I will explain a traditional Japanese New Year. Nowadays, although young people go somewhere with their friends during the long New Year holidays, many families still enjoy it with families and relatives. So, at the very end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, it is very crowed in trains, in … Read more
Like many other Asian countries, Korea has two different New Year’s days according to solar and lunar calendars. The more widely preferred one is the lunar New Year’s day, called So-nal. Sol-nal is a day for the whole family’s reunion and for refreshing everyone’s common life at the very beginning of a year. The day has many … Read more
The first of January is an important day in every country. We Koreans also celebrate this day, and It’s a custom for us to eat ‘Ttok-Kuk’ on this day. ‘Tekgut’ is made from rice cake. When we eat ‘Tekgut’, it means that we are one year older. So, some people make jokes like, “I don’t … Read more
Songkran is a traditional Thai New Year that starts on April 13 annually. It is also called the “Water Festival” because people believe that water will wash away bad luck and make people fresh. On this day, we sprinkle small drops of water to bless monks and elders. Their hands are sprinkled with perfumed water. … Read more
Making rice cakes is a Japanese tradition that is frequently done to make rice cakes (Mochi) at New Year. Glutinous rice becomes mochi after it is steamed and pounded with a Kine and Usu. First of all, place steamed rice into a wooden pestle. Next, it is Dad’s turn. Dad grabs the Kine which is made of wood and shaped like a big … Read more
If you were in China for New Year’s Day, you would see many kinds of paper cuttings on every family’s windows. Paper cuttings are one of the most popular folk arts in China. They are properly framed or simply pasted onto the windows. Traditionally, they were only made of red paper. Most elderly women would … Read more
Read how one Vietnamese family celebrates New Year’s in a uniquely Vietnamese way—preparing and eating traditional foods, observing special traditions, watching fireworks and a dragon dance, and sharing good times with family members. Spring is coming, the period of time to which I always aspire. It means that the New Year is also coming soon. … Read more
I thought originally that I would have a lonely Spring Festival in the U.S. this year, but afterward I knew I was wrong. Instead of it, Shelly and I had a very happy and busy holiday. It is the right time for our Chinese New Year Eve on Friday. My friend Shelly and I were … Read more
It’s a hot day in Argentina, Buenos Airs. We are in summer. Everyone is happy because we are going to start another year. My grandmother told me we are going to have my favorite food for dinner: a salad with crayfish, turkey with potato cream and dulce de leche ice cream for dessert—our special food for New … Read more
Readers from Brazil, Canada, China, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United States, and Venezuela share their resolutions. One of my resolutions for next year will be to save enough money for my son’s education. I’d like to have less stress in my life and dedicate more time to my family. To show … Read more