Sonaveil - Ceterai/Enternia GitHub Wiki

Sona's Veil, also known as Sonaveil, is a planetary snowy season celebration named after the alta philosophical concept of snow - sona. It usually happens during cold seasons around cold solstice on alterash prime planets, and emphasizes staying warm, gathering together, and celebrating community bonds during the coldest time of year. In nature, it's quite similar to various traditional human holidays like Christmas, Winter's Veil, Yule, Midwinter, Hanukkah, and New Year.

Core Meaning

The holiday's name comes from sona (snow/ice element), representing the season's challenge. The celebration centers around a simple but profound message: staying warm together when it's cold outside. This reflects both literal winter survival and metaphorical emotional warmth through community.

Main Traditions

  • Warm Clothing & Blankets - Wrapping up in warm blankets, wearing special blue scarves given out by local outposts, dressing in layers
  • Sonaveil Pie - The defining dish of the holiday, made from cooked gils, sonasweet (baked sonava fruits), koywa dough, spices, and tonna milk butter. These pies keep their warmth remarkably longer than ordinary pies - some say they require a touch of holiday spirit to bake properly
  • Hot Drinks - Drinking hot tonna yaavi milk and other warming beverages
  • Physical Affection - 'Let's hug and stay warm' and 'Sona's Veil cuddles' emphasize the holiday's focus on warmth and togetherness
  • Winter Activities - Building snowaltas (alta snowmen), enjoying the snow, staying cozy indoors
  • Decorations - Hanging scarfs and strip lights to brighten the cold season

Sonaveil Pie

The quintessential Sonaveil dish that combines:

  • Cooked gils - Base ingredient
  • Sonasweet - Baked sonava fruits providing sweet warmth
  • Koywa dough - Traditional alta pastry
  • Warming spices - Seasonal flavoring
  • Tonna milk butter - Rich creamy texture

The pie's magical property is its ability to retain warmth far longer than normal baked goods. The recipe varies between alta cities and research stations, each adding cherished local touches. Master bakers like Miara and experienced Elin Gardens caretakers can create Sona's Embrace - the perfect Sonaveil pie where every element comes together in harmony.

Sona's Embrace

"Sona's Embrace" is what altas call the perfect Sonaveil pie - a rare variant that embodies the true spirit of the holiday:

  • Golden-perfect crust - Delicately flaky yet sturdy
  • Balanced filling - Perfect sweet-spice harmony
  • Rich tonna butter - Smooth and creamy throughout
  • Magical warmth - Radiates heat for hours, both physical and emotional

These perfect pies are made by loving sisters who pour genuine holiday spirit into every step. Sharing Sona's Embrace is considered a deep expression of sisterly love and care.

Greetings & Phrases

  • 'Happy Sona's Veil!'
  • 'Wishing you a joyful Sona's Veil season!'
  • 'Time to dress warm and have fun!'
  • 'You should put on a warm scarf, sis~'
  • 'It's cold outside, sis~'
  • 'Don't catch a cold, sis~'
  • 'Wanna build a snowalta, sis?~'
  • 'Let's celebrate Sona's Veil together!'

Special Items

During Sonaveil, tenants may gift Holiday Spirit items - symbolic tokens representing the festive season's joy and community spirit. The main food item is the Sonaveil Pie, with its rare perfect variant Sona's Embrace.

Cultural Significance

Sonaveil reflects alta values in unique ways:

  • Pragmatic warmth - Emphasis on both practical survival and emotional comfort
  • Cultural inclusivity - Recognition of similar holidays across species: 'Or is it Yule? Or Hanukkah? Or Christmas?'
  • Sisterhood focus - All references are to gathering with 'sisters' rather than family
  • Seasonal adaptation - Despite living on ionized planets, altas maintain cold-season traditions tied to their created origins

The holiday's core message - staying warm together when it's cold outside - represents both literal and metaphorical meaning. While altas have technology to handle cold, they choose to celebrate community bonds through shared warmth, making Sonaveil one of the most emotionally meaningful alta holidays.