The Lore Behind Starlight

[MrThinker]

What's the lore behind the Starlight celebration in Eorzea? Or is it across all of Hydaelyn? Is there much about it in the lore books? Teach me Mogster!

When they first introduced these special events that are canonically a part of the in-game world's lore to a degree, there was an info box on the event page explaining what they were. IIRC, the First Starlight was from back in 2013, the first year of the games relaunch.

EDIT: I found the page after a quick google search, here it is:
Starlight Celebration 2013

This has a good background on what the Starlight Celebration is lorewise.

But in case you don't want to open it up:

The Starlight Celebration is a time of generous gestures and festive fellowship, reminding us that even a customary courtesy can be a bounteous benevolence. It also reminds us of darker days in Eorzean history, which serve to make such deeds shine all the brighter.

Several generations ago, a sanguinary struggle claimed countless lives and left full as many orphans homeless and hungry. Taking pity upon their plight, a company of Ishgardian knights sought out these children each night, furnishing them with food and shelter within their barracks.

As doing so was positively prohibited, however, the knights had the children slip in while swathed in their scarlet jackets. Thus were they spared the worst of the cruel cold. These orphans survived the winter, and, later in life, they went on to convey the same kindness to others that they had once received. On the coldest week of the year, they took to sporting scarlet and passing out presents to the children of the realm. And over time, their deeds developed into the favored festival known as the Starlight Celebration.

As for what said struggle was, I can only say it had to have been in the last 1000 years, because Ishgard had to exist, maybe a dragon attack?