Incidently, it's Christmas soon.
There are three events of winter for me, during December to January.
(it's too long story again...)
- Christmas -When I was my hometown (since the high school student),
it was becoming before the number of days of Christmas,
we made decorate Christmas tree (made of plastic) in the living room,
and on the night of the 24/12, my family observed Christmas,
with christmas cake and bird's meats and European style dishes(forgotten in detail...)
Now, my husband & me don't decorate the Christmas tree on 24/12.
but eat christmas cake and bird's meats and European style dishes.
The stocking filler was put on the side of the pillow on the morning of the 25/12,
When I was in the third grade of elementary school,
I was shock a little to notice my mother putting the present on the bedside...
I became a collage student, and parted with parents, lived alone.
When I was a freshman, December 24 was spent alone in the apartment room.
I regretted a little, I decided far away from my parents.
"When Christmas congratulated with my parents, I was happy.... "
I bought two slices of cake from the supermarket, and ate them while seeing TV.
The chime of the door rang at about 11 PM.
When I opened the door, there was friend who classmate's boy.
I was surprised at a sudden visit of him who didn't have the telephone either,
I thought "what happened to him?"
He said, "Gave it. Though the cake was gotten from the friend, it remained."
He passed box to me and returned soon.
I said to only him "Thank you..."
I opened a box after he left, there was two cutting cake.
Though the doubt had remained in his behavior, I was glad.
Because I loved him in those days.
However, I knew he had already made special relation with two women,
so I had decided keep friend with him.
However, I came to love him because of the matter of the cake.
After all, I confessed to him in several months on letter.
After one week he said me by telephone,
"Let's stay on by the friend. Let's have speak usually in the future."
I was refused by him, after all, he & me were not able a friend...
I had the associating person at the next year's Christmas. (He is my husband today.)
He said, "Having not observed Christmas in my family..."
I was surprised, and felt him poor...
His father said, "The buddhist was not a thing to observe Christmas".
His family ate a expansive sushi for Christmas, and to be the end.
(Tentatively, though my parents' is a Buddhism...)
I had celebrated Christmas with him,
with christmas cake and bird's meats and European style dishes.
(The Christmas tree was not decorated)
He seemed very glad.
When speaking to woman's friend later, matter of christmas cake at the first grader,
she said, "I don't understand his behavior..."
When I ask my lover, "what do you think because of man's standpoint?"
he said,
"When the cake only remained, he recalled you. There is no deep meaning."
- New Year -A special menu is prepared at the New Year.
The
"osechi" and
"zouni"(rice cakes boiled with vegetables)
are typical foods in Japan at the New Year.
The "osechi" packs the food that doesn't worsen at once into the box for the "osechi".
(It is difficult to explain to the person who doesn't know about Japanese New Year at all in the word...)
It seems to be a meaning of the "osechi" for the wife need not even cook from the 1st to the 3rd in the New Year.
However, the wife becomes should a variety of preparations of meal after all on Jan 1.
"zouni" takes soup with the soy sauce and sake.
"zouni"'s soup seems to be different in the region, and it seems to take the
taste with the miso in Osaka.
It takes with the soy sauce in my region.
As for the New Year,
"otoshidama" is the enjoyment in the Japanese child.
(It looks like "Ang bao" in Malaysia? )
About my family, we go to husband's parents' family on January 2 or 3,
and husband's relative is matched to the face.
(Though there are a lot of Japanese who travel overseas at this time,
such a thing has not been done at my home.)
Money is put in a small bag, and the adult gives the bag to relative's child.
At that time, even the university(collage) student can get "otoshidama".
The amount of money of "otoshidama" goes up whenever going on to the school above.
Even if "otoshidama" is glad of the child, the adult who gives it is serious.
Money tends to go out variously for the period of the New Year...
And, the third three large events in January is my birthday. (haha...
Though a married woman who passes 30 years old I don't understand how they feel their birthday.
I am still glad.
The cake is bought for my birthday, and celebrates with the husband.
with saying,
"otanjyoubi omedetou" (Happy birthday)Two years ago, my husband said to me,
"because it will be your birthday tomorrow, so you bake a cake?"
I felt anger his words, "Why should I bake a cake by myself on my birthday?"
I went to buy the cake at that time.