Holidays
There are two major civic holidays in Great Nortend. These are Whit Monday and Michaelmas.
Whit Monday is celebrated as the King's Day, and is a day of patriotism focussed on nationalism amongst Erbonian subjects towards the King and Fatherland. Whit Monday church services are a strong tradition, with special texts for the day. It is also the de facto day for confirming children, which in Great Nortend carries with it the extra significance insofar as children swear the oath of liegance immediately prior. After the noon Mass, large processions and parades are ubiquitous where patriotic songs are sung. The largest is in the middle of Lendert-with-Cadell, on Edcheap Square, where nearly 200,000 people assemble each year with 100,000 soldiers in a massive parade through the city. The King also gives an annual speech on Whit Monday at this parade, which is read out across the country.
Michaelmas is New Year's day, and is celebrated as a day of thanksgiving for the harvest and the year focussed on loyalty to one's community as symbolised by the local harvest. After the noon Mass, where a “St. Michael” is crowned with a garland crown, there is usually a parade around the village, town or borough led by “St. Michael”. Though it is ostensibly a harvest festival, in urban areas the focus is generally more on the town or city's institutions, such as the mayor and council, guilds, schools, police constabulary, firemen, cadets and military units. The local feudal lords, yeomen husbandmen, farmers and farm labourers play a large role in the countryside, although the elements of local pride are still evident. Annually the King visits a different locality for the Michaelmas Parade.
Eugenics laws
Great Nortend under the government of Sir Henry de Foide passed the Public Health Act in 1946, in an attempt to improve public health and reduce the burden of hereditary diseases on the population. Under the Act, measures must be taken by the Lord High Almoner to reduce the incidence of certain genetic diseases classified as “serious” or “of concern”, through educational, financial, legal and physical measures. Genetic testing may be mandated to determine the likelihood of passing on genetic diseases. Additionally, financial incentives include a grant of up to £1,000 in return for abstinence from reproduction, or fines of up to £1,000 for giving birth to more than one child. For serious cases where there is no voluntary agreement of chastity, forced sterilisation may be ordered by a court to prevent reproduction.
Generally, however, the majority of persons with heritable genetic diseases are happy to forego reproduction as the financial incentives for doing so are significant. Furthermore, depending on the severity of their illness, they are fast-tracked to be able to adopt children. They also generally will receive fully subsidised medical care. For the rest of the population, there are financial incentives for giving birth to only two children, which entitles families to receive a grant of £250 per child, as well as access to fully subsidised medical care. Any further children entail financial fines and loss of full subsidy of medical expenses.
