January,2021

Dear ACE Students,

Happy New Year everyone!

Some of you might have done ‘Hatsumode’ or Shrine or Temple Visit on the first day or sunrise of this year to make a wish for a better year. The New year is an exciting holiday everywhere in the world. I have read and heard about how you celebrate it here in Japan. I can say that your traditions and customs are fascinating for me because they show how you treasure family bonding moments and enjoy each other company while eating the prepared dishes.

I am sure that most of you have enjoyed eating various kinds of special dishes like ‘osechi ryori’ and long soba noodles. Some of students have shared me their homemade ‘Omochi’ which I really enjoyed eating with soybeans powder and soy sauce for my new year while talking with my family online.

I am going to share with you here how most Filipino people celebrate theirs, like what traditional foods we eat, clothes we wear and what fireworks signify for us. Many Filipino people unite on New Year’s Eve to celebrate a midnight meal known as ‘Media Noche’. It is one the most important tradition we have because this is where family members are complete, relatives working abroad or in other provinces come home to spend time with the family.

This symbolizes how locals value family time so much. Preparing 12 round and sweet fruits on a table to welcome the New year is believed to bring you good fortune, Pancit/ Noodles are cooked to signifies long life, as are eggs signify new life and malagkit(Glutinous or sticky rice)like omochi here is the representation of a very good fortune will stick around throughout the year.

It is also common to stay awake to greet the coming of the New year. Before the clock strikes midnight, all doors and windows must be left wide open to allow good luck to enter. As we welcome the year, we do the countdown and lightning fireworks and making a lot of noise to drive away evil spirits. Filipinos try to dress in polka dots because the roundness means prosperity.

Pockets are filled with round coins, which jangled to attract wealth. At the exact moment of midnight, Filipino children jump as high as they can because they believe this will make them taller. I did it as well when I was a child. We spend the last days of the year cleaning everything, especially dust. However, on the 1 st day of the new year, you are not supposed to do any cleaning. And do not start the year off by spending money. Frugality on the 1 st day sets the tone for wise money management in the coming year.

In reality, it is up to us in how we’re going to make our fresh start and a year full of greatness.

Spending with our family and love ones, being thankful for another year and taking it as a good memory or a lesson is what matters.

Sincerely,

Lovely Ventanilla