Heraneres
Heranres, also known as the Festival of Fire, the burning days or the purification, is an Erothenian holiday celebrated at the end of the dry season (and the end of the calendar year). The holiday is celebrated over nine days, forming three segments known as Preparation, Contemplation and Festival. Heranares focuses on the themes of renewal and purification, with an emphasis on fire and all its symbolism.
The exact origins of the holiday are unknown though traditionally it is claimed to have originated from pracitices of the ancient nomadic elves long before the foundings of any kingdoms. At the end of the dry season they would set large wild fires that would ravage the savannahs and create fertile land for new vegetation to grow once the rains returned - as well a nice bounty of grilled meat to partake in.
Preparation (26th-28th December)
The first three days are called the preparation, which is is spent on that very thing. People thoroughly clean their homes, especially sorting out clutter and anything unnecessary or broken to be later placed on pyres (naturally anything dangerous to burn is ideally properly disposed of instead), hang up decorations in fire colours and start preparing the feast foods. Most will also leave to gather together with family for the celebrations and even in the modern work-ethic obsessed Erothena most citizens can get their holidays free, or at least be allowed to work from a distance.
On the third day of preparation a fire is lit in every home (or many fires, if you can afford it) and is expected to remain lit throughout the rest of the festival. In the western parts of Erothena a pyre slipping out of control and starting a (small) fire in your home is considered a good omen, that you’ve fed the fires so well they will clean out your home of all sins, while in the east it’s considered a bad omen and a sign that you’ve been carrying so much bad behaviours and sins that the fires grow far too strong from feeding on them.
Modern day apartment-living elves who spend most of their time outside their homes often can’t afford risking their buildings burning down, especially since no insurance provider covers Heranares fires, so safer options have appeared from specially made enclosed fire holders to electric lights with fans blowing paper to simulate flames and now also holographic pyres that can take on all manner of impressive styles (all of which are frowned upon by the elders).
Contemplation (29th-31st December)
The second period is known as contemplation which constitutes three days of fasting. More religious or spiritual people will spend much time with prayer and ritual while the more secular minded catch up with friends and relatives. Most Erothenans don’t go entirely without food either but keep simple meals and avoid any kind of desserts or snacks during contemplation. Finally the most important tradition during these days is compiling the lists. Celebrants recount every regret they’ve had over the year; every unkind thing they’ve said, every mistake they’ve made and every thing they wish they had done differently or done at all. The regrets are written down on slips of paper and saved for the third day of contemplation - the fire dance
The Fire Dance
On this day large public pyres are lit. In ancient tradition, elves would shield themselves with protective magics and dance through the pyres, letting the fires burn their lists of regrets and ceremonially purify them of their sins and misdeeds. Over time it instead became more common to simply pay professional fire dancers to do it on your behalf, which makes the whole ritual a lot safer and usually more enjoyable to watch. The dancers pick up the massive amounts of regret notes and throw them around as they whirl through the flames, incinerating them and burning a years worth of regrets away to the cheering of the crowds.
The Fire Dance night also marks the end of fasting and many families enjoy a small festive meal before going to bed - or at least some drinks.
Festival (1st-3rd January)
The final three days form Festival, three days of feasting, drinking and reckless lighting of fires all over the cities. In remembrance of those old wildfires the festival food is grilled, usually in large public events that bring together entire neighbourhoods. Erothenians have a traditionally vegetarian diet but Heranares is an exception, meat being widely eaten especially in the west - although faux meat alternatives have become much more popular overall. This sudden desire for meat is a reason that Heranares also marks a related celebration for the orcs. During the imperial era, orcish cattle drivers would bring vast amount of livestock to sell to the elves for the Heranares feast, and the drivers would then spend their sudden riches on their own celebrations. Traditionally this ‘pay day feast’ was held during Contemplation, when Erothenian (mostly human or dwarven) bar and restaurant owners had no other customers and were more than happy to serve up expensive treats for the orcs, but the modern neo-orcish movement has brought it in line with the Heranares Festival.
At the end of the ninth day of the holiday, all celebrants gather to light and release paper lanterns. These too carry little notes, but with a single wish for the coming year. As the night skies are lit up by the red and orange lanterns the Erothenians return to bed to sleep off their hangovers and full bellies before another year of hard work begins.