A New Year’s Celebration in Your Pocket

Happy New Year! 2018 dawned bright and beautiful, but I’m sad I’ll have to trade my novelty 2018 glasses and festive party hat for my work clothes (just kidding, I’m totally wearing these bad boys to the office). The fireworks and party poppers may be gone, but you can recapture some of that holiday goodness celebrating in-game by catching a few bugs, picking a few apples, and doing favors for your fellow campers in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp.

I’m a big fan of Jay.

If you’re enjoying this game from somewhere other than Japan, you may be wondering about the details of the New Year event—tangerines in a basket? Making mochi? Where are the fireworks and novelty glasses??

First, let’s talk about all the hammers my animal buddies keep giving me! These countdown charms are shaped to look like a lucky mallet. According to Japanese legend, the lucky mallet is believed to have the extremely useful ability to produce money when shaken or struck. As one might imagine, the lucky mallet is a popular motif around the New Year—I think everyone could use a little extra coin!

Let’s hit it!

Fancy Kadomatsu

Fancy indeed! First of all, what does kadomatsu even mean? Kado + matsu literally means “gate pine,” and you’ll often see them displayed outside of homes and business for that very reason. In addition to pine, you’ll also see bamboo and plum tree sprigs included in the decoration. These festive bouquets serve to welcome Shinto deities to homes or businesses from mid-December through January 7^th. Pro-tip: Make two and set them on either side of an entrance for double the deities!

Summon those deities with flower power!

Zodiac Dog

Where my Chinese zodiac experts at? This year, 2018, will be the Year of the Dog according to the 12-year Chinese zodiac. (In case you’re wondering, 2017 was the Year of the Rooster.) Given that, it makes sense to include a little canine decoration in your spread!

Starting the year right with an excellent selfie.

Fancy Kagamimochi

Literally “mirror mochi,” these are two large, flat rice cakes stacked on top of each other, with a Japanese orange or tangerine on top. Other decorations include dried kelp, decorative paper, and ferns. It’s recommended to put kagamimochi in every room of the house, so why not make multiples if you have extra countdown charms? Kagamimochi becomes really important on January 11^th, “Kagami Biraki.” On that day, you take the mochi that has been slowly drying out on your mantle, break it apart, and eat it!

Now I’m hungry, so let’s talk snacks!

Fancy Osechi  

Ready for dinner? Tuck into the traditional New Year’s Day feast, osechi-ryori! Traditionally, cooking on New Year’s Day was a no-no, so families would prepare long-lasting food in advance (you can also life hack this by buying a prepared box instead). Things you’ll often find in a box of osechi-ryori: prawns, bitter oranges or tangerines, fish roe, black soybeans, lotus root, and much more! Each of the food items has a special significance such as luck, happiness, health, or other auspicious things you’d want to invite in the new year. The prawn, for instance, represents a wish for long life, on account of its long beard and bent back!

Basket of tangerines

Winter is harvesting season for tangerines, so it makes sense to keep a basket of freshly picked tangerines on hand! Gather ‘round the happy table with your animal friends to swap stories and enjoy fresh fruit!

Kadomatsu Screen

The folding screen itself isn’t particularly associated with New Year celebrations, but it sure looks nice, doesn’t it? The painting on the screen is seasonally appropriate, so it’s a nice backdrop for our kagamimochi and osechi!

Flowery Kotatsu

This also isn’t a New Year’s item, but rather a winter staple. In fact, you may have already made the version with a blue cloth for your campground! A kotatsu is a table with a heater attached to the underside. The tabletop is removable, so you can put a comforter underneath it, trapping the heat and keeping your tootsies toasty all winter. To maximize your kotatsu experience, I recommend the following: fluffy floor cushion, laptop, warm beverage, kitty.

It may be chilly outside, but this table is hot hot hot!

Had enough snacking and lounging under the kotatsu (can one ever really have enough lounging)? Let’s head outside for some fun New Year’s activities!

Fancy Mochi Pestle

OK, I lied. The first activity is more work than play, but the result is worth it, I promise! While nowadays people can easily throw freshly cooked rice into a mochi maker and get sticky rice cakes in minutes, the traditional method of turning rice into mochi is to throw it in a bucket and pound it with a wooden mallet. Why do we need mochi? Well, one of the other great New Year’s food items is ozoni, soup made with either dashi or miso stock, containing mochi, fish, and vegetables. As a favor to yourself, please look up a video of “mochi pounding in Nara.” You may find a classic example of pro-level mochi-making!

Make that mochi!

Isabelle Kite and OK Motors Kite

Now we can move on to the fun part. Kite flying is a New Year’s activity in Japan, so get out there with your animal buddies and fly some kites!

There’s something oddly poignant about flying a kite.

That wraps up all the things you can craft to bring the Japanese New Year experience to your campground, but did you also check my style? To complete the experience, craft the fancy mochi pestle, fancy osechi, and complete 20 requests for visiting animals to add these items to your wardrobe…

Kimono & Blue Haori

The first visit to a shrine is an important New Year’s event known as hatsumode. This generally happens between January 1^st and 3^rd. Folks generally want to look their best for this event (after all, you’re praying for your health and happiness in the coming year!), so they step it up with either kimono (the red outfit) or haori (the blue coat).

Kimono Sandals

My mother always told me that if you don’t have the right footwear, your outfit is only half done! So don’t forget to grab the matching sandals to wear with your New Year’s gear to complete the look!

-Lauren A.