Peace of My Mind: Japanese New Year

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Japanese New Year

The Japanese celebrate their New Year every year at the same time as their Western counterparts, unlike the Chinese who follow the calendar year. Before I came to Australia and my first two to three years here, New Year celebrations were always about the fireworks at the Harbour Bridge or just drinks at friends.

Ever since I was inaugurated into my Japanese family here in Australia, I have been fortunate enough to taste some of the most sumptuous Japanese New Year celebratin every year around the 3rd of January. This year was the 6th but my 5th (kind of like 紅白 where it is invitation based only) and every year, we farewell some and welcome new additions. With Jamie and Sophia's arrival, they were warmly welcomed though they were still both a little too young to join in the celebrations. Hopefully next year, they will start becoming a fixture at this annual event.

Besides the glorious and carefully prepared food to emulate their home experience, there is always plenty of camarderie as we share our Christmas offerings and New Year's Eve celebrations in the warm feelings of fiesta. There is also the "customary" games at the end where we are all separated into two groups and compete not only in a quiz but also a hybrid of Chinese whispers and charades, which in my view is both scary, funny and not to be missed. It is just so nice to allow ourselves to be comfortable enough to make fools of ourselves while our next counterpart decipher the message that we are trying to bring to them. Ranging from arms flapping wildly in the air to mincing like a model on a catwalk, a prostitute or a porn star at work or just Marilyn Monroe trying to keep her imaginary dress from blowing up in the wind, images that bring so much fun and joy, laughter enough to last us through the entire year till the next ...

Food, Glorious Food ...