New Year's Eve: Family, Warmth, and Belonging with Alex and Tu Na

A Warm Welcome

• 💡 Tu Na and Henry arrive at Alex's family home for New Year's Eve, bringing homemade pickles and candy ginger.
• 🤝 Alex's mother welcomes Henry and involves Tu Na in preparing the altar and offerings.
• 🌱 Alex offers quiet support, helping with tasks like washing vegetables and ensuring Tu Na's comfort.

Sacred Traditions

• 🕯️ The family engages in traditional New Year's Eve rituals, including wiping the altar and arranging offerings.
• 🙏 A calm and respectful atmosphere pervades the house as they light incense and bow together.
• 💖 Tu Na observes Alex's attentiveness and care, feeling supported and included in the family's traditions.

Midnight Wishes

• 🎆 Outside, they watch distant fireworks and exchange gentle New Year wishes for health and peace.
• 💬 Alex's mother wishes Tu Na and Henry health and peace, emphasizing Tu Na's place in the family.
• ✨ Alex wishes Tu Na to rest more and stop carrying guilt, while Tu Na wishes Alex to share burdens.

Shared Moments and Belonging

• ☕ Back inside, they share tea, homemade treats, and gentle family stories, fostering a peaceful environment.
• 🏡 Tu Na experiences a profound sense of belonging and warmth, realizing she is not alone this New Year.
• 💖 The evening concludes with Henry sleeping safely and Tu Na feeling that the New Year begins with inclusion and family.