’Tis the Season… Because Yes, I’m Listening to Christmas Music Now

I admit it: The Christmas music has officially begun in my house.

I’m one of those people who waits until after Thanksgiving before I crack open the holiday playlists. It’s a personal rule—no “Jingle Bells” until the turkey leftovers are safely tucked away. But now that we’re past that point, the cheerful tunes are rolling.

Some people wait until the week before Christmas because the songs can get overwhelming fast. I get it. There’s only so much jingling, crooning, and chestnut-roasting a person can take before needing a break.

Decorations fall into this same category. For me, the day after Thanksgiving is “go time”—lights, tree, ornaments, the whole festive explosion. My aunt, on the other hand, starts in October. That’s when her house begins its transformation into a winter wonderland.

And then there are years where I slip into a little “bah-humbug” mood myself and don’t want to decorate at all. Some seasons are just like that.

Christmas with Umanomagi

But this year feels different. I’ve released War of the Umanomagi, and while I may never write a holiday novella (never say never), I’ve wondered…

What if War of the Umanomagi became a series so big—think Wheel of Time big—that I was practically obligated to explore what holiday traditions look like in the Six Kingdoms?

If that ever happens, I’d need to figure out what a “Christmas-like” celebration looks like in a world rebuilt by magic after a nuclear holocaust. Technically, each kingdom would treat things differently—especially Evertree, home of the plant-folk—but let’s keep this simple.

Before brainstorming holiday ideas, here’s a quick refresher on the gods who shaped the world.

The Pantheon of Twelve Gods (Quick Overview)

The Six Kingdoms owe their existence to the Creator—a desperate mortal who shielded the continent (a transformed Australia) from nuclear destruction by tapping into ancient magic and opening forbidden gateways.

Through sacrifice, chaos, and divine intervention, these Twelve Gods emerged:

• The Creator – savior of humanity, wielder of ancient magic

• Cracious – the Ancient One, first dragon, the Creator’s brother-in-power

• Carlopol – trickster of the Aldaraen, chaotic protector

• Deroni – god of seas, purifier of waters

• The Allmind – mental realm god, brilliant, treacherous

• Montica – goddess of virtue, fertility, seasons

• Kruel – god of war and ambition

• Larucious – god/goddess of green life and the Evertreeans

• Brothara – goddess of deep dwellers, fire, and the forge

• Nasaria – goddess of the Fae, beauty, innocence, strategy

• Stanari – goddess of the dead and the Underworld

• Nerticol – god of chaos and evil, bringer of suffering

With this pantheon in mind, here are…

Three Christmas-Like Holidays for the Six Kingdoms

These celebrations are not Christmas copies; they’re shaped by the world’s magical rebirth, the Gods, and the shared trauma and hope of a civilization rebuilt from ashes.

1. Lightwoven Night

Themes: protection, gratitude, remembrance Honors: The Creator, Cracious, Montica

Lightwoven Night marks the darkest night of the year. It remembers the moment the Creator wove protective spell after spell—like glowing chains of magic—to shield the continent.

Traditions might include:

• Drawing small protection sigils on door frames

• Creating magical “light chains” that glow softly at night

• Storytellers reading from the Divinara: Codex of the Pantheon

• Exchanging gifts meant to symbolize protection (amulets, charms, blessings)

It’s a solemn but hopeful night—honoring survival in the face of annihilation.

2. Greenwake

Themes: rebirth, nature, growth Honors: Larucious, Montica, Deroni

Where we have Christmas trees, they have living vow-trees—trees decorated but never cut down. Each family or village cares for a tree that represents renewal.

Possible traditions:

• Decorating vow-trees with ribbons, glowing fungi, or crystal-buds

• Exchanging seeds, saplings, or herbal gifts

• Sending floating lights downstream as thanks to Deroni

• Larucious’ priests visiting villages to bless farms, forests, and gardens

This holiday would be especially spectacular in Evertree, where the trees literally glow.

3. The Night of Three Flames

Themes: joy, chaos, forgiveness Honors: The Creator, Cracious, Carlopol

This is the fun one.

It celebrates the day the Creator, Cracious, and Aldaraen-born energies (through Carlopol) stabilized reality and closed the catastrophic gateway.

Traditions:

• Lighting three colored flames

  • Gold — the Creator

  • Purple — Cracious

  • Blue-green — Carlopol

• Small, harmless pranks in Carlopol’s honor

• Musical performances with deliberately shifting rhythms

• A tradition of forgiveness, laying aside grudges for one night

It’s chaotic, playful, and deeply symbolic—honoring the strange, unexpected survival of the world.

Holiday Celebrations in Other Fantasy Worlds

I’m far from the first author to imagine festive magic:

• Harry Potter — traditional British Christmas, but with enchanted decorations, magical gifts, and ghosts joining the feast.

• Discworld’s Hogswatch — Terry Pratchett’s brilliant parody/homage featuring Death delivering presents.

• Tolkien’s Yule — a midwinter feast celebrated in Middle-earth from ancient mythic roots.

• Wheel of Time — holidays like Bel Tine and Sunday, symbols of new beginnings, light, and renewal.

If War of the Umanomagi ever grows to that scale, I’d love to explore holidays with the same richness and heart these worlds offer.

What About You?

Do you have a favorite winter or holiday celebration from a fantasy world?

Do the people in those stories:

• light magical candles?

• feast under enchanted trees?

• summon snow spirits?

• honor gods of light, warmth, or rebirth?

Share your favorites—I’d love to hear how other fictional worlds celebrate, and who knows… maybe one day, a Six Kingdoms holiday novella will exist.

Until then… the Christmas playlist stays on.