Grandpa Makarov had been nice enough to let them use the backyard area of the guild for their Xīnchūn prep and celebration.
So in the weeks leading up to the holiday, Hiro and Wendy had mostly been outside, overseeing the area and doing most of the work, showing their Guild Mates how. Several had volunteered to go out and catch fish, others went to get the fruits and vegetables they still needed while Carla went with to supervise, while Hiro and Wendy worked on the clothes, pudding, and stew.
Laki had gotten them the wood needed for the large fire, as well as the stumps for seating. Mira loaned one of the guild's large pots from the kitchens.
Back at Cait Shelter, the stew was made over the course of several days. It would be sat over an extremely hot fire, brought to a boil, and then the fire would be dampened to leave it simmer for three days. The Sweet-Fruit Pudding would be made the morning of Xīnchūn, before the ceremony. After the stew is taken off the fire, it is taken to the side so that it could be served. After the stew is eaten, they sing the traditional song while dancing around the fire, and anyone who wants to can dance. They dance for as long as they want, and then they eat the pudding, and finally go to bed.
Hiro had always enjoyed Xīnchūn, being one of her favorite holidays. The Sweet-Fruit pudding has always been one of her favorite holiday foods.
She hums, imagining the taste of the pudding she'll get to eat in a few days time, fastening the last tie of the last outfit. Wendy and Hiro made enough headdresses for everyone in the guild under 15, or over 55. Of course, the ones made for the elders were more ornate, with white and black, while the ones for children had smaller, more colorful feathers. Grandpa Makarov's headdress looked similar to Yéyé's, Master Roubal, but the tips of the feathers had more colors than Yéyé's simple red. Everyone else in between 15 and 55, instead of the feathered headdress, had decorated headbands.
The week after Xīnchūn, they fast, eat and drink nothing but water and plain bread the entire time, to rejuvenate their appreciation for what the Spirits had given them. It was a seek of thanks, to cleanse the final residue of the previous years negativity from their bodies. Hiro wasn't sure if the Fairy Tail members would partake in that part of the celebration, but she was just happy they were doing this much for her and Wendy. None of them had mentioned that part of the holiday, it was almost as if they didn't even know about it!
As if they weren't told about it...
"Wendy?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you tell them about the fasting?"
"..."
"..."
"I forgot..." Wendy pouted.
Hiro nodded solemnly, "Praise the Spirits, Wendy. Ask them to forgive your short memory." she snickers at her friend's embarrassed expression, "Better yet, ask them if they can fix it for you."
"Hiro!"
Hiro and Wendy, in all honesty, didn't really care if the others did the fasting. They were already celebrating a holiday none of them knew about, from a tribal religion none of them were part of. It was all they could ask of them, really.
With the fish and vegetables prepared, and the stew had been set to cook, Hiro and Wendy decided to hand out the clothes.
It had been very simple, handing them out, since everything was mostly the same size. However, the headbands all had very different designs. Some of the threads used in the decals glinted in the light, each having a design reminiscent of the wizard it was made for. It had taken a long time, and, despite their experience, many times being stabbed by the needles they used (don't tell anyone because Gajeel and Natsu had already hunted them down when they smelled the slightest hint of blood).
