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| A small offering in New Pyongyang. |
The Snow Festival, known as hrwijichi (쉬지치) in the Yurtyzstani language, commences on the date of the winter solstice and lasts for one week. It is one of four Yurtyzstani seasonal holidays, the others being the Bright Colour Festival (autumn), Warmth Festival (summer), and Blossom Festival (spring).
Unlike the other three seasonal festivals, the Snow Festival is marked by solemnity and remembrance. The Yurtyzstani seasonal festivals are set in opposition to the general social environment during the season in which each takes place; as winter is generally Yurtyzstanis' favourite season, the gravity of the holiday tempers the joyful mood.
During the Snow Festival, special attention and thought is given to the deceased, recent and distant. As trees are considered the spiritual ancestors of Yurtyzstan, leaves are gathered from the ground to be set aside and trees in general are honoured. Warm, comforting food such as soup is emphasised in meals. The festival concludes with a ceremony in which messages reflecting on the past and remembering ancestors are cast into the Yongkwa River.
Christmas also takes place during the Snow Festival. Though secularism is on the rise as Yurtyzstanis turn towards philosophy and unorganised faith, Christmas is still fairly widely celebrated in Yurtyzstan. However, the traditions surrounding its celebration are far different than in Western nations; gift-giving is almost never associated specifically with Christmas, as Yurtyzstani tradition and preference dictates that gifts should be given at random and without the obligation of return. For Yurtyzstani Christians, Christmas is a day of penitence and reinforcement of faith.
