New Year's has always been a significant holiday for my family. It's an important time to celebrate and feast in Japan and Okinawa, and our mom carried this tradition over for us as kids. We were permitted to stay up until midnight on December 31st, watching special Japanese programming on TV and eating and drinking, and at the stroke of 12 we clanged pot lids together and shouted out our front door. January 1st meant more food and partying with our family. In Japan big year-end parties happen during the month of December, and many businesses close the first few days of the new year.
The past few years our oshogatsu (New Year) celebration has been held at our house, where family and a few of our closest friends gather for feasting and sharing cheer. It's a time to let go of the old and welcome the new, while recognizing what's important to us. Here's to a fresh start, and a new year of good health and happiness for all.
And lucky us: we also get to celebrate in February, when Okinawans recognize the lunar new year as well. More fun, food, festivities.
