Reading this reminded me, while I’ve been stressing about getting them done in time this year, really, my husband and I shouldn’t send them, as his brother died earlier in the year. Even though we’re both gaijin, it still might seem disrepectful to those people that know about the death.

On a happier year, I’m an ox too! Looks like a red thread might be in order for me.

2009 is going to be the year of the cow/ox. I just made some cards with pictures of my kids riding on a bus looking out the windows and a cow is driving the bus with a banner flapping off it it saying “Happy New Year.” You can find a way to put the tiger you want and the wedding picture he wants together.

luckily, they help a bit to take the guess work out: i got two postcards this december that basically were to remind me (or, inform if i hadn’t already known) that there had been a death in the family in the previous year so that person wouldn’t be sending new year’s cards. because they can’t send them out, it’s polite not to send a “happy new year!” card to them since they aren’t “celebrating” this year. i asked around about what you are supposed to do instead and a card sent to those people before the new year saying something like “kotoshi arigatou gozaimasu/osewa ni narimashita/rainen mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu” is acceptable.

it’s all so complicated hey?!

I kind of doubt my hubs will wear a red thread, he isn’t really superstitious about these things, but I’ll have to ask him. I actually think anything red will do (like underwear!) but a thread is more convenient than figuring out which article of red clothing you can wear for an entire year, lol.

yoshi is a dragon (so is my brother) and that’s cool for him. hiro is a monkey, and he is a little monkey! i can’t remember sasha, isn’t that terrible?! tommy is a pig. hee hee.

off to look up sasha’s…

Jessica- hehe! I am okay with been a cow but to be a monkey or a dragon would be cool!!!

Coffeegrl- I did not know about the osechi ryori! I wasn`t in Japan last new year`s- I was in Australia but Shun stayed in Japan. I love osechi ryori- and I am missing out this year as well because we are not there Damn! All of these traditions I have to file away in the back of my head and try and remember them all! Salt at the doors etc etc.

I hope you can enjoy your Christmas & new year period though!!! With Christmas, it is hard to be in Japan sometimes but I think the best thing you can do is make your own traditions.

Jessica (In China!)- Thanks for the information! I know that in China they pay a lot more attention to this than the Japanese do. It is interesting to see the cross overs though.

Will your hubby where a red thread? I did not know about this- I don`t think they do this in Japan but I will ask Shun. What about your bub? What year was he born in?

I’m a monkey and my last year was 2004, which, if I think about it, was kind of a dangerous year (or at least I lived quite dangerously!).

I’m a tiger by the way and SO looking forward to my year coming around!

Happy holidays! Whichever ones you celebrate, may they be full of joy!

It’s rather fitting isn’t it…….

When Seiju’s grandmother died, he told me we had to send out those Mochu cards (the greyish ones sent in November/December telling people you had a death in the family) so he printed them all and then asked me to buy stamps and send them. I asked for Nengajo stamps because I didn’t know there was a difference, and I stuck them all on.

So about 200 people got mourning cards with nice happy new year celebration stamps stuck on them. Even the stamps are different!

Ah well, at least everyone getting them would know the idiot gaijin went to mail them!