Today is the first day of the new year–New Year’s Day–but there really isn’t much to see. The good visual stuff happened in the preparation. If we could go into people’s houses today, we’d see a lot of younger people visiting their parents and elders, but out on the street, there’s less to see–which is good. People have been commenting today how many fewer cars there are on the road because so many have gone to the provinces to pay their respects to their parents. Given the lack of street action today, let me show you some more of the preparations yesterday, New Year’s Eve.
This couple made an early morning dash to the market for some flowers and incense.During the day I encountered various styles of making offerings to the ancestors. This family put out a very simple foam box of food, some incense–and a Coke. Over the years I have observed that the spirits really seem to like Coke.Still out on the street, but a little more upscale is the offering arranged on the hood of an SUV! Their ancestral spirits like Coke, too.This family set up an offering on a table set in the entrance way to their house. (The motorcycle is in the living room, the normal arrangement.) The spirits here prefer Pepsi and beer, though.Finally yesterday evening, it was time for the reunion banquets. Here two shop owners (selling shoes) lay out roast pig and all the traditional foods on the paved area in front of their establishments.
