2006 Volume 2 Pages 11-18
A questionnaire survey to investigate the recent predilection for ceremonial foods in the homes of female college students was carried out in April 2005. The data were obtained from 172 valid responses.
Most homes of female college students celebrated on the occasions of New Year, New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve, St.1 Valentine’s Day, and family birthdays. In these homes, traditional foods were basically prepared as ceremonial foods, but some additional foods were also prepared based on family preferences. There was a tendency to simplify the ceremonial foods by selecting one special food, i.e., zoni on New Year, buckwheat noodle on New Year’s Eve, chocolate on St. Valentine’s Day, and cake on Christmas Eve. This trend is likely due to the fact that take-out joints such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores supply several take-out foods as ceremonial foods. Ceremonies were performed more frequently in large families than in nuclear families. They were also performed more often in homes that were more socially active.
