NEOPIA CENTRAL - Yes, it is that time of year again. What
time of year you ask? That time of year: Where we get to see more Neopian
Festival then any part of the year. "But, Mr. Festival Dude," you say, "We have
so many exciting events, like Tuskaninny Day and Kacheek Day and Acara Aquatic
Festival..." Well, stop right there. Do you see a pattern? Those are all days
celebrating NEOPETS. But, now we are at that time of year, and yes, that time
of year, where more then 70% all of the Non-Neopet Festivals or whatever go
on. Two have already happened, and we are going onto a whole entire season of
them. And you better get on the holiday wave before it's too late.
Annual Usuki Doll Convention: PASSED
This convention was celebrated August 20th. We had the release of Super-Rare
Posters, and three new Usuki Dolls. Not much for a festival - but within one
month we also saw the release of Usuki Paper Dolls *cough*EVIL!*cough* and a
50% NP increase in the amount of NP given away in the game Usuki Frenzy, along
with a few more Usuki Dolls. Not a big deal.
Annual Chocolate Ball: PASSED?
The Annual Chocolate Ball was on the 15th of this month, but, for some weird
reason, wasn't celebrated? Maybe by the time of publication the Annual Chocolate
Ball will of come, or maybe it has passed with little notice. What it is, in
short, is where workers of the Chocolate Factory dress up and go to a dance.
They probably don't all wear tuxedos and skirts however: each year has a theme.
So they may all be dressed up like Country Singers, Faeries, or Sloth & Minions.
DO NOT PANIC IF YOUR NEOHOME IS RAMPAGED BY MUTANT KACHEEKS!
But what to expect out of this day is limited. Maybe the release of Draik and
Ixi chocolates, Petpet shaped chocolates, Raspberry Ice Cream flavoured chocolates
- who knows? Not much you can do to prepare sadly.
Faerie Festival: Gathering 20th
(Gathering is September by the way) The Neopian Calendar refers to Faerie
Festival as: Rumour has it that this is when the Faeries are most generous to
Neopians. So what this could mean is many things. Possibly you'll get a Faerie
Quest that day, maybe the Hidden Tower will have a discount, who knows? Some
Neopians jump onto this bandwagon well - in my first year I got a bunch of Faeries
from games and such and sold them all for 1 NP on this day. This was a long
time ago - I was not accused of a scammer at all. Those were the days when special
sales and contests roamed free...erm...don't expect me to do it now.
Anyway, keep your eyes peeled on the New Features page. But this has never
been a highly anticipated festival, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Annual Gormball Championships: Gathering 23rd
Last time we had Annual Gormball Championships it was actually Deckball
Championships - AKA the Krawk Cup. The a good example of this action came out
of League Six if you ask me - where newcomers to the staff Blind Justice, Penelope,
and Golden Child all had varying scores, (Blind Justice was the high-scorer)
while the person I rooted for, Number Six, did quite well. One more tap on the
right button and Wolverine might of very well been on the champions seat. More
could be expected of Mr. Shankly & Penelope, who both suffered in this League.
However, the next Krawk Cup may very well be the Meridell Cup - with rumours
of a Meridell 2-Player Ball Game circulating starring the stars of the Meridell
Plot itself, we may see this match-up again. Will Blind Justice go onto the
Knockout and get his well-deserved chance at Mr. Roboto? Will the well-deserving
Number Six move on? Will Penelope reveal her shrouded face? Will Mr. Shankly
get a desirable score in a new game? All may be revealed on the 23rd.
But, on a side note, isn't this the ANNUAL GORMBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS?
Grand Night for Notso Good Neopians: Collecting 31st (Halloween)
It's not really the festival itself we should be excited about, but the whole
week leading up to it. We'll be seeing new features in the Haunted Woods pop
up, (possibly the Stone Game mentioned on the World Page) more Halloween Neopets
and Petpets, etc. The Halloween Paint Brush prices should inflate as Halloween
Neopets emerge (same deal for Petpet Paint Brush), so get yourselves some today!
Mutant may also make a cameo.
This is also not crowd epk's inbox with Trick-or-Treat Messages Day. That is
irritating. Do it to someone else. Or give ME the candy.
Celebrate the Birth of the First Chia: Storing 14th
The first Chia? Thyassa. The best part? Irresponsible Lupes are banned from
all public grounds.
Neopets.com turns 3: Storing 15th
Not incredibly exciting last year, but their first Birthday was when the
Battledome was supposed to come out. It didn't. But, maybe Neopets will get
us hyped up about something else and actually something fun. Such as the Meridell
War finally? To tell the truth, the war is probably not going to come until
23rd, because we it's probably going to be a game starring the Meridell Plot
Characters, and I was told Jeran is one. But there is no Jeran, thus we need
some plot entries. Which leads to WAR! And later, tacky T-shirts with
"I fought the big baddies at Meridell!"
I'll be wearing it.
On a second thought, never mind.
But, anyway, on Neopets' Birthday we probably see a marquee on the New Features
page, cake at the Bakery and other food shops, and a bunch of other fun things.
Nothing you can do to prepare, but, eh, I don't call the shots.
All of Celebrating
Throughout Celebrating, you see many new items coming through a feature
we like to call the Advent Calendar. We had many new items come last year. How
does the Advent Calendar work? It's simple really - each day during December
(Celebrating) you go to the Advent Calendar page and say "Claim my Prize!" and
you get a Random Prize, most likely an item. But it can be anything: From Stat
Increases to Stolen Items, from NP bonuses to Lottery Tickets, it can be anything!
But, eh, Neopets hasn't done everything yet. It's been limited to Stolen Items,
Items, and NP. But it can easily change this year. It happens.
Whatever the Advent Calendar item is, it prices goes down to half the original
price, if not lower. Probably lower. MUCH lower. Clockwork Grundos went down
in leaps and bounds, Slushies had a hard time climbing the market, and all the
new items? Everyone had. So, if your neighbour has it, your other neighbour
has it, your pilot and co-pilot have it, your country's leader has it, I have
it, WHO WANTS IT? Prices are really low, and this is a good time to buy. Why?
Because some of these items are Advent Calendar only, AND WILL NEVER BE RELEASED
AGAIN. So, people who have DSL will buy 1,000 items each day of Celebrating
this year. Moolah. And as an added bonus, the Advent Calendar does not stop
on the 25th - it does on the 31st.
ALSO: Don't forget, it's Christmas Time. Along with all other December Holidays.
So, we see a surge of Christmas Neopets and Petpets, people want them, so my
best bet? Get a Christmas Paint Brush right now, either Petpet of Neopet. It
will pay-off in the long run. Also, Happy Valley, the 'Christmas Land' will
have some new stuff, and maybe Ice Caves and Terror Mountain Top, but these
two are less-Christmas oriented. Maybe even Sloth will get on. (Don't steal
Christmas Sloth! That's too cliché! But if you do, give me a piece. I've invest
in your stock - honest!) (Stupid me, last time I dealt with a Super-Evil-Power-Hungry-Maniac,
I got purple skin for a week.)
Borovan Day: Celebrating 20th
Expect to be a sharp drop in the price in Cups of Hot Borovan, which if
you don't know, can be made at the cooking pot with the items Hot Chocolate
& Asparagus. Other items to increase/decrease are Iced Borovan Cake, Borovan
Pavola, and Borovan Brownies. Also, get some NP ready, Gourmet Borovan is likely
coming out, and gasp, possibly the 1st ever Borovan Flash Game! (Right before
the Koi and Elephante and other Neopets get their own. Hmm...)
Also, I bet I know what the Advent Calendar prize is!
Day of Giving: Celebrating 25th; better known as Christmas
Is Neopets scared they'll be taking a copyright by using the names Halloween
and Christmas? Oh well, back to the article. It says on the calendar: Gifts
abound as all Neopia gets full of festive spirit. Last Christmas and Christmas
Eve NOTHING happened. However, the second one celebrated by Neopets (or first
- there are no New Features Page for the first) we got a sneak peek at the next
year:
Giant new fruit machine (Scorchy Slots the Sequel)
Fruit Machine in Lost Desert
A new adventure game set in Happy Valley and the Ice Caves
Possibly Garon the Lupe's Flash Game Ice Caves?
More robotic pets
Done
The Battledome will be opened up to everybody
Done
A new two week story set around the Battledome championship - carrying on
from where the Underwater City left off
It has a name you know, and you didn't do it!
Loads more items, and soft toys for every type of pet
Uh... done.
Neopia enters Y5: Celebrating 31st/Sleeping 1st; better known as New Years
Neopets - NO ONE COPYRIGHTS HOLIDAYS! I'm serious - I've tried and got rejected...erm...I
did nothing concerning making profit off of New Years...
Although this surely seems to be a better time to see the plans for the upcoming
year, don't let that get you caught off guard. It is a Staff Break Day, so not
much happens. The Advent Calendar IS on that day - and it will probably be a
big prize, like a codestone or something.
Well, that's pretty much it. Hopefully your ready for the Neopian Holiday Season
now! Ones not in the season include: Valentines (No Copyright!), Gadgadsbogen,
Tyrannian Victory Day, and Discovery of Meridell. More Meridell and Jelly World
related holidays are probably coming soon - keep your eyes peeled! Support Maraqua
(Jelly World is
still under it!) and bye in six different languages until next time. | 
