年賀状と鏡餅のこと

I have been musing about it and I am wondering whether the Japanese practice of sending New Year Cards to everyone they know (it is a chore for most Japanese people so i have heard) was devised by the Post office. Thats just a consipracy theory but then again if a `gaijin` like me who have been here for 2 months have so many people to send to, the Post office is in for a bumper year with every Japanese sending a new year card to every other Japanese they know, including the neccessary `business contact` greeting. Wow. Its a great way to earn money. Oh yea, every pre-paid new year card u buy from the Post office has a serial number so in January the Post Office would hold a lucky draw with prizes such as electronic appliances and stuff. Isnt that simply astounding? haha. Its like sending greetings and gambling at the same time! Whoa! 宝くじ？

Well, I think I will just send cards to my Japanese friends and people who have helped me along the way this year. Makes more sense. On the right of the picture is a Kagamimochi 鏡餅　a traditional New Year's cake. Its made of mochi but it has been elevated into a decoration. Go figure. Anyway according to Chihiro u are not supposed to cut it while eating it　because it symbolises cutting of personal relations. So i asked do u have to eat the whole thing at one go, she replied, no, people usually use a small hammer(?) to break it. I was astounded. Wasnt it soft? Apparantly its not as soft as I thought it was.

Mysteries mysteries mysteries.　I forgot u are not supposed to eat it before a certain day or something but i forgot which day and why not. Would ask again. Mysteries Mysteries Mysteries