This occurred to me the other day, and it’s something that wasn’t touched upon directly in the Bridgetown Trilogy: in this universe, what with multiple deities and a Universal Goddess floating around, will there be any set-date holidays? The simple answer? Yes, Virginia, there will still be a Santa Claus.
The spirituality of the Meraladhza and Earth human does not affect any currently held religious beliefs, actually. As the alien spirituality is a tangible thing, something focusing on the actual soul and not the religious aspect, most if not all major religions of the day have accepted any Meraladian deities that have popped up, such as the Universal Goddess, the One of All Sacred, Saisshalé, and many others. Conversely, Earthbound Meraladians have embraced the holiday spirit, so to speak, having fully grasped and enjoyed the positive energies that so often come from it. Celebrations are often ramped up to go consecutive days, which encourages people to “unplug” from the day-to-day rush and also to visit friends and relatives they would not normally be able to visit due to time constraints.
In Bridgetown, another holiday tradition is to visit the month-long Winter Festival, which takes place at Kendall Fields, in the southeast section of Mirades Tower Park. This festival, created over a hundred years previous, has a longstanding tradition of bringing together all walks of life both human and alien, and all belief systems, to celebrate life and spirit. It features numerous concerts, plays and productions, entertainment galleries, and more.
More to Come:
–On Religion in the Mendaihu Universe
–On Faith: the Personal and the Religious
Welcome to Bridgetown 