Kolieda

**Kolieda** (or Koliada, Koleda) is a winter festival observed by the ancient Slavic peoples and their pagan descendants in modern times. Its date roughly falls between mid-December and February.

Another name for it is **Velja Noch**, the Great Night.

## Customs

This festival is held to honour Veles, the god of the earth, waters, and the underworld, as winter was a time when the world starts to become more chaotic, allowing Veles' heralds and the spirits of the ancestors to visit the living world. Young men in masks and wool cloaks, known as *koledari* or *vucari*, run around the town as Veles' heralds and make a lot of noise to bless their neighbours. Anyone whom they visit welcomes the *koledari* and gives them gifts.

Inside homes, the master of the house holds a dinner for their family, their absent family members, and their ancestors near the shrine. Before the family may eat, they pray to their ancestors and the *domovoi*-wight of their home to thank them for their blessings. They offer mead, candles, incense, and food to these spirits and their patron deities. Similarly, some towns host a feast and start a bonfire afterwards.

Some Slavic cultures instead dedicate this day to a different deity, such as Dazhbog, Svarog, Khors, or Koljada. Others use this festival to mark the beginning of a new year in their traditional calendars.

It is also a time to host markets.

## In the *Rabydosverse*

"*Pobæda nad nondžastve, pobæda nad tjomne. So radostǐ Koljeda!*" (Victory over cruelty, victory over darkness. Happy Kolieda!) - a traditional greeting in post-independence Bujan.

Due to Zvestarid cultural influence, Kolieda has replaced Yule as the December commercial season in most nations throughout Jerde. As a result, it has become a festival for decorations, fancy trees, people in masks making a lot of noise, and festive commercialism.

Kolieda falls around the date for Yule, being December 20-22, causing the two festivals to become interchangeable.

In Bujan, Ontemazei often get decorated to mock their "tree-like" nature. Some Ontemazei instead mock other people back by designing festive clothes inspired by tinsel and festive trees. Other Ontemazei celebrate themselves by using trees with pink flowers or leaves, sometimes with the blue banners of their homeland.

One tradition in Kolieda was to use red cups, which was derived from Nolworra. Ultimately, the Nolworrans originally did it to celebrate their victory against an army of Terrans, by stealing red cups confiscated from an earlier raid by a militant church. The red cups became a symbol of victory all over Jerde, especially in Bujan, Marnos, and Siangwaan, toasted to celebrate the defeat of the Terrans.

## Gallery

Aljona dreams of arson for Kolieda.Ontemazei in Buyan dressing themselves as festive trees.Paxoti carrying a festive tree by one hand.Akaroduto dressing himself as a tree.Buyanski language (Pobæda nad nondžastve, pobæda nad tjomne. So radostǐ Koljeda!)Eosome language (Sop-kirājel waëra, sop-basōhan waëra. Es Ve Kolanta!)
## Trivia

* Christmas is one of the author's favourite festivals, largely due to the decorations.
* In 2016, the American preacher Joshua Feuerstein made a video where he complained that the plain red cups on Starbucks was an attempt to destroy Christianity in America. He was then mocked by an even bigger crowd for his paranoid views, even by other Christians. Back when the author was a Christian, he decided to put red cups in his stories to mock extremists like Feuerstein, becoming a seasonal tradition even after his conversion to Hinduism.
	+ In Bigton, a nation of American descendants with a Christian majority, red cups have become a traditional symbol of Christmas. The Christians of Bigton interpret the red cup as freedom from the sins of history and happiness for the future.
	+ On Jerde, red cups were stolen from American warriors as symbols of victory against them and other Terran warmongers.
	+ Another Christmas tradition the author made up is anything to do with Star Wars, in honour of The Force Awakens and the Rise of Skywalker.
* Koscheigradians joke that every Kolieda, people from the south *always* come to the capital with muddy shoes, due to so much rain and melting snow. So in some winters, mats are placed on every road and train and bus station, to keep visitors' feet and tyres dry.
	+ One problem Bujanski have every December is keeping their trees safe from the annual mischief by their beloved pet cats. Cats *LOVE* Kolieda trees because they are shiny, making them look like enormous toys!
* Ever since she became 18 years' old, Amaril's annual tradition on Kolieda is to dress herself as Kaworia, her favourite character, and invite her friends to watch an episode of Broken Plates, where her character came from.

## See also

* Yule
* Christmas, its equivalent in our world
* Posillon
* Vidovdan