New Year's Day in Japan

Have you heard anything about New year in Japan?
Its pretty different to other countries.

The biggest holiday of the year in Japan is New Year's Day.
In Europe and North America Christmas is one of the biggest annual events,
but here in Japan New Year's is, by far, the most important and elaborate holiday.


In recent years, the significance of New Year's has been lost a lot and now many people spend the holiday,
which Normally starts around Dec. 30 and ends around Jan. 3, in resort areas or even in foreign countries.
Such as tropical places.

Still, a great number of people spend the sacred holiday
 with family members at home and celebrate the beginning of the new year.

New Year's Day in the morning we say "akemashite omedetou" which is Happy new year in Japanese.
First we get Nengajou which is New Year's greeting card from post.
And see who send me.
If people send me nengajou we are really happy to know how they are doing now.

Normally we send Nengajou to good friends or people who we like :-)

This is Nengajou
We have many designed picture on otherside.
http://tinyurl.com/856wjfj


In Japan, the New Year's holidays are a time for children to receive monetary gifts,
or otoshidama, from their parents and extended family.
Otoshidama is one of the happy events for children during the New Year holidays.
If their is many relative you will have many money going out lol

But its new year everybody feel happy :-)

After this we have breakfast wich call "Osechi-ryouri"
Normally lady prepare this from couple days before, to have day off in New Year's Day.
Well we buy osechi now.


We meet many relatives and plays with kids :-)
Eat nice foods too.

People are blessed in Shinto ceremonies and wait in line to ring a small bell and pray,
drink hot sake, eat mochi (chewy rice cakes).
And many of them are draw "Omikuji" which is written(paper) fortunes.
I got bad results for straight 3years :-(
Its very rare but not so happy though.
We call this "Hatsu-mode"
Very important things in Japan.
Its not like religion more custom from long time ago.

http://tinyurl.com/6sqn2kv

Many comedian program is on Tv.
Because this is most happy days in Japan.
No sad or tears.
We just wants to smile and laugh.


The Chinese Zodiac , which is used Japan, is based on years rather months.
Each year in a 12-year cycle is named after a different animal.

Next year is dragon :-)

Thats why many items from Japan designed as a dragon.
I am looking forward to eve and New Year's Day.
I cannot wait.

Do you have any traditional way to celebrate New Year's Day in your country?