2025.1.1

It was fine.

I went to the nearby shrine in the midnight. They gave me a set of red and white rice cakes. 

Before 7 AM I went to see the first sunrise of the new year. 

i bought a set of printer ink jet the other day but it was not the right one and I had to buy again.

I made New Year's cards.

2019.12.16

It was fine.

There were two guests and I was rather busy and overworked for two hours.

They say new year's cards have been accepted since yesterday. If you post them by December 25, they will be delivered on January 1.

2016.12.24

Merry Christmas!

It was fine.

I stayed up all day long to finish writing the new year's cards and Christmas cards because I leave for Florida tonight.

They say the price of postcard will be raised 10 yen and become yen 62 from next June after 23 years.
However the new years cards posted between December 15 and January 7 will stay the same.

Now I am onboard. I fly to Houston first. It will take more than 11 hours.

2013.11.30

It was fine.

The last day of November.  There is only one month left.  How fast time flies!

In Japan we enjoy exchanging new year's cards called nenga jo (年賀状) on New Year's Day.  On November 1 new year's postcards called nenga hagaki (年賀はがき) were started selling.  I usually order the Post Office to deliver them.  And today they were delivered.   If you buy them by today, you have a chance to get a present for every 50 pieces.  They will give 6 presents to 2014 people.
I was surprised to know that each post office person has a Norma of selling a certain amount of postcards. These days email greetings are so popular that less people buy new year's cards and that they are under the pressure.

2013.1.21

It was a cold day.  They say it will snow or rain tonight again.

Yesterday there was an announcement of the numbers of the lottery of New Year's Cards.  I only won the two pieces of the  fourth prizes this year.　The fourth prize is a set of stamps of yen 50 and yen 80.    Yen 50 stamp is the postage for postcard, and yen 80 is for envelop in Japan.  To send postcards overseas is yen 70 for anywhere but the postage for envelop abroad depends on the weight and place, the minimum charge for Asia is yen 90, Europe and America for yen 110, South America and Africa for yen 130.
I have sent many new year's cards and Christmas cards, and most of them replied but some of them did not reply at all, so I am wondering if they have received my message or not.