The holiday season is here — stores have been decorated and holiday songs play around town. From one household to another, each family celebrates their culture’s holiday in their own special way.
Staying up for a hug: Christmas and New Years starts with a family hug at the Hernandez’s
Mariana Hernandez, a third-year student at the University of Oregon, said the holidays are a time to celebrate family. Hernandez was raised in a Mexican household, and she grew up celebrating a lot of Latin American traditions.
For Hernandez, Christmas and New Years were the two most celebrated holidays growing up. She recalls some traditional foods that are associated with family gatherings including tamales, pozole, arroz con leche and many more. These foods were shared with family as they celebrated being able to be together on holidays.
Staying up past midnight is customary for many on New Year’s Eve, but Hernandez’s family has a unique reason to stretch their bedtime — they stay up to give each other a hug at midnight on Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Food family and fortune on New Year’s Days in Japan
Ayano Yamada, an exchange student from Japan, reflects on her holiday traditions. In Japan, New Years Day is celebrated widely; being one of the most celebrated holidays throughout the year.
On New Year’s Eve, Yamada eats toshi-koshi soba, buckwheat noodle, with her family. The ritual of eating this dish on the eve of the new year symbolizes “good luck” for the upcoming year. On New Year’s Day, Yamada starts off the morning with ozoni, a soup with rice cakes and other vegetables and ingredients.
Osechi, a Japanese traditional New Year’s bento is another traditional New Year’s Day meal for Yamada’s family and many more. In a “fancy” bento box, different foods are placed. Each food item has its own meaning, generally meaning something like “good luck” or “family to prosper.”
As New Year’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays in Japanese culture, there are many other traditions and things Japanese people do during this time, including Yamada’s family.
It is common to go to a shrine on New Year’s Day, which in Japan is called hatsu-moude. Yamada and her family often go to a shrine and hope for things like good health and a good year to come.
Another tradition that Yamada looks forward to each year is otoshi-dama, a tradition in which children receive money from parents or grandparents or both for the new year.
New Year’s Day is an important holiday for celebrating and reconnecting with extended families as well. Yamada’s family would often visit their grandparent’s side of the family as well as cousins on January 2nd and January 3rd.
“I haven’t reconnected with some of the families after COVID,” Yamada said. She said that the holidays are about spending time with family and enjoying some traditions including food, visits and little cultural traditions.
What’s your story?
These were only some of the ways that students at UO celebrate holidays. Whether you are spending your holidays with your family, friends or your own, thinking of how different cultures value this time of the year can be insightful.
Take a moment to think of your story during holidays, or what your story will be. If you will be in town, Eugene Cascades Coast has a Christmas & Holiday Events list for you to explore this holiday season in Eugene.
Wishing you a happy holiday and a nice wrap up of the year 2024.
