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tv_universe.
Fandom: Firefly
Rating: G
Words: 552
Note: The opening paragraph is lifted from another Firefly holiday fic I wrote for Valentine’s Day, but I figured it would be okay. These are all real holidays from around the world; it was fun to think about who might have celebrated what.
Even though, as River had noted, the concept of “days” and “months” was irrelevant to Life in the Black (or, as she put it, "a vestigial mode of time measurement based on solar cycles … not applicable"), there was always someone that kept them on some version of an Old Earth calendar, bringing in the half-remembered holidays from multiple cultures like faded photographs, memories in bits and pieces.
So when the alert that Kaylee and Wash has set into the ship’s computer pinged them that it was winter solstice, fortunately they happened to be down on a planet during its snowy season, so it matched the mood. No time really to gather food or other specialties, but they brought in some evergreen branches from outside, and lit candles, and had warm drinks—with a little something extra in them to lure Jayne—and sat around and told tales of memories of home.
Wash and Simon both talked about celebrating Christmas, with bringing in a tree from outside, and candles, and, strangely to the others, gifts that seemed to be put into boots left out overnight. Wash’s eyes glowed at the mention of “cookies” with colorful icing. River seems to perk up as Simon described going from house to house, singing songs about stars and holly.
Kaylee excitedly described Koliada, and visiting neighbors to get small candies, and dancing in the town square enacting the raising of the sun.
Mal, as always, seemed to be evading sharing anything about his past, but Kaylee wheedled him into admitting that on the ranch, they celebrated Sadeh: A mid-winter feast to honor fire and to "defeat the forces of darkness, frost and cold.” That seemed fitting and caused his crewmates to nod to each other.
Jayne harrumphed a bit discussing the Feast of Winter Veil celebrated in his homeland—with towns decorated with lights and a tree with presents, brought by GreatFather Winter, who was both eagerly anticipated, and slightly feared, by children in the community.
Zoe nodded vigorously as Book spoke of Bodhi Day—the Day of Enlightenment, and the peaceful joy in celebrating the day that the Buddha experienced enlightenment, with quiet meditation, communal eating, and laughter.
Inara wandered to the kitchen as she began to speak. “On my home planet, we celebrated Yalda, to make note of the longest night of the year and the beginning of the lengthening of days.” She smiled at the memory as she opened a cabinet. “It was glorious, celebrating the victory of light and goodness over darkness and evil. We would stay up all night, we called it 'night gazing.’” Her gentle tones and movements held the others’ attention, especially Kaylee who clasped her hands at the notion of ‘night gazing.’ Inara took a brightly-wrapped package from the shelf and drifted back to the table. “Fruits and nuts are eaten, especially pomegranates and berries whose red color reflects the crimson hues of dawn, as the sun would come up, heralding the start of the warmth and the light.” With that, she unwrapped the cloth bundle, spilling onto the table an assortment of fruits, nuts, and colorfully-wrapped treats. “And here we are. A bit of Yalda on Serenity.”
The others leaned forward excitedly and grabbed bits of the bounty, chattering and laughing and feeling joyous.
.
.
tv_universe.Fandom: Firefly
Rating: G
Words: 552
Note: The opening paragraph is lifted from another Firefly holiday fic I wrote for Valentine’s Day, but I figured it would be okay. These are all real holidays from around the world; it was fun to think about who might have celebrated what.
Even though, as River had noted, the concept of “days” and “months” was irrelevant to Life in the Black (or, as she put it, "a vestigial mode of time measurement based on solar cycles … not applicable"), there was always someone that kept them on some version of an Old Earth calendar, bringing in the half-remembered holidays from multiple cultures like faded photographs, memories in bits and pieces.
So when the alert that Kaylee and Wash has set into the ship’s computer pinged them that it was winter solstice, fortunately they happened to be down on a planet during its snowy season, so it matched the mood. No time really to gather food or other specialties, but they brought in some evergreen branches from outside, and lit candles, and had warm drinks—with a little something extra in them to lure Jayne—and sat around and told tales of memories of home.
Wash and Simon both talked about celebrating Christmas, with bringing in a tree from outside, and candles, and, strangely to the others, gifts that seemed to be put into boots left out overnight. Wash’s eyes glowed at the mention of “cookies” with colorful icing. River seems to perk up as Simon described going from house to house, singing songs about stars and holly.
Kaylee excitedly described Koliada, and visiting neighbors to get small candies, and dancing in the town square enacting the raising of the sun.
Mal, as always, seemed to be evading sharing anything about his past, but Kaylee wheedled him into admitting that on the ranch, they celebrated Sadeh: A mid-winter feast to honor fire and to "defeat the forces of darkness, frost and cold.” That seemed fitting and caused his crewmates to nod to each other.
Jayne harrumphed a bit discussing the Feast of Winter Veil celebrated in his homeland—with towns decorated with lights and a tree with presents, brought by GreatFather Winter, who was both eagerly anticipated, and slightly feared, by children in the community.
Zoe nodded vigorously as Book spoke of Bodhi Day—the Day of Enlightenment, and the peaceful joy in celebrating the day that the Buddha experienced enlightenment, with quiet meditation, communal eating, and laughter.
Inara wandered to the kitchen as she began to speak. “On my home planet, we celebrated Yalda, to make note of the longest night of the year and the beginning of the lengthening of days.” She smiled at the memory as she opened a cabinet. “It was glorious, celebrating the victory of light and goodness over darkness and evil. We would stay up all night, we called it 'night gazing.’” Her gentle tones and movements held the others’ attention, especially Kaylee who clasped her hands at the notion of ‘night gazing.’ Inara took a brightly-wrapped package from the shelf and drifted back to the table. “Fruits and nuts are eaten, especially pomegranates and berries whose red color reflects the crimson hues of dawn, as the sun would come up, heralding the start of the warmth and the light.” With that, she unwrapped the cloth bundle, spilling onto the table an assortment of fruits, nuts, and colorfully-wrapped treats. “And here we are. A bit of Yalda on Serenity.”
The others leaned forward excitedly and grabbed bits of the bounty, chattering and laughing and feeling joyous.
.
.
