guys, i bet they already have most of the content for Chap2 done by new year, or maybe even chrismass....
by now, its usually playtesting and bug-hunts ^^
real hols...hm..take the pagan calender then, since most of them have non religeous (ie, christian/islamic/yewish ect) connotations, mostly connected to nature.
(by the way, if your members of said pagan or celtic, a few notes on what the holidays and festival are about would be usefull and welcome

heh i just have the names and dates)
Imbolc (january 31st/eve of febuary 1st)
Spring equinox (march 21st)
Beltane (april 30th/ eve of may 1st)
Sumer Solstice (june 21st)
Lughnasadh (july 31st/ eve of august 1st)
Autumn equinox (september 21st)
Samhain (october 31st/ eve of November 1st)
obviously the summer and winter solstices are festives of great importance.
we've had winter with wintersday.
Samhain was halloween (thats where the church got it from, they just made november 1st into All Saints day and turned october 31st into a night to stay home and be good little churchgoers)
spring equinox would be a planting festival, so can tie it to Melandru (being godess of nature and forest n animals ect)
maybe Imbolc could be a Grenth festival (since its still winter, maybe have it last grip of winter death befor spring?)
summer solstice would be a good time to have a summer party and do stuff with all the Tyrian gods.....summer being a easy time. not autumn, when theres harvesting to be done, so your bussy, and not spring, cause theres too much doing with the planting..
then there would be the days and festivals belonging to the specific deitys of the world....Feast days and Festivals for each of the tyrian gods....
and dont forget the Kings days and so on that would be area specific...like Regents day in Ascalon....
also, they need to make these events take place in more than just Lions Arch.
yes, its a good reason to shift yer butt to that area and get there with your characters, but it puts a strain on districts.....
i mean, my friend told be there was almost 60+ french districts on LA on new years eve...
if they seperate it up into 3 main areas...Ascalon, Lions arch and Drocknars forge, it will mean theres more choice, and everyone can join in.
also, they need to add some of the holidays to pre searing.
*yes, i know its the training ground, yes i know people shouldnt hang around there froever....*
see, the way i figure it, some people are always just starting out, might not have a second charecter....why should they be totaly left out?
acepted, they dont have to have everything the rest of us have, but come on! are you telling me they dont selibrate Wintersnight back befor the Searing? 0.o
having a small amount, maybe just the decorations in Old Ascalon and a few, maybe 2 of the holiday collectors in the main town will encourage these people to get going, cause there might be something even better later on in the game....
(and its just one area that would need decorating, and maybe one area instance that needed monster drops tweeking)