#Cultural holiday insights

[thejuniorage]

Discover enchanting Christmas customs from diverse cultures with our captivating exploration of 'Fascinating Christmas Traditions From Around The World.

[15-lizards]

Hi I love the Stormlands and your wonderful posts is the only insight I’ve seen of the unloved Stormlands for clothes 😍 Would it be ok if you could elaborate on the clothes and styles with house baratheon in the steffon and cassava era? How do you think baratheon court changed from rhalle Targaryen to cassana estermont to renly? Do you think they had more Targaryen influences with rhalle or she embraced Baratheon styles, I have complete blank on what cassana era would be but I can so see renly going tyrell!!! Thoughts???? I’m so so loving your series my girl!!!😍😍😍 baratheon style and Stormlands get so unloved even the masters didn’t add their tree in the book they made for Robert

Ofc!!! The stormlands are my unloved favorite, and I’ve been meaning to get into them more so let’s go girls 🏃🏻‍♀️

I think the main aspect of stormlands clothing is durability. They need something that can last the constant harsh rain and wind and terrain. The air is probably always damp and the ground is rocky, so clothing is mostly sturdy cottons and other fibers, along with thicker coats or jackets made of animal skin to keep rain off. Hair is covered too, more for practical reasons than religious

Stormlander men keep it simple, partially bc they’re hard masculine #real men (Steffon doesn’t fuck with that “girly” shit at kings landing) and partially bc it’s just easier to deal with. Life is harder in the stormlands, and it would be even more difficult if they had long clothing and belts and jewelry getting in the way. Just leather, wool, and anger issues

They still have fancy clothing and such, but it’s not worn nearly as often and Stormlanders idea of “fancy” is probably different from the Reaches. Nice articles are probably reused and saved for important occasions. Detailed embroidering and patterned fabric are probably a luxury, so only the richer houses have that kind of stuff. However it’s my headcanon that there is a lot of precious metals in the mountains of the Stormlands, so essentially everyone has access to it for their accessories

And honestly smallfolk clothing isn’t that much different than most minor nobles. It’s essentially the same type of fabrics and layers, though not as neatly made. Smallfolk clothing can be defined as rough wool shifts, sturdy pants, one or two stiff overlayers tied with corded belts. Clothing good for work and marching to endless wars in the dornish marches

Also I kinda love the idea of more folk-like clothing worn by smallfolk on holidays and special occasions. Like each area of the stormlands and every village has their own variation of cultural clothing, and it gives them something nice to wear on holidays instead of old scratchy wool. Since Cassanna is a character in name only, I have a headcanon that she was a big promoter of cultural events native to the stormlands, and frequently paid for tourneys and festivals where Stormlanders could come together and celebrate more

[superman-the-secret-third-thing]

Superman's Day of Truth! (1965)

A.k.a. Silver Age Superman is obligated to be honest for an entire day and he's a douche about it.

At least it gave us some neat insights to Kryptonian culture, such as this weird holiday and the fact they were formerly colonized by an oppressive alien race before uprising, inspired by the actions of a martyred youth, but more importantly, Superman is so mean in this!

[azure-cherie]

ᑭᗩᑕ : ᗷᒪᗴՏՏIᑎᘜՏ ᖴOᖇ ᗪᗴᑕᗴᗰᗷᗴᖇ ꨄ︎

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ✿ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

It's been some time , I've been on hiatus , how have you guys been ? Choose a pile using your intuition and take what resonates, claim for yourself 🤍 lmk if it resonates 🫶

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

Pile 1:

December will bring you a lot of things back i feel so , like a compensation for a forfeit in your past could be monetary or materialistic, like i hear ancestral property or material or something, like seems like a rediscovery for sure. You will get in touch with your native culture again like learn more about where you stay , will bring you promotions at work and revelations, work with your boss and observe the people around you , whatever your seeking can be found if you stop and observe, stop denying yourself the love you give others , buy yourself what you need , i specifically think someone really should buy boots for themselves, accept the fact that you have worked so hard and it's time for recognition yes you yesssss you did it !!!! Whatever your achievements are small or big people are looking at you admiring you , wanting your guidance . You will gain more strength and maturity, you might get hotter , you will be a popular but dedicated person with a career , solitude will be beautiful as it might help you in getting greater insight into your intuition . Happy holidays stay blessed 🤍

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

Pile 2:

December is a month of rest and relaxation for you , moving around with friends etc , seems like a soft Christmas movie to me , i think you will be spending time with your lover communicating feelings for one another , how you did good or bad things and will correct your mistakes . There's definitely some uncertainty going on , leave it to the universe, as your angels to help , they will guide you , you will be spiritually blessed , like journal about spirituality, if your into spellwork your power will increase , like i think the next full moon will be important for you be ready uwu , you are moving away from something that hurt you in the past , maybe people or situations i think things went down bad , take care and take necessary action, you will get more into the academic sphere of life . Life will be relaxing for a while be prepared for something big though, a spiritual awakening is around the corner, be ready to level up .Happy holidays stay blessed 🤍.

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

Pile 3 :

December will bring you clarity , love confessions, travels and gifts , if you were investing into something you will get a positive response, you will be spending time with the person you really love , you will get a fresh start emotionally, like maybe a new relationship also ,take into account your dreams and interpret them , someone of you might news about pregnancy too , you're at the end of the cycle , new things are beginning for you , a lot may not make sense at first keep going trust yourself, you might get a paper work published or pursue higher education , don't wait whatever is chosen is good for you , your angels are rooting for you , you're also asked to change your eating habits , eat high vibrational foods your will see the changes coming in, you will be really satisfied this month , gifts coming in as well , i think you will get what you desired . If you're in school , you might be getting new friends. your relationship with the masculine figures around you might get better as well . Happy holidays stay blessed 🤍.

⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ⊹ ꙳ ⁺ ‧ ⨯. ⁺ ✦ ⊹ . * ꙳ ✦ ⊹

Thank you so much for reading, have a great day/night ahead .

[forumgamer]

A Jane Austen moment

I am currently re-reading Northanger Abbey (not my favourite Austen, but also not my least - probably rank 3-4 I'd say), and I was struck with the realisation how ODD the notion of Catherine Morland's trip to Bath would be to many modern people.

Here is a young girl (17), going on a trip to Bath with a rich older couple that are neighbours to her parents - not as an au pair or governess or whatever, but as a guest and companion. Taken along to have fun, as a kind gesture of favour and goodwill. And they aren't even her godparents or relatives or something!

And I find that notion so very charming.

Catherine is not like poor Fanny Price, rather abused than cherished, used as an indispensable companion for a very silly and lazy lady (though Mrs Allen certainly has her share of silliness and indolence...). From how their relationship is presented, the Allens seem genuinely motivated by wanting her to enjoy herself. They don't mind her meeting new people and spending time with them, and she in turn refers to them when she is unsure about how to behave in this to her completely new and exciting world. And rich as they may be, they also seem to spare little expense in taking her to Bath and there to balls and plays.

We have today a weird aversion to inter-generational friendships, or so it seems to me. Yet when I was growing up, in a semi-detached suburban house, I was always welcome at our neighbours' house and table. Sure, mostly because they had a boy my age who quickly became my friend, but even now, when we have both moved out, I rarely visit my parents without also checking in with their neighbours, who are like an uncle and aunt to me.

And as for myself, I have no children of my own, and will never have any either. Yet working as a teacher, I get to interact with younger people on a daily basis, and you guys, young people can be amazing company. Sure, some of their concerns appear trivial to me, but I remember they weren't that way when I was their age - just as some of my views or hobbies might seem odd or boring to them, yet they also know I have seen more of the world than they, and apply to me for insights into issues that they feel unsure about.

And guys... I get it. I get what the Allens feel. I might still be a bit young to QUITE get it (I assume the Allens to be in their 50es or so, which I am not for another decade), but... imagine taking a seventeen-year old teenager, that has never been able to travel so far, to a prime holiday spot! Showing them Paris, London, Prague or Rome, seeing their amazement and delight, presenting them the art, cuisine, culture and pleasures of such an unfamiliar site... to find new enjoyment in these things yourself by witnessing their effect on someone younger and more excitable than yourself.

I doubt I will ever have the option to do so, because a) times have changed and b) if Mr Allen had been a bachelor/divorcee like me, the book's plot could not have happened back then either, but... I think I might like it. I really would.

[esoteric-chaos]

Samhain Masterpost - Spoonie Witch Friendly

Samhain, Halloween as we know it. Celebrated on October 31st to November 1st (May 1st in the Southern Hemisphere). Samhain is a cross-quarter fire celebration and the halfway point between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice.

Samhain is the 3rd and final fall harvest festival. This day is also known as the Witches New Year.

The veils are believed to be thinned, allowing the dead to return to the earth. Samhain is celebrated in many different cultures around the world. An important holiday to most.

Correspondences 

Colours

Black

Deep Purple

Silver

Grey

Orange

Gold

Dark Red

Herbal

Sage

Mugwort

Rosemary

Garlic

Hemlock

Belladonna

Marigold

Red Roses

Cedar

Cinnamon

Edibles

Apples

Pumpkin

Spiced Cake

Gourds

Squash

Mulled Wine

Corn

Mead

Nuts

Cider

Seeds

Fermented Food

Animals

Cats

Spiders

Moths

Wolves

Owls

Crows

Ravens

Scorpian

Bats

Vultures

Rats

Swans

Crystals

Moonstone

Amethyst

Carnelian

Obsidian

Black Tourmaline

Bloodstone

Silver

Iron

Onyx

Spiritual meanings & intentions

Transformation

New Journeys

Ancestors

Heritage

Death

Sorrow

Loss

Afterlife

Rebirth

Knowledge

Insight

Foresight

Relaxation

Recuperation

Divination

Planning and preservation

Shadow Work

Thinning of the Veil

Fae

Scents

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Cloves

Honey

Pine

Star Anise

Sage

Pumpkin

Gods / Goddesses / Spirits

The Morrigan (Irish)

Hekate (Greek)

Demeter (Greek)

Hel (Norse)

Freyja (Norse)

Persepone (Greek)

Cerridwen (Celtic)

Rhiannon (Celtic)

Psyche (Greek)

Osiris (Egyptian)

Anubis (Egyptian)

Hades (Greek)

Cernunnos (Celtic)

Loki (Norse)

Dionysis (Greek)

Need some suggestions to celebrate? I got you covered.

High energy celebrations

Cleanse

Do a release ritual

Divination

Connect with ancestors

Carve a jack o’ lantern

Make a besom

Create witches bottle

Visit a graveyard and give your respects (be respectful!)

Low energy celebrations

Leave offering for ancestors

Chat with the folk about family history

Light incense

Burn something you’d like to let go on a piece of paper

No spoon celebrations

Eat pumpkin or any sort of squash

Leaving some of your food aside for the ancestors

Any sort of mischief. Telling a joke or pulling a prank

 Remember that it’s okay if you cant do much while you are unwell. That you come first and you simply existing is a blessing.

How you celebrate the holiday does not matter. You can choose to do any activity that feels right. These are only suggestions and remember that you're enough no matter what.

[ails-of-ardor-au]

Okay…. Where to begin…

PLEASE NOTE: Any and all ideas, insight, constructive criticism, and support is welcomed!

This is not a project I intended to make, really, and not one I intend to put too much energy towards. Community activity is very much welcomed, and polls will be common to let you guys decide which details are added or nixed, however I will retain the final say on most matters. If something you’ve suggested doesn’t make the cut immediately, likely it either just didn’t fit or I’m saving it to puzzle-piece in somewhere else! Either way: very sorry.

Likely this will end up just being a hodgepodge of my personal ideas, tastes, and desires being implemented in a somewhat cohesive restructuring of the canon Warrior’s story in a way that feels satisfying, with heavy influence from you guys as an audience! ^^

Let’s see where this takes us, and see where it goes!

[LORE DUMP MASTERPOST] (to be added)

Things I’d like to explore:

The Clans’ ancestor worship

The true extent of StarClan’s power and sway over the living world

Assigning meaning to prefixes and suffixes, while still allowing for more “fun” and “modern” names where possible

The way apprentices earn their full names, and what that truly means for them: not only as an individual, but as a part of their society, community, and culture

Independent Clan cultures, i.e. what truly differentiates them from their neighbors

How time is tracked and kept

The long-term effect Brokenstar had on ShadowClan and his direct followers

Things I’d like to keep roughly the same as canon (though likely expand on):

Very little, admittedly…

The rough job system (leader, deputy, meddie, warrior, queen, apprentice, elder), but likely with each being broken down into specific tasks

The naming system of the cats themselves (kit’ to paw’ to suffix’ to star’) and the naming of the Clans staying… well, “the Clans”

Big canon story plot points, even if some get shuffled around

Things I’d like to add:

More queer rep

More disabled rep and how the Clans might adequately support these cats

Ways for the cats to relax and have fun! Such as holidays, popular games, the potential for plays, etc… A society driven solely to work is not a sustainable society, after all

A true connection between Scourge and Fireheart, just just something retconned in

Things I’d like to change entirely:

Shifting the “no kits” rule from medicine cats to leaders (see: the Kinless Leaders au)

The deal with the Dark Forest and StarClan, and how the two both operate independently and interact with the living

Moth Flight

The “medicine cat” role being renamed to “cleric”

The way the Three’s powers actually work

The family tree. Enough said.

The timeline, and several character’s ages

BloodClan (how/why it was started, where it fits into the world and story, how they operate, their influence on Clan culture, Clan culture’s influence on them, etc etc)

This list will probably change and grow over time! ^^

[lesbiansforboromir]

(RoP ep 5 spoilers)

I was rlly down on rop after episode 4 w/ the flagrant racism and what felt like a real dip in writing quality after the first 3 eps - both the Rhûn and Southlander survivors plots could have been done so much better, Bombadil & Barrow Wights go back to the shadow pls...

But I just watched ep 5 & we're so back!!! Love the delicious deepening poison of the Eregion plot, the web that Celebrimbor has been spun in; every scene in Numenor pulling no punches, + 'our armies cannot defeat both Adar & Sauron. Not alone' 👀

Khazad Dum developing fascinatingly as always, the web beginning to be woven around Young Durin as well (though I miss that spark of threatening ambition from Disa in the 1st season)

And these little teases of Adar & Galadriel have built up the anticipation for that plot to come in the next eps so well, Sam Hazeldine killing it!!

Will be gutted not to see Alex Tarrant again. King 😔✌🏼

Did you have any thoughts? Always enjoy your insightful takes.

Sorry this took so long to reply too I've been enduring diverse horrors but yes! I experienced the last two episodes very similarly, ep 4 was extremely disappointing just for the genuinely shocking orientalism present and whilst it had some good scenes (really enjoyed the elaboration of Isildur's history with his mother and Theo identifying with it so viscerally, the ents were beautifully voice-acted and designed and, of course, big worm) in the majority it was just all the most superfulous plotlines in this show that really have no business being in this story bundled into one episode and none of them even justified themselves by being... good.

And again, cannot express enough how bad Tom's so called 'cornish accent' was, kind of compounding the show's clearly very unexamined and dismissive attitude towards culture, accents, ethnicities and employing any of them with skill or respect.

But with that in mind I wasn't very surprised that the next episode was just better to watch, it had all the plot-relevant plotlines in it 😂 AND was just in general better television. Like I've said this before, but they've clearly worked on and better'd their understanding of 'tolkienian dialogue' for this season, I'm fully convinced by every scene and especially Miriel and Elendil's dialogue, 'when the wolves are licking at the cradle' felt particularly good to me.

And!! Full commitment to the religious conflict! Like I know people will moan and gripe that Tolkien SAID Eru wasn't worshipped but I think he meant that in a completely different way to what most people think it means. Like the Meneltarma exists, the holidays for thanksgiving to Eru exist, hereticism exists and Numenor's story is one of religious oppression, resentment and rebellion. It is a no-brainer to make that clear to the audience through reverence, shrines and prayer. I was particularly won over by the use of 'Nasie' in the shrine desicration scene, which is the quenya version of 'Amen' from Tolkien's quenya translation of the Lord's Prayer (nerd).

I'm also genuinely enjoying the Eregion plotline! Which I did not expect. I think just purely for the acting actually, like it's not groundbreaking to say that Charles Edwards is a brilliant actor but still! It's worth mentioning! He's portraying Celebrimbor in this poignantly empathetic way, not flinching from the frailties but in a way that keeps me with him emotionally 100% of the time.

And I'm enjoying Charlie Vickers offering us, the audience, a clear understanding of exactly the tools he's using to try and manipulate the people around him whilst maintaining the idea that those tactics would work. I also like that there's an effort to make Celebrimbor appear as competent as he's supposed to be this season, even though it doesn't really make up for how little the forging of the elven rings was about him initially.

And in this episode I was REALLY taken with the scene where Mirdania puts on one of the rings, there was a gentleness to the way he found her hand to pull it off and a sort of immediate comprehension of the situation that made me go hell yeah! Thats a lord of elves! Thats a masterful person! Thats someone who is gentle at heart!

Everytime the balrog comes up I'm a little annoyed and concerned, I really do not want to see the destruction of Khazad-dum in the second age, but other than that the dwarf plot line also indeed continues to be excellent. I have lesbian blinkers on about Disa so it's hard to be unbiased, but god the WAY the relationship between the two Durins is progressing... UNBEARABLY heartbreaking, they are putting in work to make this complex and to preserve both characters as ultimately good and to keep the slow disaster inevitable anyway. My personal brand of narrative agony writ large. And! Really appreciated that they had Durin tell Celebrimbor that greed was never a part of his father's personality until the ring's influence, a small thing that helps nod to the larger antisemitism issue.

HOWEVER! Having said all that, the episode was more emotionally polarising for me than solely good.

Firstly, whilst I am enjoying Narvi's characterisation, I was enjoying it mainly because in every scene with him I was like 'wow! I love this guy, he's quiet and thoughtful and a little awkward but also knows his stuff, he and Celebrimbor will get along so well! can't wait to see their friendship progress! 🙂' And then... the doors of durin were already made and Celebrimbor made a joke about Narvi being a thief? And that's the last we saw of them together 😅 Like it really felt like a check box for the writers, and is one of these mirriad of little moments where you're immediately thinking about how much time the harfoot/gandalf plotline is taking up in this very time-constrained show and wish SO much that it could be used for THESE kinds of relational developments. And I mean I know ultimately Narvi and Celebrimbor's relationship is not important for the overall plotline of the show either, and it's not a crime to focus on the characters they're using to drive the story along, but it's still disappointing and sad to see it so relegated to the sideline.

AND THEN god, the scene with Pharazon and Kemen. Like I already feel so blindsided about how fast Pharazon became king, and with the use of the Eagle too. Like I appreciate the idea that Numenor's relationship to the west is complicated and that the eagle still holds weight when elves don't, ultimately like... the Eagle came to Miriel's coronation! The fact that this was apparently such a political blow to her that there was no rebuttal she could make seems a bit insane, does she really have no political allies to debate this for her in parliment? And I know I'm the 'lore doesn't matter' guy I know but... why didn't the eagle speak? We all know they can!

But that's not even my main issue with the Pharazon and Kemen scene, DELIGHTED to finally have the show acknowledge that Kemen had a mother and wasn't grown from Pharazon's own body or something, but... okay so RoP DOES AGREE that the dunedain can just HAVE the gift of prophecy.. so why have we slandered my poor benighted palantiri once again and given them powers they have never possessed? (I know why, the cool Miriel and Elendil vision misinterpretation couldn't have happened if they hadn't I know I know but it hurts it hurts okay!!)

BUT THAT'S STILL NOT EVEN MY MAIN ISSUE, my main issue is... this is the first time in the WHOLE SHOW we've heard anyone mention death as an issue between elves and mortals. Like Pharazon seems to have touched the sceptre and been imbued with the sudden realisation that is sucks elves get to live forever when humans can't. It's being portrayed in this like 'well clearly this is unreasonable, only a tyrant would think this' when this is one of the most emotionally relatable narratives in the whole canon! And multiple characters have MASSIVE motive to connect with this resentment. I mean, didn't Elendil literally lapse in faith BECAUSE his wife died??

It's made most gruelling by the fact that RoP got SO close to crafting a narrative that would have perfectly introduced and accelerated this resentment. Miriel went to war on the word of an elf who will live near-as-makes-no-difference forever and who HAS been alive for thousands of years already and that war killed a huge swathe of humans, many of whom were young with their whole lives ahead of them, but the thousands of years old elf still survived. Like that basic formula IS the catalyst for the first wave of faithless kings of numenor in the original canon! Minastir dragged Numenor to Gil-Galad's defense after Tar-Telperien spent so many years resisting that course of action and Minastir was the last faithful king of numenor for a millenia or more. So you would think! It would be EASY for the show to capitalise on that and show kingsmen associate the deaths of their loved ones with their resentment towards elves and the west who decreed it be so! But no! Somehow, the connection seems like... avoided almost!

Earien is angry at Miriel for taking her brother to war because of an elven artifact that she percieves as mystical and untrustworthy, and that sentiment is repeated by all the kingsmen we see (though many like Belzagar dont even seem that emotionally invested at all, it's more of a political ploy for them apparently). But literally none of them seem to have even considered the fact that dying at all sucks and apparently the option to NOT do it could be on the table, bizarre when their founding king's brother made that exact choice.

I don't know the cynic in me feels like it's an attempt to lead the viewer into an unthinking dichotomy of Faithful = Good and Kingsmen = Evil with no nuance or sympathy offered to the normal people of numenor who are reasonably asking why they have to die when elves don't! Which is would be a frankly crazy take in a show where sympathy for the villainous seems to be like... A HUGE PART of the overarching narrative they're constructing!!

And it's also clearly working if all the viciousness towards Earien is anything to go by, like my god the woman's just doing what she thinks to be the right choice with all the information she has at her disposal and since NO ONE ELSE (Elendil) seems to want to actually have a calm and respectful conversation with her about why she's mistaken and have decided just shouting and threats are the best way to go (Elendil) I do not blame her even one bit.

In general the Numenor plotline remains the MOST like... like it tears me fully in half. I am in love with the designs, the acting is great, even the FOUNDATIONS of these themes and relationships are immaculate (Elendil being initially a reluctant martyr and a disconnected unsympathetic father, Isildur survivor guilt, Elendil having a daughter who was wooed by kingsman ideology, Anarion's estrangement from his father over his revolutionist religious views etc) But they're just not handling it as well as the rest of the show's plots are. It feels rushed and muddy, and the whole 'elves coming over 'ere stealing our jobs' scene still haunts me at night. I can never get over it.

AND LAST THING I am not... content with Valandil's death. Like the scene itself was great, and my god is the music this season hitting right, but I feel like it was a waste to kill him off so early. The tragedy of it was certainly immense and it's going to drive the tension in Numenor up for sure, but Valandil was really carving a place out for himself as an interesting character in his own right and I would have liked to see him go a bit further into the story before we lost him. Though, of course, he always did have to die.

[traincat]

Kaine connecting with religion but that religion being Catholicism always felt like a wasted opportunity and/or something that still has the potential for a good story? Perfect way to explicitly state Peter's Jewish identity and explore it. Also tbh I think Judaism would be good for Kaine. Yes I'm also Jewish but I swear I'm speaking objectively- it's such a hopeful religion and culture, rooted in struggle and survival in a way that Christianity isn't.

That's a really good insight about survival and Judaism and Kaine, anon. It's like the old joke about every Jewish holiday being "they tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat" but for Kaine it's more like "they tried to kill me, they succeeded, I'm here anyway so now I'm going to order $800 worth of room service." Extremely Jewish of him.

I have complicated feelings about Kaine and Catholicism—though I'm gonna go ahead and say I think comics in general handle Catholicism badly and kind of just treat it like General Christianity or Default Christianity which is I guess what happens when your media empire is founded by Jews.

It's always giving this.

But yeah like honestly I don't think my feelings on Kaine and Catholicism and Kaine and heterosexuality are really that different, where he's aware that these are things you do to Be A Person but doesn't grasp the nuance because he was grown in a vat by the worst man to ever get tenure, so he's trying to connect to something that isn't a good fit for him or that maybe he's not particularly interested in as part of his efforts to be a Real Person and not just Peter Parker's broken clone. Which is really interesting! I don't think that was Yost's intent in Scarlet Spider (2012) when it comes to either Christianity or the Kaine/Annabelle romance, but that's always how it comes off to me on a subtextual level. Kaine is trying to do things the "right way" but he only has a very limited idea of what the right way is, or even that there are other options out there for him. He sees a church, he goes into the church. He sees a girl who is into him, he tries to follow a script where he can't be with her because he's bad news, not because he's not actually interested. (I have a lot of feelings on Kaine's canon romances, such as they are. He's the gay clone.)

And because he's not like Ben and he doesn't have all of Peter's memories, he's sort of awkwardly stumbling around the concept of faith as he sees it in the wider world, without a full understanding of either the nuances of that faith or of his own heritage through Peter. I also feel like even if he did know Peter was Jewish, that might be something he would feel reluctant to embrace unless he was given permission by Peter to share in that with him, because of his complicated feelings on Peter and Ben and his relation to both of them and what he feels he can and can't take away from those connections and what he hasn't earned.

I also do sometimes wonder if Miles Warren was a (lapsed) Catholic and if that's something Kaine picked up through him. That would be something interesting to explore.

[connectparanormal]

Ancestor Worship and Norse Magic

Ancestor worship, which intertwined with their views on the supernatural and the afterlife, heavily influenced Norse magic and spirituality. Because they believed that the spirits of the dead still had an impact on the living, the Norse people had a great deal of respect for their ancestors. Not only was this reverence a sign of respect, but it was also believed to guarantee the protection, wisdom, and favor of the ancestors in their day-to-day existence. The Norse thought that there were other places where the dead might live, including Helheim, the land of the dead ruled by the goddess Hel, and Valhalla, the hall of the slain warriors. However, many spirits were believed to reside close to their graves, often in "haugr," or burial mounds. These ancestors were thought to be strong beings with the ability to influence the prosperity and well-being of their offspring. The living would regularly leave food, wine, and other treasures at these mounds in remembrance of them, asking for their protection and blessing. Ancestor worship rituals had a strong connection with Norse magic. During important holidays like Yule, people carried out rituals to commemorate the deceased and invite their spirits to participate in the celebrations and communal feast. These customs were thought to guarantee a peaceful coexistence by strengthening the connection between the living and the deceased. The "dsablót" was another significant rite dedicated to the feminine spirits known as "dísir," who were frequently regarded as protective ancestral spirits. Aside from group rites, individual ancestor worship was widespread. Families would keep altars in their homes where they could pray to their ancestors and offer sacrifices. These customs served to strengthen the belief that the ancestors were always watching over and directing their surviving relatives. It was thought that by upholding these customs, the ancestors would offer guidance, defense, and even intervention during difficult times.

Another way people practiced reverence for their ancestors was through the act of communicating with the dead, known as seir. Seirmen and Seirkona were able to communicate with ancestor spirits through trance-like states and ritualistic activities, asking for their advice and benefiting from their accumulated wisdom. People believed that this form of necromancy allowed them to access the wisdom and strength of the dead, gaining insights for divination or urgent problem solving. Norse literature and sagas often emphasize the value of ancestor worship. Heroes frequently sought permission from their ancestors before embarking on major undertakings, passing down the stories of their bravery to inspire and educate the next generation. This storytelling tradition preserved the ancestors' memory and continued to influence Norse society's culture and spirituality.

Ancestor worship was therefore a powerful manifestation of the interdependence of the living and the dead in Norse magic. It underscored the notion of intertwining the past and present, and the active influence of ancestors' spirits on their offspring's lives. The Norse people had a strong connection with their ancestors and received strength and wisdom from the generations that went before them through rituals, offerings, and communication with the dead.

More at: Ancestry Worship and Norse Magic

[kimtaegis]

✨Dear Annie!✨

🌟I truly love your “Christmas at Annie’s” FESTIVAL of LOVE! ❤️💜💞✨✨✨

Especially now with our boys being away and everything. 🥰💜💫💗💫✨First of all, I would like to tell WONDERFUL YOU, how much I enjoy your beautiful work, wise words & your eternal kindness. 💗��🌟❤️✨✨Even without knowing it, you helped me through a lot in the last year. Thank you so much.☺️💞🌟 You’re forever in my ❤️, lovely Annie.✨

💗I’m also so glad having met @always-is-always on here. Dear Teresa, I‘m so grateful that I can call you my friend, even in real life, despite us living on different continents. 💜❤️🥰💗💞With Bangtan, nothing is impossible. Thank you for working with me sending light and protection to them and all in all spreading the love. You give me strength. Love you lots!❤️✨💜🌟💗💫✨

😇 Dear @sweetjikook! I‘m so happy to have met you through Bangtan. ❤️💞💫Thank you so much for your friendship, humor, wisdom and the amazing photos from SK. And for being a dog lover. 🐶 Hopefully, we can go together to one of the concerts in 2026, Hon. Love you!🥰✨✨❤️💜💫😘✨✨

💗Lovely Sky @jung-koook! ✨🌟💜💞❤️💗I‘m forever grateful for your incredible work and being here for all of us. 💜💫✨💜❤️✨It‘s so wonderful how you are keeping it all together, all of us informed, all the while being so lovely, patient and kind.☺️❤️💞💗✨💫

🌟Dear @daffyjjk! I‘m very happy and honored to have met you on here, feeling so connected through our FOREVER-LOVE for BTS. 💫❤️💫💜✨❤️🌹✨I just love it when you show glimpses of your beautiful culture. 🌸🌺🌼✨Big hug! 🌹💐🧚‍♀️

✨Dear @jmdbjk! I sooo enjoy your beautiful write ups. Thank you so much for all you do! 💗💞💫💜❤️✨💫✨

💜My dear Artie @chikooritajjk, thank you so much for your incredible posts, full of wisdom and love. Reading you is always so enlightening and fascinating. 💗💫💐💫❤️💞🌟🧚‍♀️💞😇I‘m very grateful for our friendship. Love you so much. 🥰

😀My lovely, hilarious @bucky13, I just love your posts! So funny. ❤️💜💞🌟✨💫They singlehandedly helped me through some hard times. Thank you so much!💜💗💫🧚‍♀️🌹❤️💞

✨💗Dear Joy @joyswonderland1108! 🌹Even if you post less at the moment: I will forever be grateful for our friendship and your insight into everything Bangtan. Love you!🎄🌟💫💜❤️❤️💗✨💃✨💞✨

I also wouldn’t enjoy being an ARMY half as much if I hadn’t @mimmi1963, @andy-wm, @chimstarlight, @kanmom51, @mariajmajesty, @roo-bastmoon, @irmi3454, @akookminsupporter, @irishhorse-blog, @marengogo, @carolinamountainthyme, @jkjmbtsarmy, @bangtanboizz, @bookscandlesnbts, @atxn8, @juliapark13, @monismochi, @everkook, @julietapark, @jimin-updates, @mimikoolover, @verseziam, @kaylee9597, @jikook-married, @hon3ymo0n, @aricastmblr, @jimimn & @seoul-bros in my life. And I miss @whysojiminimnida. 🥰 Knowing you all makes the current heartbreak a bit less painful. Love you all so much! 💗 We will go through this together, waiting patiently and not so patiently for our beloved Boys to come back. Big hug!💞���💗🥰💜🌹🌟❤️🌸✨💗✨🌸✨💫

✨Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all of you and ESPECIALLY to our AMAZING ANGEL ANNIE.😇🎄💗💫🌟✨❤️💫🌟✨🧚‍♀️

Xxx,

✨Janeli🌟✨

dearest janeli, what a special letter 🥺 you have such a big heart and I’m so happy for all of these amazing people to receive so much love from you, I hope it’ll always return to you to the same extent. thank you for sharing your generous kindness, it truly means a lot to have such supportive, sweet people like you here who will always go out of their way to make everyone feel happy and loved. I wish you the most wonderful christmas time, darling, you deserve all the good things in the world, no matter what time of the year! please stay healthy and keep being the incredible angel you are for all the years to come. I’m sending you all my love!!! 💖🤍🎁💝

also let me try to tag @everkook again for you, so they see this beautiful message too 💓

Participate in Christmas at Annie’s 🎁

[techtow]

Understanding Passover and Other Jewish Holidays: An Easy Guide

Passover, also known as Pesach, is one of the most significant holidays in the Jewish calendar, celebrated with rituals that have deep historical and spiritual significance. Alongside Passover, there are other important Jewish holidays like Purim, each with its unique traditions and meanings. In this article, we'll explore what Passover is, its importance, and touch on other Jewish holidays, infusing a bit of Jewish humor to lighten our exploration.

What is Passover?

Passover is a Jewish festival that commemorates the Israelites' exodus from Egypt, which is detailed in the Hebrew Bible in the Book of Exodus. The holiday lasts for eight days in most Jewish communities (seven in Israel and among some liberal Diaspora communities), and it involves a number of rituals and customs designed to remember the hardships of slavery and the joy of liberation.

The central ritual of Passover is the Seder, a festive meal where the story of the exodus is retold using a text called the Haggadah. During the Seder, families and friends gather to read the Haggadah, eat symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder plate, and discuss the themes of freedom and slavery. Key elements of the Seder include eating matzah (unleavened bread), maror (bitter herbs), and other foods that symbolize various aspects of the exodus story.

The Significance of Pesach

Pesach is another term for Passover, and it highlights the holiday's emphasis on passing over the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague – the slaying of the firstborn Egyptians. This event led to Pharaoh releasing the Israelites from bondage, marking the beginning of their journey to freedom. Pesach is a time for reflection on the struggle for liberation and the value of freedom, themes that resonate in many cultural and historical contexts.

Other Jewish Holidays: Purim

Purim is another joyful Jewish holiday that usually occurs a month before Passover. It commemorates the events recounted in the Book of Esther, where Queen Esther helps save the Jews from extermination in ancient Persia. Purim is marked by public readings of the Book of Esther, giving charity to the needy, exchanging gifts of food, and enjoying a festive meal. One of the more fun aspects of Purim is the tradition of dressing in costumes, which adds a playful element to the holiday.

Jewish Humor

Jewish humor, known for its wit and often self-deprecating nature, plays a significant role in how these holidays are celebrated and perceived among Jewish communities and beyond. Humor can be found in the playful customs of Purim, the creative parodies during Passover, and even in everyday life. It's an integral part of Jewish culture, offering a unique way to cope with past adversities and current challenges while celebrating joyous occasions.

Closing Thoughts

Understanding Passover and other Jewish holidays offers insight into the rich tapestry of Jewish tradition and culture. These holidays not only commemorate historical events but also offer time to reflect on broader themes of freedom, bravery, and joy. Whether you're Jewish or just interested in learning about different cultures, the stories and traditions of Jewish holidays provide valuable lessons and an opportunity for universal reflection on the human spirit's resilience.

In exploring these holidays and the humor interwoven with these traditions, we get a glimpse into the heart of Jewish cultural identity—marked by endurance, faith, and an unending zest for life. So next time you hear about Passover, Pesach, or Purim, you'll appreciate the depth and vibrancy these celebrations bring to the Jewish community and the broader world.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello! I was wondering if you had an insights as to what the idea was behind the Starsending Robes? I've been looking at them quite closely and couldn't understand what kind of style they were going for or what the inspiration behind them was! This isn't to say that I don't like them as I do a lot but would simply like to know more about them!

The history of the Star Sending harkens back to the story of Pinocchio, as is detailed in the introduction to the event. The customs associated with the holiday itself borrows ideas from Tanabata, a Japanese summer festival in which people write their wishes on slips of paper and tie them to tree branches.

As for the fashion (ie the Star Sending Garments/Robes), I don’t think it’s inspired by one particular trend or style??? It feels more like a combination of many different things.

Yana stated in a March 2023 interview that in terms of costume design, she wants the clothes to be modern yet also wants to remain cognizant of the fact that TWST (or NRC, I guess) is a place where many cultures, countries, and time periods exist at the same time. They have a unique world of their own, and stylish fashion to go with it—so the clothing in TWST isn’t really a reinterpretation of a preexisting costume, but rather something wholly special to Twisted Wonderland. As an example, the richly historical Pomefiore robes were inspired by the traditional Japanese kimono. For events in which characters travel to new places, climate and local culture is also considered for styling. Cold places like Harveston would have thick yer breathable clothing to protect from the weather! A similar approach may have been taken in terms of the Star Sending robes.

I believe the general overall look may have come from the Blue Fairy (from the story of Pinocchio, which the lore of the holiday originates); it’s a sleeveless dress, and if you look at her neckline, it’s a V-line. In the Star Sending robes, the white cloth forms a V-line as well (though it isn’t as obvious because it’s layered with a sleeveless black high collar tunic). When dancing, the Star Sending boys also use sticks topped with stars, which look very similar to the Blue Fairy’s wand. If we really want to go out on a limb, maybe you could say the fabric looks lightweight and is easy to move in to resemble the yukata that are typically worn to Tanabata festivals.

The actual robes and all the extra embellishments are probably there just to add extra modern or high fashion pizzazz? Or maybe the dark blue with the shiny accents are referencing Wizard Mickey’s hat 🤷‍♀️ (Again, basing this guess on the design philosophy shared in the interview.) I can’t think of any immediate comparisons to Pinocchio or Tanabata fashion.

[this-is-z-art-blog]

Hi, I saw your answer to someone asking about what a Hannuka celebration is usually like and I thought it was really well thought-out and helpful. I was wondering if you might be willing to give me some insight on other Jewish holidays. This was actually inspired by the DP Hannuka challenge. I'm writing a long DP fanfic that's largely from Sam's perspective and when I saw the challenge I thought this was a great time to write some holiday scenes. But when I started researching Hannuka I read that it's not really a major holiday I wanted to know which holidays hold more significant meaning and...well, I went down a rabbit hole and I feel like I HAVE to make sure I do Sam's cultural heritage justice.

The part I'm writing right now takes place in autumn. I wanted to include a little bit about her family celebrating/participating in Rosh Hashana and the ten days of awe. The thing is, I have absolutely no frame of reference; I hadn't even heard of it until a few days ago. Its surprisingly difficult to find descriptions of what exactly people do to observe that holiday besides food. There's plenty to read about the food haha.

I was wondering if you might be willing to share with me your experience with autumn traditions. Your description of Hannuka was so helpful and you seemed open to more questions. But if you're not comfortable please don't feel any pressure, my goal here is to be respectful and I honestly don't know enough about Jewish Culture to know if I'm being rude so please tell me if I am. I live in a predominantly Christian area and the majority of my cultural knowledge on the subject comes from TV which tends to only bring up Judaism when a character talks about Hannuka instead of Christmas so I am basically an uncultured goldfish.

First of all, thank you, and thank you for reaching out. I love talking about this stuff in general, and I especially really enjoy helping people navigate representing characters' Judaism in their works. I know it can be really intimidating to do research on your own- you don't know what questions to ask, or what's a reliable source, or what's unilaterally true vs what varies community to community, and you want to do a good job and not perpetuate something hurtful or harmful- it's a lot! So while I want to be clear I'm just one person speaking from my personal experience and knowledge, Jews are not a monolith and Jewish thought and experience varies a lot, you can always reach out and I'll do my best to help.

Note, the Jewish calendar is lunar, which is about ten days shorter than the solar year, which is why Jewish holidays don't have the same Gregorian date year to year. Every three years (roughly) we have a whole extra 'leap month' to keep the seasons on track, because certain holidays have to be in certain seasons (most notably Passover). Jewish days also begin at sundown and end at about an hour past ('three stars in the sky') the next day, ie Shabbat is Friday evening to Saturday night each week. The high holidays are in the fall, generally, but to know when specifically something is myjewishlearning or chabad are websites you can look up 'what date is [holiday] + [year]'

Rosh Hashanah (literally translated 'head of the year'), New Year's (one of four actually). Kicks off the high holidays, both very joyous and very reflective. Apples and honey is the classic holiday treat, for a sweet new year. Challah for this holiday is often made in a circular shape, for the cycle of the year, rather than the normal Shabbat braided loaves, and sometimes people will make it with cinnamon sugar or raisins for sweetness. You also begin reaching out to make amends to people you may have hurt over the past year, a process that continues throughout the high holidays. A big theme of the high holidays is Teshuva, which is sometimes translated as repentance but is more closely 'return'. It's about making sincere apologies and doing the work to get better and avoid repeating the same kinds of harm. I once texted a non-Jewish friend of mine an apology for a previous fight of ours around this time that for her came kind of out of nowhere, which made her think I was dying. People often have a family meal together. Fun fact, the current Jewish year is 5784. Two days long kinda. Holy

The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, as you flagged, the Days of Awe or Days of Return (or in Hebrew they're the aseret yamei teshuva) are more on this theme of reflection and amends. Many participate sometime in here in a practice called tashlich, where you symbolically release bread crumbs (or some other crumpled foodstuff that may be more suited to your local aquatic life) into the water (typically a river, but sometimes your local Water is a lake or ocean) as a way to release your guilt and regrets and move forward into the new year knowing you've done all you can and you now have a clean slate

Yom Kippur ('day of atonement'), holiest day of the Jewish calendar. One of two major fasts (full day, rather than dawn to dusk). Very thoughtful and contemplative, typically a full day of synagogue services reflecting. We spend most of the day thinking about death. For many communities it's traditional to wear white or to avoid gold. You think about your wrongdoings and how to improve in the coming year, and deeply consider whether you've made your amends and if you've sincerely put in the work to change and improve where you need it.

Sukkot! Rounds off the high holidays, eight day festival that starts five days after Yom Kippur. You build a small structure called a sukkah (you BET there are a hundred specific details) in your yard and take meals in it together, big holiday for guests and visiting. First two and last two days are holy, middle four are still part of the holiday but are more mundane, and you go about your regular life (ie you can use electronics and go to work). Many observe the daily mitzvot of eating something in the sukkah, and shaking the lulav and etrog (a gathering of four plants, the lulav (palm frond), myrtle branch, willow branch are bundled together and the etrog (citron) in your other hand, symbolizes gathering in all the different kinds of our people). At the last days of Sukkot is the holiday Simchat Torah ('the joy of the torah'), where we reach the end of the annual cycle of reading the Torah and begin it anew. VERY joyous and boisterous, big holiday for dancing.

Also, here's an extremely quick and dirty rundown of other the other more prominent Jewish holidays (I'm basically skipping a number of minor fasts and smaller celebrations, but also, hannukkah is on this list, and it is nowhere near the scale of importance as Rosh Hashaha).

Hannukkah. Eight day festival in the winter, lighting a nine branched menorah (the ninth candle lights the others, one more each night ie night one you light one night eight you light eight, once again a THOUSAND little laws and specifics. we are a pedantic people). You have heard of this one

Tu B'Shevat! Late winter/early spring holiday that is the new year for trees. (The name is just the date, the 15th of the month Shevat. Most though not all Jewish holidays are on the 1st or 15th of the month, or, the new or full moon). Big holiday for planting trees or trying new fruits

Purim! Early spring. In a leap year this happens twice (though 'little Purim' is a much smaller holiday). This one is bonkers and criminally underrated. Costumes, giving gifts both to charity and to your friends and family, telling the story of that time a guy tried to kill us all and failed so hard we eat cookies shaped like his stupid hat to this day (hamantaschen or oznei haman, it's just the Yiddish or Hebrew name for them respectively)

Pesach or Passover, you have probably heard of this one. Springtime! Can't eat leavened grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, rye) so you gotta clean ALL your stuff out. Most Orthodox Ashkenazim also don't eat 'kitniyot', basically, similar food categories that include nuts, beans, corn, and rice, so if that's your tradition it's pretty thorough. First two nights are the Seder, a large, meandering meal where we tell the story of the holiday (in my family we regularly sit down around seven, don't get to the 'eat the Meal' part until nine, and are at the table til midnight. Many families are a little more effecient but many are even less). First two and last two days are holy, first two days especially are a big time for visiting family

The seven weeks from Passover to Shavuot are a period of time called the Omer, mostly just focused on counting up (not down) the days to Shavout. On the 36th day, Lag B'Omer (name is once again just the day) it's a holiday celebrated largely with bonfire parties

Shavuot (name just means 'weeks', for the seven weeks we count to get here) is the holiday that celebrates receiving the Torah. Celebrated with study of Torah and many have a custom to eat dairy (or just not meat), holy, two days-ish

Tisha B'av is a day of mourning, and the other major fast. Commemorates a lot of various tragedies and traumas. The weeks leading up to it go through a few stages of mourning and mourning practices

Elul is the full month leading up to Rosh Hashanah, and is something of a 'ramp up' to the attitudes and festivities, where you start thinking about your past and coming year

Shabbat. As mentioned this one is every week, holy day of rest from sundown Friday to a little later Saturday. Many celebrate by going to synagogue and/or holding a meal together Friday night and/or Saturday afternoon

Miscellaneous note, safety always comes first. If there is an emergency that would require you to break a rule of the holiday, do it. The principle is called pikuach nefesh, or protection of the soul (life)

Holy days are traditionally (though not everyone observes in this way and specifics vary, it is none of my business, repsonsibility, or interest to tell other Jewish folks what to do) observed by a number of restricitons that I like the categorize as just being part of the world, not trying to create or destory anything within it. The specifics have a lot to do with laws tracing back to not participating in argricultural or textile labor, but most relevant to my life personally is not turning on or off electronics (or fire), and no writing/drawing/fabric crafts.

Again NOT every Jew does full traditional observances of every holiday and that a) is NONE of my or anyone's business b) does not somehow make them 'less' Jewish. Judaism belongs to every Jew and is theirs to decide what to do with. That said, it is a chip on my shoulder when the only Jewish characters I see depicted in media, overwhelmingly written by gentile creators, go over the top to stress how much they hate following Jewish law or how much they love not doing it; feels like people are only interested in having Jewish characters whose Judaism is either a total joke, or it has to be as unobtrusive as possible- which is another reason I try to make myself available to answer questions you might have about how TO include your characters' Judaism

[alexissara]

How I'd Make FEH's Seasonal Banners Not Suck

Gacha is evil, it's bad, you shouldn't play it but as a girl with a big of a gambling addiction but see's no value in PNGs it's an outlet for me so I enjoy a few Gacha games for their fix, one of which being FEH. Seasonal banners are the worst banners of every month because their not sparkable without paying the monthly fee they want players to pay. Still imagining a better world where they had non premium spark I want to go over each months theme and if I'd keep it the same or if I'd replace the theme and with what.

January - New Years It's a solid banner theme of holiday banners it's one of two I'd keep. Most people use a calendar that means January is the start of a new year so a banner themed around celebrating it makes sense.

January 2 - Dessert

While the Dessert theme does have an eventual expiration date Fire Emblem does have a nice breath of Dessert cultures throughout the series that I do think is interesting to get a bit more insight into. Eventually this will have to pivot to some other type of cultural background but I do think there is smooth ways to transition into cultures although perhaps they will intersect with the Culture/Tribal banners that happen later in the year. If they really ran out of special cultures I do think they could pivot this to even go modern and explore real world cultures that inspired the characters for more modern designs which could be a fun and exciting ways to engage players.

February - Vday While I enjoy the dead dads theme of The Day Of Devotion banner being little families connecting I do think with FEHs dual heroes that we could do an actually romantic set of banners where it has ships on dates in cute outfits with an all dual hero banner. I think this theme could or could not be game locked but I think the most fun thing is to have a thematic tie between the ships and have it not be game locked so instead be like tragic love, Eternal Love, Childhood Friends To Lovers Rivals To Lovers kinda deals where it explores a different set of dynamics and how they manifested in the series. I'd start with a Childhood Friends To Lovers theme with Alm and Celica, Florina and Lyn, Dimitri and Dedude something like that to have a nice well flavored banner.

March - Replace Easter with Beast AU

This is probably my biggest want for Fire Emblem Heroes, the Easter Theme is not good. What could be amazing though and fix one of FEHs biggest problems is a banner that makes units into Beast Units. FEH has to make a good chunk of it's OCs beasts just so it can put a new stream of beast units into the game and has to use fairly niche characters to fill seasonal rosters all to stay canon complient but I say fuck canon, it's fun to do an AU and it would let popular characters be reimagined. In particular they could easily debut this to a best selling banner of Three Houses AUs. Flying Beast Black Eagle Edelgard, Cavalier Beast Golden Deer Claude, Armor Beast Blue Lion Dimitri, and Infantry Beast Ashen Wolf Yuri. Bam, perfect, that's a top selling banner. You pair Yuri with M Byleth since he is the Ashen demon or Naliah for a canon wolf unit. You make the tempest trail unit Fbyleth as either like a literal Ashen Demon or a dragon.

April - Replace Kids with Futures

It will never set well with me on every single level the kids banner theme. I hate having the kids end up being stronger then the other versions of the character. I hate having kid designs in general cuz it feels weird to use babies to fight in these wars. It's a weird theme that should go. So instead I propose a much better theme of Futures where we see the characters older from their end cards in the game. This is a massive staple of Fire Emblem having characters have some nice little future and why can't we see this. The age range can vary seeing fresh faced adults of the younger characters like a Donel or a Amelia or like proper older versions of some of the more standard ages Fire Emblem lords as they enter their MILF/DILF eras. People would love to see a proper older version of characters they love, especially it could be cute for older titles where you maybe it could be like aged by the amount of years of the game and kinda a growing up with the character kinda deal. Or it could just be a thirsty Mommy Sorry kinda vibe, either way works for me.

May - Replace Brides With cooking banner

Getting ready for the summer rather then a creepy bridal theme we could have a cook out, since Fates cooking has been a staple of Fire Emblem. I think themes like Tea Time could also move to this slot but each year could have a different kind of cooking vibe from like a summer cook out to a master chief vibe to like a cozy married life cooking banner with each capturing a new vibe while not being just the same boring white dress on woman theme.

June - Keep Summer 1

It's fine, I don't care for the fan service but people enjoy it, keep one month of summer banners, it clearly makes money, someone gets excited about it, a lot of people do but it could also be they bring out a lot of fan favorite units and strong pairings.

July - Replace Summer 2

I will give FEH one month of swim suits but one month is all I will give. Swim suits are not inspired, they aren't particularly interesting and we don't need two months of it. The theme that could replace it I think is space for something really fun like a cosplay theme with other Nintendo characters or a modern fashion theme that could be summery but not like just a swim suit. Something out there and exciting and can be a real talking point of the year. Personally I am found of the cosplay/crossover slot existing here.

August - Make Explicitly A Rare Class Theme

This slot might seem random but to me the clear pattern is it's about highlighting a rare class in the series be in rare as if you get 1 per game or rare as in was only in a few games. We have plenty of Fates Birthrights classes but even outside of that we have classes like Summoner that have only ever appeared once or Bandit that have only been playable once that could be a ton of fun to see characters dressed up as and could lead to really fun designs.

September - Keep Culture

The culture/tribal banners that show up in September are fantastic, actually using the lore of Fire Emblem. We have tons of cultures to go through that have shown up in the Fire Emblem series with countries like Sacae, Almyra, Brigid, all briming with a ton of fun potential to bring into banners and have popular characters be there to carry the flag for their country while other characters dive deep into the cultures.

October - Keep Halloween

Halloween is fun, it's fun, it never is samey because Halloween is what you make it, they could mix it up and have FE characters cosplaying Nintendo characters even if they start deciding they wanted to move off spooky stuff but honestly the spooky stuff is all cheesy fun and the banners are not creepy at all so I think they are just good fun.

November - Widen Ninja to be other Japanese inspired classes

I love Ninja Banners, who doesn't they just have good units from popular games and good designs but I do think expanding Ninja to include Samurai and other Hosido classes could widen the general appeal of the units and help them not stagnate but also I like Ninjas so like I feel like it should expand but not as strongly as the others I wanted to change.

December - Replace Xmas With Snowy Cultures

I am Christmas's greatest hater so of course I want this to change but I also think it's just so boring as a theme everyone wearing the same kind of outfit and colors every single year it just isn't fun and I would much rather see an expansion to the worlds cultures like with other cultural banners and a shift to Snowy cultures like Flora's home culture and Florinas.

[wanderfulescapes]

Traveling in festival seasons (Fall edition) 🍁🍂

Dia de Los Muertos

Every autumn, Mexico erupts with joyful celebrations to honor lost loved ones during the time-honored holiday of Día de los Muertos. Far from somber, the festivities invite the deceased to return through vibrant rituals passed down through generations. You'll see the streets come alive with parades of skeletons and skulls, elaborate altars overflowing with marigolds and favorite foods of those departed, and families gathering in cemeteries for overnight vigils. The playful costumes and faces painted like sugar skulls celebrate life and death alike. To fully experience the communal rituals, rich memories, and cultural insights that surround Día de los Muertos, you must immerse yourself in the celebrations. As you reflect on mortality and honor those who came before, you just may leave Mexico with a revived passion for squeezing every drop out of life. Let the uplifting festivities of Día de los Muertos sweep you up on a travel adventure like no other this fall.

Before going Mexico for Día de los Muertos you need to understand their culture and traditions and where are they coming from.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a multi-day holiday celebrated each year from October 31 to November 2 across Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage worldwide. The holiday originated with the indigenous Aztec and Mesoamerican cultures of Mexico and Central America over 3,000 years ago. When Spanish conquistadors arrived in the region in the 1500s, the rituals of Día de los Muertos merged with the Catholic holidays for All Saints and All Souls Days.

Today, Día de los Muertos is a time for families to honor and celebrate their deceased loved ones. They build elaborate altars called ofrendas overflowing with the favored foods, drinks, photos and possessions of the dead. The holiday is associated with vibrant decorations like marigold flowers and sugar skulls. Families often clean and decorate the graves of lost loved ones, sometimes having overnight candlelight vigils or picnics in the graveyard. Parades and festivals with skeleton costumes, music, dancing and feasts are common public celebrations.

While Día de los Muertos has origins in mourning and remembrance, the mood today is celebratory and festive. The rituals are designed to entice the spirits of deceased family members to return for this special day of reunion. The holiday reminds us to value life and those we love. Día de los Muertos reflects the Mexican view that death is natural - not something to fear, but rather accept as part of life's cycle.

Participating in Dia de los Muertos festival is an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in Mexican culture and honor the tradition of celebrating life and remembering the departed. Here are some recommendations for what to do during the festival:

Visit Altars: These are set up in homes, cemeteries, or public spaces, overflowing with marigolds, candles, skulls, photos, and the favorite foods and belongings of deceased loved ones. Observing them provides deep insight into the customs. Each altar is unique and offers a glimpse into the lives of those being remembered. Respectfully observe the offerings and take in the stories behind them.

Attend a candlelight vigil - Many families hold all-night vigils in cemeteries, decorating graves with marigolds and keeping candles lit to guide the spirits. Witnessing this intimate tradition is moving- Many families hold all-night vigils in cemeteries, decorating graves with marigolds and keeping candles lit to guide the spirits. Witnessing this intimate tradition is moving

Witness Parades and Processions: Many towns and cities host lively parades filled with vibrant costumes, music, dancing, and people painted as calaveras (skulls). These parades are a joyful way to celebrate the spirits' return.

Enjoy Traditional Foods: Indulge in the delicious traditional foods associated with Dia de los Muertos, such as pan de muerto (sweet bread), chocolate caliente, sugar skulls, tamales, atole (a warm beverage), and more.

Learn about La Catrina: Discover the history and significance of La Catrina, the iconic elegantly dressed skeleton figure.

La Catrina became an iconic Día de los Muertos symbol due to her origins in José Guadalupe Posada's satirical 1910 etching of an elegant female skeleton, poking fun at indigenous Mexicans imitating upper class fashions. Her name blended European and native words, while her outfit blended styles, representing Mexico's mixed origins. Artist Diego Rivera later popularized La Catrina as a national symbol in his murals. Her playful yet philosophical representation of death as a natural part of life, instead of something to fear, resonated deeply. Today La Catrina appears everywhere during Day of the Dead celebrations, from artwork to costumes. She is the quintessential folkloric embodiment of Mexican identity and attitudes towards death.

Engage in Face Painting: If you're comfortable, consider getting your face painted with calavera makeup. It's a fun and artistic way to join in the spirit of the celebration.

Overall, Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of life, memory, and the unity of people across generations. Engaging in the festivities with respect and an open heart can provide you with a transformative and culturally enriching experience.