In Japan, we always welcome the new year by going out to somewhere scenic and watching the sunrise, while sipping a nice hot sake. Watching the sunrise on New Year's is called, of course, hatsuhinode - 初日の出. This is a tradition that I had come to treasure, and had thought to maintain here. But - to be honest - here, unlike in Japan, New Year's Eve is a party time, and after lots of partying, I just was not at all interested in getting up before dawn in the hope of having a sunrise. And actually - it was a bit too cloudy a day and there was no sunrise really. And although I sort of missed having a hatsuhinode, I followed more of the traditions of North America.
I won't forget my Japanese traditions, and especially not the mentality - such as that the new year is truly a new beginning, and letting go of any unpleasantness from the past year - but I think, too, that it is important to be where we are, and not try to live where we are not.
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