FESTIVAL DAYS | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 28, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 42.

FESTIVAL DAYS.

NEW YEAR'S DAY is the great day in Japan. This is the season when all debts are paid, while general visiting and feasting occupy three days. Everybody sends his friend a present, a basket of oranges, or a dumpling of red beans or rice dough, wrapped in the ceremonial paper. The streets are crowded with merry people, and lighted at night with thousands of lanterns and torches.

In the early part of March the children in Japan have three days devoted to the festival of dolls. The peach and cherry blossoms send their fragrance over the country at that time, and the trees are very pretty, full of pink and white flowers. In the shops are shown dolls of all sizes and descriptions. And yet, tho these dolls are bought by the hundreds at that time, the little Japanese girls are much like our own little girls here at home,—they love the old dolls best. At the time of the dolls' festival, dolls that have belonged to mother, grandmother, and great grandmother are brought out from their places where they are carefully treasured. These dolls are never given to the children to play with except on those certain days.