Happy (Japanese) New Year!

The Boston Chapter of the U.S.-Japan Society held its annual O-Shogatsu (Japanese New Year) celebration at the Boston Children's Museum. The museum itself houses the actual interior of a traditional Japanese home that was imported from Japan.

O-Shogatsu activites at the museum included the traditional mochi (rice cakes) as well demonstrations of kendo and taiko drumming. Katie became an expert in origami, making nearly a dozen paper dogs to celebrate the year of the dog. Nick finished all his sashimi at dinner.




Touring the Japanese house




Eating the traditional New Year's mochi (pounded rice)




The dragon biting your head is good luck




Watching the taiko drummers before dinner

Christmas and New Year's Pictures

Christmas cookie party with the neighbors





"They're mine..."





Katie and Nicholas sledding near our home





Christmas Eve





Christmas morning and the marble run





Nicholas rides a horse at Santa's Village outside of Montreal





New Year's Eve and a chocolate fondue party