I'm dedicating this story to my mother. Her birthday is January 2nd.
The families living in Republic City were getting ready for the upcoming new year. As such, every household was busying themselves with the centuries-old traditions to bring in the new year.
One tradition involved giving one's home a meticulous deep clean. This was done so the house could become a clean slate for the new year. At the moment, Aang's sister found herself scrubbing underneath the refrigerator. "Mom, do I have to scrub so hard I keep breaking my nails?" inquired fourteen-year-old Ari to her mother, who was reorganizing the cupboards.
"Yes, honey, every inch must be immaculate. I'm sorry you're breaking your nails, sweetheart. I know they'll look horrid for a short bit, but they'll grow back. Or we can obtain you some fake nails.
Either way, make sure you get a thorough deep clean under the fridge. Then the inside and outside, do you understand, Ari?" Akanke asked to which her teenage daughter nodded.
"I hope your brother isn't goofing off. Seeing how he's supposed to be cleaning the garage right now," Akanke murmured, to which her daughter quipped. "Knowing my brother? Highly likely. May I check on him? To make sure he's doing his part?"
"Okay, ten-minute break, Ari. But that's all," the teen gleefully got off the floor then quickly scrubbed her hands before seeking out her little brother. "Aang! Aang! Come on, little brother! Where are you?" as she turned the light on in their garage. She narrowed her brown eyes, seeing her little brother had fallen asleep when he was supposed to be sweeping.
She crouched down then hollered in his right ear. "AANG!" Her little brother about jumped out of his skin. Once he got his heart rate under control, he glared at his older sister. "What gives?! Ari that wasn't funny!"
"You're supposed to be scrubbing the garage, not taking a catnap," she reminded him annoyed, "Now, Mom's given us a ten-minute break. So let's have a quick snack, then you have to start cleaning this garage out. Do you understand, little brother?"
"Yes, Ari, I understand," as they headed back in for a quick snack.
Elsewhere, Katara's family was currently involved in another tradition, making toshikoshi soba. It's traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve. The dish consists of buckwheat noodles in a soup with various toppings. Occasionally the meal will be garnished with some green onion. Then, it is topped with tempura, nori, egg, or spinach.
Additional time-honored meals consisted of mochi, an insanely popular confection. Eating mochi is said to help you achieve good fortune during the new year. Traditionally, New Year's kinako mochi are covered in roasted soybean powder.
One type of mochi, called kagami mochi, is used to decorate for New Year's. Two stacked, rounded mochi with a bitter orange or daidai on top, kagami mochi is an offering that goes on a home's Shinto altar.
Datemaki is a sweet rolled omelet that's mixed with a savory paste. The wavy border and an inner swirl of datemaki make it look like a naruto or "fish cake," which is interesting since there's fish in the dish.
Datemaki is mainly made of egg, while the sweetness comes from a mixture of honey, mirin, and soy sauce, along with a square of white fish cake called hanpen, which makes the dish fluffier. This sweet and savory roll is an osechi ryori because it resembles a rolled scroll, symbolizing academic prowess or success with studying.
Kabu-no-sunomono s a New Year's dish made from a pickled baby turnip. The turnip, a hearty root vegetable, is shaved into thin slices and sometimes plated to look like a chrysanthemum flower.
The pickling liquid used to make kabu-no-sunomono is vinegar, salt, and sugar. A dash of chili pepper is added to the middle of the shaped turnip to give it a pop of spice and color and make it more closely resemble a flower.
More commonly, though, thin sheets of pickled turnip are more simply plated. Not only is kabu-no-sunomono pretty to look at, but its bright, vinegary flavor is also punchy and delicious.
Kuri kinton, which means "chestnut gold mash," is a dish made from candied chestnuts called kuri and mashed sweet potatoes known as satsumaimo. To make kuri kinton, the satsumaimo are peeled, cut, and boiled before being mashed or pureed. Then, chestnuts, preserved in sweet syrup, were added to the potatoes. Plus some of their syrup, some salt, and mirin.
This dish's beautiful, yellow-gold color represents wealth and success—and who wouldn't want that in the new year? Whether they're sweet, savory, or a mix of the two, traditional New Year's foods celebrate the coming of the new year. While the holiday brings together family and friends, the osechi ryori can gift academic success, health, wealth, etc., to those you choose to celebrate with.
"Sokka! Come on already! Mom and Gran-Gran need as much help in the kitchen as we can get! So get off your lazy rear end and start helping us! We need enough food to feed a small country!"
"Cooking is for girls only! Ugh, the guys at school are never going to let me live this down!" as he tied an apron around his waist. His sister smacked his head once. "Ow! What was that for, Katara?!"
"One because of your attitude, and two cooking isn't just a girly thing. Now get to it! That food isn't going to make itself! And no lying down on the job either!"
"Why do girls have to be so damn bossy?" he grumbled, starting on making some mochi.
The Beifongs had only one job every New Year for Republic City. They're in charge of one thing—the otoshidama. On New Year's, there is a custom of handing a bit of money in an envelope to the children. It usually isn't much, but numerous children look forward to it. Occasionally adults will get them to. It depends on the household how otoshidama's are given out.
Suki's family, on the other hand? They're in charge of the Fukubukuro. Another fun little tradition for many is to go out and buy fukubukuro on New Year's. Fukubukuro are essentially surprise bags that many sell at different prices that people buy without knowing what's inside.
The collective value of items inside is worth more than the bag itself. However, part of the risk is not knowing what's inside. These bags typically sell out fast as there are lines of people waiting to buy one, and it is a pretty popular little New Years' tradition.
Zuko's family was occupied preparing for the Hatsumode. One of the more traditional New Year's customs is Hatsumode or the first shrine visit of the New Year. Families visit a shrine from January 1st to the 3rd to pay respects. Plus, to wish for a joyful and healthy year. But, unfortunately, the shrines tend to get significantly overcrowded.
Everyone did one last ceremony together on New Year's Day. It's called the Hatsuhinode, which is the tradition of everyone watching the New Year's first sunrise together. Finally, the end of the year came and went. As the metropolis observed the dawning of the new year? Everyone could feel hope that the new year was one of love, hope, and prosperity.
These are all Japanese New Year's traditions. Given I couldn't think of another culture that fit the world of Avatar well enough. So I hope you enjoyed learning about New Year in Japan. Happy New Year, everyone! May it be full of love, hope, peace, and good fortune!
Right where you should be
You're in exactly the right place. It may be scary, tedious, exciting, or heartbreaking. But whatever it is, sit tight. Instead of fighting your way out of it with everything you've got? Sit still, experience it. Let go, rock on. You're exactly where you should be.