January 1 is the greatest day of the year, comparable to Christmas in the Western world. During the seven-day celebration of "Matsuno-uchi", it is customary to decorate the front door with a pair of small pine trees and stems of bamboo. The alcove is decorated with fern leaves, oranges, or small papier-mache lobsters. People drink sweetened sake called "otoso" and eat "zoni" , vegetable soup with rice cakes in it.