Star Wars: Five Galactic Holidays to Celebrate
You may be celebrating a holiday of your own today, so let’s learn a little more about celebrations from the galaxy far far away.
It’s a big galaxy and there are a lot of cultures with a lot of holidays. While some of us are celebrating our own holidays, let’s learn a little more about celebrations from the galaxy far far away.
Life Day
You know Life Day. They made an entire holiday special about it. It’s nearly unwatchable and if Lucas hadn’t said that he wanted to destroy every copy with a hammer, we may have collectively forgotten that movie even existed. But here we are. Life Day is a Wookiee holiday where inhabitants of Kashyyyk celebrate their planet’s diverse ecosystem and all of the life that coexists there. After the rise and fall of the Empire the holiday’s importance to the Wookiees became more apparent and the holiday became more well known as Wookiees left Kashyyyk to see other planets. And so Life Day grew in popularity in the galaxy as a whole.
Empire Day
Commemorating the day that Sheev Palpatine made himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire, Empire Day is celebrated now. Or else. The Emperor approved festivities include parades, playing of the Imperial anthem, “Glory of the Empire,” and airing footage of the Emperor making a speech where he is digitally enhanced to look younger and stronger than he actually is. On Coruscant the Empire takes its birthday very seriously and festivities last an entire week. Attendance is mandatory. We will see you there.
Republic Day/Remembrance Day
We’re dunking on Empire Day a bit (because it sounds awful), but the concept of independence holidays or national birthdays aren’t uncommon, even in our world. So it’s not surprising that the Republic had Republic Day before their fall. It exists in Canon as well as Legends, but doesn’t differ much. Fireworks, parades, sales, and a general atmosphere was pretty normal. In Legends Republic Day became Remembrance day after the rise of the Empire. Taking place at the same place as Empire Day, Remembrance Day can be celebrated by by defacing Imperial propaganda posters with graffiti.
Boonta Eve
We spend so much time on Tatooine, that we should probably know more about their culture and holidays. Boonta Eve is an annual festival from the Old Republic honoring Boonta Hestillic Shad’ruu’s rise to godhood. Boonta was a Hutt, likely from Nal Hutta and not even from Tatooine per se. But it’s not likely that the Tusken Raiders are sharing their holiday calendar and people on Tatooine deserve something to celebrate from time to time.
All-Species Week
One of the best things about Star Wars are all of the alien species. Every movie and show seems to introduce another. Coruscant celebrates this exact diversity in a week long holiday. Unfortunately, not much is known about this holiday at all. But seeing as how the Ersos used it as a way to help them escape the Empire on Coruscant, it seems it was being celebrated through the Imperial era. I presume this is a holdover from the Republic times.
What is your favorite Star Wars holiday? Which do you wish we could celebrate here on Earth? Is there one you think should have made the list? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
