Christmas on New Years Day

Our son and his family arrived from Arkansas on New Year's Eve.  

Therefore, this meant we didn't celebrate Christmas until New Year's Day.

Oshogatsu omedeto!  or Happy New Years!
                   and 
              Kurisumasu omedeto!  Merry Christmas!

Here in America Christmas is a big deal, a wonderful holiday - Christ's birthday celebration!  But in Japan the most important holiday is New Year's, with origins in the religious significance of purification.  Businesses shut down Jan. 1 - 3.  Families spend time together.

 Bamboo or pine decorates the entrance of the homes.

 Our Christmas gifts were still under our pine!

I fixed holiday food.

I didn't fix this.  I bought it.  Rice cakes filled with red bean paste.  It is quite time consuming to make.  My kids used to call them "baby bottoms" because they are very soft on top, like a baby's bottom.

 I remember watching our neighbors make mochi!  Fascinating.

We always got so much omochi for New Year's from lots of people.  When my parents first went to Japan, they got so much of it and at that time they weren't fond of it.  Mom tells me that one year she had Dad bury it in the back yard so no one would know that they didn't want it!  I cannot even begin to imagine that.  LOVE LOVE omochi and wish we could get the real deal here.  Maybe I can order on-line?

Claire was very ready for us to begin eating our Christmas meal! 

 She could not wait and wanted to raid the pantry.

Happy New Year's and a very merry and belated Christmas posting!