While we Americans celebrated the new year on the 31st of December, millions of people on this side of the world are celebrating the new year on February 15th. This is because people around here follow the lunar calendar and this year, the day after Valentine’s Day is the day.
Like most major holidays, this one is spent with family and you must be prepared! People go all out for this one and have to bring gifts and money for family. This time of year is one of the world’s largest annual human migration as everyone is traveling back to their family home.
This is what the street looked like where our market is located. It may not look like much but around here, this may as well be the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago for all the extra people there are out and about.
One must stock up on the basics and specialty items that are available for the new year.
These below are sweet, crispy rice balls. Candy and fruit are also popular gifts to give or offer to visitors . And whatever you do, do NOT forget the nuts and seeds!
One must always look correct so, this lady is selling new head adornments that you can buy for yourself or a loved one. She also happens to be modeling how to wear these head pieces.
Paying respect to your ancestors is also a part of this holiday so one must bring things to offer at their home alters. If one is Buddhist, however, then you offer these things to Buddha. Below are prayer flags, flowers, candles, statues, vases, and pictures that are placed in a family’s home alter. They are also placed at a holy spot located outside; typically at the mouth of a spring, a mountain top, or any other place in nature that holds special meaning by the people that live around it.
These are juniper branches that are to be burned as they are very smokey and fragrant. The thought is that the strong smoke and sent will travel up better into the heavens as a good offering.
Needless to say, we do not celebrate New Year’s in this way. These days, we can barely muster the energy to stay up past midnight on December 31st! This year, however, we invited everyone we knew that would not be returning home this year to eat with us in our home. One family and one older single guy were able to come. We ate together and played games and had a great time.
One special memory was hearing from my friend on how she celebrates the new year in her home town. She told me that they don’t return because the financial burden is too high. They are expected to bring about $1,600 cash with them (in local currency) along with gifts. It is more shameful to go home and not have the money and gifts than to just not go home at all. She also told me of how her family misses them and that it has been 3 years since she was able to go home. Her father cried when they were on a Skype call and wasn’t able to talk to her for the tears; he missed her so much. I could relate.