Well, I had quite a few cousins to compete against for the most sweets. And they didn't go easy on me because I was younger!

[Mayuko tilts her head with a sigh as she lowers Daichi back down. The cat beelines to Maria for more petting.]

My father's family grows plums. Sends them to another family to make umeshu or plum-wine; it's an old partnership. But they would keep some and make preserves, and my great-grandmother would use that as filling for the dumplings. She'd make them special for everyone on New Year's... and sneak me some for my birthday on the 4th.