I'll write about an old practice of Japan. I don't know when this custom started, but the maternal grandparents give a newly-born girl a set of dolls on the first March 3rd after her birth as a token of wish for a baby girl's healthy growth. This practice is called the Girls' Festival or the Doll's Festival in English. My first granddaughter was born on March 5th last year and March 3rd this year falls on the first Doll's Festival Day for her.
In most cases, baby's parents and maternal grandparents choose one at the doll's shop, but several restrictions due to the pandemic prevented us from going out for shopping. We could just send some money for it.
The following picture is the one which was given to my first daughter from my parents-in-law, that is, maternal grandparents for my daughters. The set of dolls is supposedly carried with the daughter to her new home when she gets married, but my daughter lives in a small apartment in the metropolitan area and hasn't enough room for strage for the dolls and she asked us to temporarily keep it in my house.
We displayed it today for airing. It reminded us of the old days when my daughters were small and our four parents were vigorous about 30 years ago. I wondered what life should I spend from now.
(Vocabulary)
the Girls' Festival, the Doll's Festival 桃の節句
maternal 《[名]の前でのみ》 母方の
his maternal grandmother 彼の母方の祖母
Comments