Twisted Wonderland: Dark Parable
Grimrose Academy for Young Ladies
Okay so, in a previous post I mentioned that Grimrose celebrates the Sabbats from the Wheel of the Year (a.k.a the pagan holidays). Here's how they celebrate some of them:
*Please note that this is an alternative universe's version of the real life pagan holidays, therefore, they will most likely be slightly different from what you see in real life.
This Sabbat marks the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, and it celebrates the coming of spring and the return of light in the world.
Cleansing baths are encouraged.
Spring cleaning! Remember that scene in Attack on Titan where Levi has everyone deep clean a house? Yeah, kinda like that but with the dorms.
This is the bussiest time for the Gardening Club because students are encourage to plant flowers as part of the celebrations, thus, the Gardening Club is there to supervise.
The students set up a bazaar where they trade or give away things they no longer need or want; clothes and shoes that no longer fit, jewelry and accessories they no longer use, toys and dolls they don't want anymore, etc.
Food: Lots of dairy! Cheese boards, fondue, butter, cheese crackers, fried milk, puddings, milk-based drinks (with or without a spalsh of cream liquor), creamy soups and stews. There's also honey, grains, breads, lamb, pork, and ox.
Celebrates the Spring Equinox, when the light and the dark are perfectly balanced. This is when spring is now in full bloom.
Egg hunts! These get really competitive because the eggs are not just filled with candy and trinkets; some of them have gift cards, concert tickets, money, and even "You can skip a class" or "You can skip an exam" cards inside.
Girls are also told to practice their oomancy (a form of divination that uses eggs).
Food: Every single egg dish in existence like egg salad sandwich, omelettes, quiche, pickled eggs, deviled eggs, egg noodles, egg tarts, custards, souffles, meringues (and a very special berry and herb infused wine the students like to brew for the ocasion, in secret, of course)...
The Sabbat that marks the beginning of summer, celebrated midway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.
It wouldn't be Beltane without maypole dancing and campfire galore!
Students and staff leap over bonfires for luck.
Perfect time and place to practice fire spells such as pyromancy, a type of divination involving fire.
Some students take advantage of the bonfires to burn some....medicinal herbs.
A Beltane Queen is named for the day. The girl is expected to lead some of the celebrations.
Every year there's always a group of girls who complain about the lack of boys because the festival is supposed to celebrate the balance between the male and female energy found in nature, which is kinda hard to do without boys around.....
Food: everything is skewered and roasted; whole pigs, chicken, sausages, marshmallows, you bet they're going to make use of all those campfires!
The summer solstice Sabbat, which celebrates the longest day of the year.
For this, the entire school goes on a three-day camping trip.
This is a favorite amonst the familiars because of the outdoor setting.
They basically do the standard summer camp activities: canoeing, hiking, lake swimming, arts and crafts, capture the flag.
Many girls wake up early/stay out late to watch the sunrise.
Food: Pretty much anything they can gather: wild game, fish, wild berries, root vegetables, and herbs (and of course, the ocasional sip of bootlegged moonshine). They cook most of the food over a fire.
This celebrates the beginning of the harvest season, halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox.
The Games are pretty much the mini Olympics; there's archery, Spelldrive, horse riding, swimming, fencing, gymnastics, etc... The dorms select their representatives to compete against each other, and the dorm with the most wins is crowned the victor. The winning dorm is given a whole week off classes and is exempt from schoolwork.
Other activities include arts and crafts, like making corn husk dolls and wheat wreaths, or even making banners and flags to support their dorms during competitions.
Food: Lots of corn-based foods like popcorn, corn fritters, corn bread, corn liquor (only for those old enough, of course *wink, wink*), bread (these girls carb-load before The Games), grains, apples, nuts, fruit pies, lamb and beef dishes.
The autumn equinox. The festival where they give thanks for basically anything they feel thankful for.
There's a fair setup with game booths and activites such as: Ring Toss, Dunk Tanks, Balloon Darts, Milk Bottle Toss, and High Striker (with prizes and everything).
There are also several contests: Baking, Knitting, Talent Show, there are even contests for familiars.
A massive feast at the end of the day, of course, with plenty of leftover.
Food: Pretty much all sorts of poultry: turkey, chicken, duck, goose, hen, quail. There's also apples, pumpkins, squash, root vegetables, breads, cider (and mulled wine, and mead if you get thirsty), and plenty of pies and cakes for dessert.
This Sabbat is celebrated halfway between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice. It is a day to conmemorate and remember ancestors, family members, friends, pets, and other loved ones who have died.
The girls setup altars with candles, a photo of the deceased, and offerings (usually something that they enojyed while alive).
Students and staff dress up with the mourning colors of their culture/country of origin. They're also told to cover their faces with veils, makeup, masks, scarves, etc.
There is a Dumb Supper, a meal that is served backwards (dessert first) while the attendees eat in complete silence. They also leave space at the table for ghosts to join.
There are also campfires, which the students use to tell scary stories.
This is usually the least favorite Sabbat because there is an excessive amount of incense burning throughout the school, so it leaves the campus smelling like a funeral home for days.
Food: Pumpkin EVERYTHING (pies, punch, pasties), pomegranate, apples, goat, chicken, root vegetables, and all over the school you'll find carved pumpkins filled with sweets. They also try to incorporate pig and cow blood in many dishes such as blood sausages, blood chocolate pudding, blood stews, etc...
The Winter Solstice. This is actually the least celebrated Sabbat because most of the students go home for winter break, thus, not many students stay for it. To those who stay, they celebrate that the light and warmth will be returning.
There is a gift exchange within the student body.
Snowball fights, ice sculpture competition, Yule tree decorating, and ice skating on the lake.
There is also a ball in the school's decked out ballroom.
Burning of the Yule Log (where students can practice capnomancy)
Students and staff bury a cow's heart on the ground (this is to symbolize how they nurture the earth and in exchange the earth nurtures them)
Food: Ham, turkey, root vegetables-based dishes (mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, roasted brussell sprouts), yule log cake, ginger cake, fritters, hot chocolate, mulled wine, mead.
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