Obviously, because we’re not savages, we celebrate the solstice. Our main festival in Port Naain is actually the Autumn Equinox, or Tide Watch. Nine years out of ten we have gales and driving rain and folk gather together to drink, eat, and tell long stories, recite poems and give each other gifts. The date was chosen centuries ago because the weather at that time of year is fit for nothing else.

The Solstice is different, it’s a civic festival. It marks the day Sinecurists take up their sinecure and hand the money over. It can be an awfully expensive time for the rich and powerful and somewhere along the line it was decided that the city, or rather the citizens, ought to show their appreciation. So on the day of the solstice everybody gives presents to those in authority over them.

In a family situation this means children give presents…