1 Dawning
Day when the Council of the Dawning begins its meetings every five years. Also known as the Day of
Dawning, this is when many Dosem communities hold festivals set up to hilight masterful works that
demonstrate prowess or skill in an art form or trade. Dosem are also much more willing on this day than
any others to teach others about what they do, and for those who make the pilgrimage to the Council's
meeting, can often learn quite a bit from other Dosem in this exchange of information that symbolizes
the return of Gaelsam to the Dosem people.
5 Delight
Harvest Day, though celebrated almost universally across Thistledown, holds more of an ancient feel to
the Dosem, who were once an agrarian society. Some Dosem see this as a joyous day for all, while others
are more serious and reflect on where the Dosem would be today if they were still uninformed farmers.
11 Flourish
Similar to the Day of Secrets, the Dosem celebration of this minor holiday is usually quite extravagant
and cause for all Dosem to hold the biggest parties of all year. Dosem attempt to outdo themselves and
their peers every year in parties that inevitably descend into a debaucherous (by other cultural
standards) orgy. As such, these celebrations are usually confined to Dosem communities, due to the
inevitable complaints raised by other cultures at these "shindigs". Some Dosem no longer celebrate
on this day, but hold their parties on the Day of Secrets (5 Innocence) instead. This day is also when
many a Dosem has fallen drunkenly asleep at a party and wound up with a stranger in bed and a strange
tatoo they don't remember getting.
Birthdays
The celebration of one's birth is another milestone in a Dosem's life, though on the order of being
mostly celebrated every five years. They do observe their birthday annually, but every five years
is considered an important point of reflection for a Dosem, to look back on their lives and judge
for themselves who they are as a person, and to make plans and hopes for who they will be in the
future. If a Dosem has not gone walkabout by the time of one of these quaternary birthdays comes
around, they are almost always encouraged, if not insisted upon going walkabout by close family
and friends. These events are also often celebrated by some Dosem going out to get a tattoo that in
some way reflects of their life over the last 5 years.
In celebration, Dosem tend to take into consideration the problems that hard liquor can cause, and often will only stock water, juice, or light liquors or wines. Parties are held outdoors when the weather is favorable, or indoors when it is too cold or wet. Entertainment varies depending on the wealth of the Dosem in question, ranging from simple entertainment provided by the host of the party, such as playing of an instrument, or the hiring of a performing troupe.