April 2 (Wed), 2025 KST

Finally, during the period below, Cheritz Market will offer a 20% discount on ZEN Birthday Commemorative Pillow Talk Cushion [ZEN] and RFA Gag T-shirt [ZEN]. 

If you've been hesitating to make a purchase, why not take this opportunity? ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌ )

Cheritz Market Discount Period : March 31 (Mon) 2 PM - April 7 (Mon) 2 PM KST

That's all for our April news!

We hope your April is filled with exciting moments and new beginnings alongside the warm spring energy! 💖

And continue to enjoy your time with Mystic Messenger! 🎀

Thank you!

Sincerely, Cheritz.

[buffetlicious]

Qing Ming Festival (清明节) is a Chinese festival honouring ancestors that is celebrated on the 15th day after the spring equinox, generally falling in early April. The main activity of the Qing Ming Festival is the cleaning or sweeping of ancestral tombs, and thus it is sometimes referred to as “Tomb Sweeping Day.”

My brother drove mum, me, my sister and youngest brother to Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (光明山普觉禅寺). There were already plenty of worshippers. The picture below shows just a corner of the temporary prayer area which is on the ground floor of the multistorey carpark. One can also engage one of the monks to come chant and pray for the deceased.

Mum bought Vegetarian Food in a tingkat, two boxes of steamed rice, fa gao (发糕), a cup each of black and milk coffee since the temple encourage worshippers to go vegetarian or fruits only. If you would like to donate the fruits used in the prayers, there are donation boxes around too.

[laurusamystic]

Happy Elaphobolion!🏺

Elaphebolion was the ninth month of the ancient Attic calendar, roughly aligning with March and early April in today’s Gregorian calendar. The month was significant for the celebration of the Elaphebolia festival, dedicated to Artemis Elaphebolos, meaning Artemis the Deer-Slayer.

The Elaphebolia festival was marked by offerings and rituals to honour Artemis for her role as a huntress and guardian. A key part of the celebration was the preparation of special cakes called “elaphoi,” shaped like deer, symbolizing Artemis’ dominion over wildlife and her hunting skills. These cakes were made from flour, honey, and sesame seeds, serving as both a symbolic offering and a way for the community to come together in worship.

In addition to offerings, the Elaphebolia festival likely featured processions, prayers, and other activities aimed at gaining Artemis’ favour for successful hunts and protection from wild animals. As part of the broader religious and agricultural calendar, Elaphobolion also marked the seasonal transition and preparations for spring.

This year, 2025, the festival of Elaphebolia falls on March 6th.

March 6th is also the day that pre-orders for my indie deck, Wisdom of Artemis Oracle, will officially open to the public. As a lifelong devotee of Artemis and a dedicated Hellenic Polytheist, I chose this date to align the deck’s release with one of her most significant festivals—one that is also a personal favourite of mine. The deck features 47 of Artemis’s sacred epithets, including Artemis Elaphobolos. 🏹🦌

Hail Artemis!

[thaifanfests]

🏳️‍🌈Marriage Equality Act & Updates🏳️‍🌈

What we now know as the Marriage Equality Act did not begin as such. Efforts towards passing same-sex marriage in Thailand began with an attempt of legal recognition of civil partnerships in 2012-2014 when the Thai government held its first hearings on a potential civil partnership bill. Despite the support towards legalizing same sex marriage, the Civil Partnership Act, at the time, did not grant same-sex couples the same rights as their counterparts (i.e.: same-sex couples were not entitled to raise children, and the minimum age for those wishing to register a same-sex partnership would be 20 whereas heterosexual couples could register at 17.) In other words, there was an attempt at legal recognition of same-sex couples, but the bill still had the veil of discrimination and other flaws. Other factors, such as political unrest, also stalled the bill. (Prachatai)

Other significant attempts were made as well, especially with mass public support. Petitions that called for the legalization of same-sex marriage led to efforts in 2018, when the Justice Minister of Thailand began drafting a Civil Partnership Bill (Bangkok Post). Despite the support in public hearings and approval from the government, it did not pass in time. However, it’s still important to note that while there was support and tremendous push to pass the Civil Partnership Bill, many felt that recognizing same-sex couples as “legal, civil partnerships” “falls short of marriage” and therefore, could not truly be equal to heterosexual marriages (Bangkok Post).

This brings us to the Move Forward Party, which introduced the Marriage Equality Act in June 2020. This bill is significantly different from the previously mentioned bills, as it sought to amend the Civil and Commercial Code to include gender neutral language (ThaiPBSWorld). Doing so would allow any Thai citizen of any gender to seek marriage. After rewriting, redrafting, governments dissolving, and more scrutiny over a persistent exclusion of certain rights, the Thai government approved several drafts of same-sex marriage law, all of which passed with overwhelming support. The House of Representatives then approved a unified draft in March 2024, and then passed the Senate in April (Associated Press/Time). Finally, after receiving the royal endorsement from the Thai King on September 24th, 2024 and publishing the Royal Gazette, the Marriage Equality Act is slated to take effect on January 22nd, 2025. (BBC News)

Well, it was.

There’s a tiny delay. A discrepancy in the 120 day period has caused the initial January 22nd date to be pushed back to January 23rd. (Bangkok Pride)

The Marriage Equality Act is also missing an important signature. As reported by Bangkok Pride: “Currently, the process awaits the signature of Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, to formally activate the law. However, as of now, Mr. Anutin has not signed the order, which may lead to continued confusion among government agencies hesitant to act without a clear and official enforcement date” (Bangkok Pride). His delay in signing the law is causing some confusion, especially for the public and those who must prepare themselves to provide registration services. 

Beyond legal frameworks, there are other challenges that the Love Foundation anticipates, such as addressing misunderstandings, lack of local government readiness as an influx of legal changes and commitments take place, and opposition from those who dissent. We urge you to take a look at their breakdown of some of these issues and their potential solutions. (LoveFoundation)

Still, even with the delay, Bangkok Pride and several other LBGTQIA+ organizations move forward with plans to celebrate. Mass wedding ceremonies are anticipated to take place across Thailand on the 23rd. Commitments in all forms are slated to continue. While we’ll be a day or two early with our festivities, we hope this was an informative rundown on the Marriage Equality Act and what to look forward to!

🏳️‍🌈 What's ThaiTheKnot2025? 🏳️‍🌈 Guidelines 🏳️‍🌈 Prompts 🏳️‍🌈 Discord & Carrd 🏳️‍🌈

[vestaignis]

Вулкан Бромо на о. Ява, расположенный в национальном парке Бромо-Тенгер-Семеру, взмывает на высоту 2392 м и считается самым активным и «ненасытным» на острове. Последние 20 лет он постоянно «дышит», его огромный кратер диаметром 600 м все время наполнен дымом, а все вокруг, включая тропы и дороги вокруг вулкана, усыпаны густым слоем пепла. Однако это абсолютно не мешает Бромо привлекать многочисленных туристов, которые приезжают, чтобы полюбоваться фантастическими «лунными» пейзажами, посмотреть со смотровой площадки на могучий вулкан на рассвете, когда его склоны окрашиваются в розовые и золотые тона, и, наконец, совершить восхождение к кратеру и пройтись по его кромке на высоте птичьего полета.

Название Бромо происходит от яванского имени бога Брахмы, и находится вулкан посреди песчаной равнины, которую местные жители называют Сегара Веди, что значит «Песчаный океан». Здесь же, у северных склонов Бромо стоит индуистский храм Пура Лухур Потен, построенный из темных вулканических камней. Каждый год, начиная с XV в., тенгеры (яванская народность) целый месяц отмечают праздник Ядня Касада, во время которого они поднимаются к кратеру и сбрасывают в жерло вулкана жертвоприношения богам – фрукты, овощи, цветы, рис, кур и даже домашний скот, причем живьем. Именно поэтому Бромо и называют «ненасытным».

Лучшее время для посещения вулкана - с апреля по октябрь. Сезон дождей длится с декабря по март. Днем здесь прохладно, температура не превышает +20°C.

Mount Bromo on Java Island, located in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, rises to a height of 2,392 m and is considered the most active and “insatiable” on the island. For the last 20 years, it has been constantly “breathing”, its huge crater with a diameter of 600 m is constantly filled with smoke, and everything around, including paths and roads around the volcano, is strewn with a thick layer of ash. However, this does not prevent Bromo from attracting numerous tourists who come to admire the fantastic “lunar” landscapes, look at the mighty volcano from the observation deck at dawn, when its slopes are painted in pink and gold tones, and, finally, climb to the crater and walk along its edge at a bird's eye view.

The name Bromo comes from the Javanese name of the god Brahma, and the volcano is located in the middle of a sandy plain, which the locals call Segara Wedi, which means “Sand Ocean”. Here, on the northern slopes of Bromo, there is a Hindu temple, Pura Luhur Poten, built of dark volcanic stones. Every year, since the 15th century, the Tenggerese (Javanese people) celebrate the Yadnya Kasada festival for a whole month, during which they climb to the crater and throw sacrifices to the gods into the volcano's mouth - fruits, vegetables, flowers, rice, chickens and even livestock. That is why Bromo is called "insatiable".

The best time to visit the volcano is from April to October. The rainy season lasts from December to March. It is cool here during the day, the temperature does not exceed +20°C.

Источник://t.me/krasivye_mesta_turizm,/vsegda-pomnim.com / vulkany/6053-vulkan-bromo-76-foto.html,//photopole.ru/krasivye-kartinki/vulkany-krasivye,/geosocks.com/bromo-volcano/, //thinking.ru/trips/indonesia/vulkan-bromo-na-indoneziyskom-ostrove-yava/,www.pac.ru/guide/indonesia/java/landmarks/mount-bromo/,/www.tripadvisor.ru/Attraction_Review-g297710-d2307699-Reviews-Bromo_Tengger_Semeru_Adventure-Malang_East _Java_ Java.html,//www.tourister.ru/world/asia/indonesia/city/malang/volcano/30191.

[useless-catalanfacts]

Holiday of the May Tree Planting

Some towns in our country celebrate this tradition in early May. It's related to the May Day festivities that can be found around Europe that celebrate spring. It's unknown how old the May Tree festivities are, but they are documented since the Middle Ages, when they were very widespread in the Catalan Countries, but nowadays it only survives in little more than 30 towns in Catalonia and a handful of towns in the Valencian Country and La Franja.

The festivity goes like this: the townspeople go get a tall tree from the woods around their hometown, they cut it down and collectively carry it to the town's main square. There, we find the most iconic moment: the Planting of the May Tree. The tree is planted on the square and will remain there for some days, all the duration of the holiday. Around the tree, many celebrations are held, including dances, concerts, contests, community meals, even sports events or other cultural activities. In most places, the tree is taken down after the festivities end, only very few places keep the old tradition of keeping the tree in that place for the whole year to be replaced next May with a new one.

On top of these common elements, each town adds their own local traditions. For example, in Òrrius (Barcelona Metropolitan Ambit, Catalonia), at night people go around the town stealing objects from the houses' courtyards and leave them at the base of the tree as an offering. The owners go get their things back on Sunday morning. Another example: in Cornellà del Terri (Comarques Gironines, Catalonia), they dance a specific traditional dance for this holiday called the Horned Man's Dance (ball del cornut) which is believed to represent the moment where the town was freed from the feudal lord.

People from Cornellà del Terri dancing the Horned Man's Dance. Photos by Jordi Güell and Patrimoni Festiu de Catalunya.

When exactly the festivity happens depends on the town. It usually starts on the night between April 30th and May 1st, on May 1st, or on the first weekend of May.

I made this map with the towns I found that celebrate this festivity, but there might be some that I'm missing. You can zoom in the map here.

There are many ancestral traditions in the Catalan Countries related to trees. In winter, one of our most beloved traditions is Tió de Nadal ("Christmas Log": children take care of a log during December, feeding it and keeping it warm, and on Christmas it poops them presents) which is widespread in all Catalonia and Andorra, the Saint Anthony bonfires are also done in many places, and there's more local ones like Burning the May or Burning Winter (one tree is burned at the end of January to ask for winter to end), the Pine Tree holidays like Santa Coloma and U Pi, and the Fia-Faia (carrying burning logs down the mountain). In spring, the May Tree Planting, palms, and the Cross. And in summer, Saint John's bonfires and the Pyrenean falles (similar to fia-faia but more widespread). Many of these trees are called "mai" or "maio", not only the one in spring.

Information sources: Tallar-lo per després plantar-lo: aproximació etnogràfica de la Plantada de l'Arbre Maig a Òrrius, Departament de Cultura / Generalitat de Catalunya, Xarxa d'Arxius Comarcals, Patrimoni Festiu de Catalunya. Photo sources: Mapes del Patrimoni Cultural, Departament de Cultura / Generalitat de Catalunya (Folgueroles), Regió7 (Igualada), Ajuntament de Cornellà del Terri.

[lunastryinc]

Can we get a drum roll, please.....

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the group's opening, Lunastry Inc is organizing a musical festival! From April 18th to the 20th, we invite you all to participate in and attend Supernova Fest, a festival organized in celebration of all you lovelies who make this group what it is.

This is an optional event, but to make it more special and interactive, we are turning to you all for help to create the line-up! To participate in the festival, please fill out this form. Submissions will close on Sunday, April 13th at midnight EST. If you are a musician signing up to perform, we will be asking for a small set list from you. Not a musician? No worries! There's sections on the form for vendors- whether that's flash tattoos, baked goods, potions and enchantments, etc- and an open section for anyone who feels like they have something to offer. Wanna try your hand at being a security guard for the weekend, or you want to sling merch for one of the acts? Just be sure to specify within the form.

If your character is simply attending the festival but is not participating in the line-up or other activities, you do not have to fill out the form.

We will post more information on the weekend schedule and location on April 14th once we have compiled all of the submissions.

We are really excited for this event and hope you all are too <3

[uwmspeccoll]

It’s 414 Day also known as Milwaukee Day!

Officially proclaimed in 2012 by former Mayor Tom Barrett, this city and statewide holiday is dedicated to celebrating the city we love. It’s a fun, local holiday inspired by Milwaukee’s area code, 414 (i.e., April 14). The day focuses on honoring Milwaukee's unique culture and spirit; over the years, it has evolved into a vibrant community event. 

Each year, local organizations host festivities that include food, music, and activities. These are often offered at a budget-friendly price of $4.14, making them accessible to everyone. The festivities highlight local businesses and bring the community together. It’s a fantastic opportunity for both locals and visitors to enjoy what the Brew City has to offer! 

Some of this year’s activities include a festival in the Deer District and a party at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Also taking place at City Hall is the 6th annual 414 Day flag drop by 414 Milwaukee. This year, they collaborated with the Milwaukee Indian Community School and will be debuting a flag that honors the city’s rich heritage. 

We will be kicking off our fourth annual 414 for UWM Giving Days here at UWM! You can find more information about it here.

The featured images come from our first-edition copy of Milwaukee: Hometown Metropolis by Milwaukee's unofficial historian John Gurda. The book shines a spotlight on all the wonderful things Milwaukee has to offer, from brewery tours and baseball games to museums and parks. Cityscapes Books, a division of the Pagoda Group publishing company, published it in Brookline, MA, in 2014. John Gurda is a writer and historian based in Milwaukee who has authored 22 books. He has dedicated much of his career to exploring Milwaukee’s rich history.

View previous 414 Day posts.

--Melissa (born and raised in the 414), Special Collections Library Assistant

[ofmdrecaps]

03/13-16/2025 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Samba Schutte; Kristian Nairn; Nicola Dove; Siren Events: Behind Our Flag; Love Notes;

Hey luvs, I know I'm super behind again-- I actually took a couple days off from work to catch up on all the stuff I have to get done around the house and online I'll do my best to be caught up over the next couple days! <3

= David Jenkins =

David's been keeping active over on bluesky and sending some love to our crewmate Danielle aka dbsaveofmd.bsky.social!

Source: David's Bsky

Also, he's joining the digital convention going on on April 5th via Siren Events! Visit the bottom of the recap for more info!

Source: David's Bsky

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys was out helping to manage the new AoNZ Sail GP team, the Black Foils! He even got to do his traditional Murray Role call!

Source: Rosie's IG Stories

Lots of solo shots and pics with Rosie and Theo out with the team as well!

Source: Rhys' IG

Other great news in Darby-land was Season 2 of Monsters At Work, where Rhys voices Roger Roger, won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice Direction! Congrats team!

Source: Rhys' IG

Rhys also announced returning to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! You can get tickets for Aug 1-10! at https://www.pleasance.co.uk/

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rhys Darby (@rhysiedarby)

Source: Rhys' IG

= Samba Schutte =

Samba was sharing lots of memories and friends!

Source: Samba's IG Stories

= Kristian Nairn =

Kristan was out at Comic Con Scotland Aberdeen on March 14 and 15 and he did a couple interviews/panels!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Comic Con Scotland North East (@comicconscotlandaberdeen)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Simon Cassidy (@simon_cassidy1)

Source: Simon Cassidy IG

= Nicola Dove =

Our beloved S2 photographer was kind enough to post more /updated stills!

Source: Nicola Dove IG / 2

Annnnd Rubio and Samba had a little fun with them...

Source: Ruibo's IG Stories

= Siren Events: Behind Our Flag Event =

Hey all! Sorry this is so delayed on announcing but April 5th, 2025 - 18:00 UTC, the online Our Flag means Death Virtual Convention will be taking stage!

You can still purchase a ticket for the entire event here! Here's the schedule!

LIVESTREAM SATURDAY 5TH APRIL 2025 (UK 19:00-02:00) VIEW ON DEMAND FROM SUNDAY 6TH APRIL 2025

A SPECIAL 90 MINUTE PANEL WITH DAVID JENKINS

Saturday 5th April 18:00 (UTC) / 19:00 (BST / UK)

60 MINUTE BREAK - 19:30 (UTC) / 20:30 (UK / BST)

LOOKS THAT STOLE THE SHOW: BLACKBEARD

Saturday 5th April 20:30 (UTC) / 21:30 (UK / BST)

30 MINUTE BREAK - 21:30 (UTC) / 22:30 (UK / BST)

LOOKS THAT STOLE THE SHOW: MERMAIDS & UNICORNS

Saturday 5th April - 22:00 (UTC) / 23:00 (UK / BST) 

BUILDING THE WORLD OF OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH

Saturday 5th April - 23:00 (UTC) / 00:00 (UK / BST) 

THE BEST REVENGE IS DRESSING WELL

Sunday 6th April - 00:00 (UTC) / 01:00 (UK / BST)

and last but not least, Kelly Ren Head Painting & Sculpting!

Source: Siren Events UK

== Love Notes ==

It's been a while lovelies! Jeez! What a year it's been. I tell ya one of these days things are going to calm the heck down and things are going to get easier, they just have to.

Today I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow can be so scary when things are uncertain. We never know what's going to happen--- but that doesn't mean we have to always look to the future. Sometimes, when things are hard, we need to sit here in the moment and process them so we can deal with tomorrow when it comes. Please remember to get some rest and be kind to yourselves lovelies. 🫶.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @thelatestkate

Source: The Latest Kate's IG

[plumbaleena]

Spice Up Your Sim's Calendar with Custom Seasonal Activities!

The Sims is boring AF right? Well, we have to always come up with creative ideas to make this game more interesting and THANKFULLY there are many mods to help us with that! However, you don't always have to have mods to make the game a little more fun, and here's one example of that! Calendar ideas!

🌼 S P R I N G

Calendar day ideas /

🌼 Egg hunt day / set up your calendar to have the cute little bouncy flower bunny come and celebrate while colorful eggs pop up around your home! Take spring pictures, dress in matching outfits and have a picnic outside!

T r a d i t i o n s / Egg hunt, flower bunny

🌼 Spring break / Take a week off with your family to go on a vacation, maybe to the beach, or even the woods for memories to last a lifetime.

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel

🌼 Spring cleaning / Take time to clean your house, move some things around, get rid of things. Start fresh!

T r a d i t i o n s / Cleaning

🌼 Earth day / Plant some flowers, herbs or vegetables, tend to your garden, pick up trash and maybe go help someone else with their garden too.

T r a d i t i o n s / Gardening, cleaning

🌼 April fool's / Do mischief and silly things to other sims, maybe prank some toilets or buzz some hands, who knows maybe you'll find something about mischief that tickles your fancy.

T r a d i t i o n s / Mischief spirit

🌼 Mother's day / Have your littles make spring crafts for mom, help to make her breakfast, or serve up some tea or lemonade. Head over to her house for a visit if you're on your own and spend the day together maybe even go to the spa!

T r a d i t i o n s / Give flowers, give gifts, tell stories, thankful spirit

🌼 Spring fling/dance / Take your sims to a spring formal where you can dance the night away (preferably not the cowpoke) and dress in light pastels for sweet matching photos.

T r a d i t i o n s / Party spirit, art & music spirit

🌼 Flower festival / Head on over to a flower field, and give flowers to those you hold dear. Spend the day outside enjoying nature or putting a flower crown in your hair and soak in the sun while you take a stroll.

T r a d i t i o n s / Give flowers

🌼 Love/Valentine's day / Take your loved one on a date to a romantic spot you wouldn't normally go. Make sure to enjoy each other's company and no phones allowed! Slow dance under the moonlight, or steal a kiss under the stars. Don't have someone? Make it a gal/palentines day instead! Enjoy spending time with your favorite friends watching movies, having popcorn or even indulging in a pillow fight.

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a date, [or if single, invite guests], romantic spirit, watch romantic tv

🌼 Daddy/Daughter dance / Take your little princess to a dance she'll never forget. Dress up in matching colors and treat her like she's the queen for the day! Take lots of pictures to forever remember that special day.

T r a d i t i o n s / Art & music spirit

🌴 S U M M E R

Calendar day ideas /

🌴 Father's day / Celebrate good old dad with some summer crafts, a bbq, and a hang out by the pool. Toss a football around, maybe kick back a few EAPA's and have a day to remember with your pops.

T r a d i t i o n s / Bar-B-Que, drinking, give gifts, tell stories, thankful spirit

🌴 Summer vacation / Take a week off with the family to the beach and celebrate the summer while the kids are out of school and enjoy times in the sand, swimming in the ocean, and even catching some fish!

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel

🌴 Slip 'n Slide day / Take the fun of the sun outside and enjoy a day full of water! Head over to the water park in San Sequoia, or bring it home with a splash pad and water balloons. Spend all day in your bathing suit and maybe even...streak?

T r a d i t i o n s / Water fun, streak? ;)

🌴 Sulani/festival day / Find out when your local festivals are happening for Sulani and/or Mt. Komorebi and visit them on these days to celebrate the culture of the world. You won't want to miss the turtle hatching or festival of lights!

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel, fireworks

🌴 Summer camp / Have your kids head off to "summer camp" where they can go somewhere off the lot for a week or two and enjoy what it feels like when they're in school! Create a camp for them to attend and bring them back into the house after a week or two, unless they're homesick. Then bring them back sooner.

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel

🌴 Family camping trip / Head off to Granite Falls and enjoy camping with the family. Really rough it together and only bring tents, bug spray, and some food and water. See who lasts the longest without a comfy bed.

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel

🌴 Simchella/Music fest / Enjoy Simchella for your sims to head to a music festival in Oasis Springs and have the time of their lives!

T r a d i t i o n s / Art & music spirit, drinking

🎃 F A L L

Calendar day ideas /

🎃 Neighborhood potluck / Throw a party and have your neighbors bring food to share for a neighborhood potluck. Share stories, drinks, and company as the leaves start to change for the season.

T r a d i t i o n s / Invite guests, tell stories, party spirit

🎃 Trick or treating / Bring your littles to a special trick or treat neighborhood where you can enjoy candy and perfect spots for pictures!

T r a d i t i o n s / Spooky spirit, trick or treat, wear costumes

🎃 Day of the dead / Make your departed loved one's favorite foods, dance to their favorite music, talk about them with family members and enjoy the memories you had with them. If you can go visit them, bring a candle or a small token to put at their resting place in remembrance.

T r a d i t i o n s / Remembrance

🎃 Family pumpkin carving / Invite family and friends over to sip cider and carve pumpkins! Set up stations and have a contest, and when they're all done display them at the front door for all of the welcome wagon to see.

T r a d i t i o n s / Invite guests, spooky spirit, sports tv

🎃 Visiting the pumpkin patch / A perfect place to go and take pictures, pick the perfect pumpkin, and enjoy the crisp weather is at a pumpkin patch! Visit the local pumpkin patch for all of this, and more.

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel, thankful spirit

🎃 Bonfire night / Have a giant bonfire for all of your friends to celebrate the last of warm and longer nights. Enjoy drinks, roasting marshmallows and singing songs while reminiscing about how fast time goes by.

T r a d i t i o n s / Fire, tell stories, thankful spirit

❄️ W I N T E R

Calendar day ideas /

❄️ Welcoming Winter / This day is when there's the first snow! Head outside, build a snowman, make a snow angel, bake a warm pie, or stay inside and cozy up by the fire and read a book. Nothing is more special than welcoming winter.

T r a d i t i o n s / Baking, fire, festive spirit

❄️ Winter holiday / Take a vacation to Mt. Komorebi and enjoy the slopes where you can try skiing or snowboarding for the first time! If you're not feeling adventurous head over to the bathhouse and steam up in the sauna.

T r a d i t i o n s / Go on a vacation or travel, festive spirit

❄️ Winterfest Eve / Celebrate with the family the day before Winterfest. Have a special dinner, sing songs, maybe open a present or two, and have a great evening. Dress in red and green for beautiful pictures!

T r a d i t i o n s / Attend a holiday ceremony, festive lighting, festive spirit, give gifts, grand meal, invite guests, open presents

❄️ Present wrapping/buying / Take a day to go and buy gifts for your loved ones, and make sure you take the time to get something for each person as everyone is unique! Think about checking plopsy, or maybe your little one wants the latest gaming console!

T r a d i t i o n s / Festive spirit

❄️ Go see the giant tree and ice skate / Winterfest is never complete without visiting an ice skating rink or sipping on some hot cocoa while it snows. Take a day to go and see the beautiful Winterfest trees and ice skate to capture the true magic of the season.

T r a d i t i o n s / Festive spirit

❤️ Mods to enhance your calendar /

more holiday icons by littlemssam

random holiday traditions by littlemssam

custom holiday traditions by kiarasims

summer camp by adeepindigo

[acorn-and-oakleaves]

Hello everyone! I thought I would go ahead and get a list of all the prompt events that this server will be hosting in 2025 as a way for people to see what the year has in store! These are for Writers, artists and creators alike! Each event will be updated with a link to the event post as the year goes on and can be accessed year-round through the blogs pinned post! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January- Year of Bagginshield Launch

A series of prompts for every month of the year to serve as inspiration for your Bagginshield creations!

February- Sweet and Spicy Prompt Roulette

Spin the Sweet and Spicy prompt wheel and let fate decide if your next work is sweet and fluffy or spicy and passionate.

April-Happy Hobbit Spring

Spring-based prompts to help shed off that last bit of winter chill.

June- Shire Summer Festival

Summer prompts, but not just that! I want you to tag this blog in every commission sheet and Etsy page you have that actively sells or creates Bagginshild/ Hobbit work. We can't have an art festival IRL, but we can have one here! (more details to come)

July- Jealousy July

This was a special request from the Acorns and Oak Leaves discord server! Prompts to generate ideas for jealousy-based scenarios.

August- Smaugest

What is a story without its villain? Prompts that encourage works about the fiery drake that held Erebor in his claws.

September- Bagginshield-tember (#Bagginshield-tember)

It's back, baby!!! 100% pure laser-focused bagginshield prompts. Per the poll done last year, this has been moved to September, so it clashes less with the many events that happen in October.

October- Kinktober/Whump-tober

Basically, what it says on the tin! Please be advised that Kinktober is an adults-only event.

December- End of year wip clean up

Time flies, and the end of the year is the perfect time to tie up loose ends. No prompts, just some encouragement to finish up some projects before we step into 2026.

[bl0oregardf0ster]

Foster's Imaginary World character info no. 4!

"Coco's such a curious case! Her way of speech and attitude makes her... Special... However, shes such a great crazed friend who's never afraid of speaking of what's on her mind! And if she trusts you enough, hey, she might lay a suprise for you!"

- Fosterview's info sheet on Coco

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Requirements!

✐ 4500 ichor

✐ Get 100% research on Twisted Coco

✐ Complete all Sassyfrass mastery missions

"Coco! Such a curious case! No one really knows what's really on her mind, especially nowadays..."

- Madam Foster's dialouge upon purchase

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Stats!

Health 🖤💗💗

Skill Check 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Movement Speed 🌟🌟🌟

Stamina 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Stealth 🌟🌟🌟

Extraction Speed 🌟🌟🌟

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Abilities!

Suprise hatch ⟬Active⟭

Coco will hatch an egg that can drop a random item from any rarity. Unlike Gigi's, Coco's ability will make the item drop, which means that any other player can pick it up

⟬Cooldown: 70 Seconds⟭

Bird instinct ⟬Passive⟭

For every machine completed, Coco will gain a speedboost for 10 seconds

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Skins!

Exclusive!

Vintage ⟬Mastery⟭

St☆r-Time ⟬Game-Pass⟭

Chicken Jockey ⟬Halloween⟭

Coconut water ⟬Summer⟭

Gijinka-inated ⟬April Fools⟭

Opposite AU ⟬April Fools⟭

Festive tree ⟬Winter⟭

My suprise for you ⟬Valentines day⟭

Seashore Aquarius ⟬Seasonal Zodiac Event⟭

Normal! ⟬THESE ARE REFERENCES LOL⟭

Intergalactic princess

Golden music star

World wide bird

Prehistoric shell

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Interactions!

Bloo "So! What do ya think?"

Coco "Co..."

Bloo "Wha- What do you mean it won't!?"

Coco "Co, cococococo?"

Bloo "hmmm... I haven't tried that! Thanks Coco you're the best!"

Coco "Coco!"

Mac "huff... I'm starting to get tired... We need a faster way of completing these floors..."

Coco "cocococo..."

Mac "Coco? I think if we did that, we'd be in big serious deep trouble..."

Coco "..."

Mac "..."

Frankie "Coco? Is there something wrong?"

Coco "Co..."

Frankie "There's no need to say it! I get and understand what you had to go through... But don't worry, we'll always be here for you..."

Coco "... Cococo...."

Frankie "... Yeah... You welcome..."

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Twisted form

Rarity

Main Character

Appearance

Twisted Coco's appearance would be more dinosaur like! ⟬Basically Twisted Shelly⟭ her hair will be slightly longer and will pretty much cover part of her upper face, alongside her leaf tail pretty much being soaked in ichor and having thorns on them

Research info

"One of the Main Characters in Foster's Imaginary World. Her desperation has ended her willing to keep going, giving up and succumbing into the ichor growing in her body. Try not to get hit by this Twisted, as she'll give you a random debuff. No wonder the friends sometimes call her 'The jack of all trades' "

Stats

Speed: slightly higher than average

Vision: VERY high ⟬sniper sight⟭

Attention Span: 5 seconds

Special abilities

Whenever Twisted Coco attacks you, she'll give you a random debuff which are the following...

Confused III > 15 seconds

Tired I > 15 seconds

Slow I > 5 seconds

Panic I > 15 seconds

Exposed > 15 seconds

During panic mode!

Tired III > 20 seconds

Slow III > 5 seconds

Panic III > 20 seconds

Exposed > 30 seconds

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

QUICK EXPLANATION ON PANIC AND EXPOSED!

Panic and Exposed are 2 debuffs i made for my AU! ⟬However you are free to include them in your AU! Just credit me!⟭ Panic is given by Twisted FlyHigh and Twisted Coco, meanwhile Exposed is given by Twisted Herriman and Twisted Coco!

When someone has Panic, their stamina will drain much faster! Panic has the 3 stages! ⟬Panic I, Panic II and Panic III⟭

And when someone has Exposed, their stealth will be lowered to ONE star regardless of the Friend's stealth level! However, Exposed doesn't have stages unlike the rest of the debuffs!

✧❁❁❁✧✿✿✿✧❁❁❁✧

Trinket!

Pack of suprise eggs

For every new floor the player obtains an item from any rarity if they have a slot open

✧❁❁❁✧✿END! THANKS FOR READING!✿✧❁❁❁✧

@blo0st4r