A Happy New Year 2013

A HAPPY NEW YEAR to ALL!!

 

design from yubin-nenga.jp

 

The New Year is one of the most important events for Japanese people, more than Christmas. So different from Western culture, Christmas decorations disappear from the streets and houses on the next day of Christmas (we don't have Boxing Day). After Christmas, people (traditionally) do a major housecleaning, cook New Year's dishes, display a New Year's decoration and start to prepare for the New Year.

I haven't established how to celebrate this holiday season; Christmas and New Year as a Japanese who lives in the UK, due to not long after I came here. Actually Christmas was very quiet, more than I expected. Chrismas decorations, table settings and cooking were not enough for me. But that was OK. I am still seeking for my way, between retaining my own culture and adopting British culture.

It's custom to send New Year's postcards to friends and relatives in Japan. You can get blank postcards with allocated numbers at post offices and convenience stores. The numbers are a lottery and you may win prizes (in the middle of January). You also can buy pre-designed cards at stores. Some people buy blank cards and decorate it by themselves, using computer and printer. Design of  Japanese zodiac sign is common.

The Japanese zodiac sign has 12 blocks, which is given a name of an animals based on the ancient Chinese concept, and it's the 12-year cycle. 2013 is the year of the Snake. Snake has a meaning of regeneration and reborn from the image of molting. Wish we can take a further step in the new year. Just to tell you, I was born in the year of the Rat (1972).

1. Rat (nezumi)
2. Ox (ushi)
3. Tiger (tora)
4. Rabbit (usagi)
5. Dragon (tatsu)
6. Snake (hebi)
7. Horse (uma)
8. Sheep (hitsuji)
9. Monkey (saru)
10. Rooster (tori)
11. Dog (inu)
12. Boar (inoshishi)