Nigelmas is a celebration of the Miracle of the Three Day Goose, when Nigel was surprised by an endless stream of relatives while attempting to have dinner. Miraculously, there was enough goose to last through the entire deluge, although the pudding ran out halfway through the second day. Nigelmas covers a three day span and is marked by visiting friends and family and eating their food. Begmans typically arrange their schedules so that they spend one night hosting and two nights visiting, but this can vary by generosity or number of wealthy relatives nearby. The upper class families with country homes tend to use Nigelmas as a family reunion, with dozens of Dares or Smythes descending on the ancestral manor for a frenzy of consanguinity and gluttony. Lower class celebrations tend to take the form of block parties, with entire neighborhoods opening their doors to one another and cycling around sharing food and drink. Unlike many yuletime traditions in the Golden Circle, Nigelmas is not particularly marked by acts of charity; it is a time to close ranks around family and community rather than paying attention to one's fellow man.
Glanworth shrugs. "Pretty straightforward. Go around eatin' other people's food, take a night to let other folk eat your food, and give gifts to them you're close to. There's songs, but the tune's easy enough and everyone mumbles the words anyways."
