Yuletide and Shogatsu
It is mid-November, a cold wind is working its chilly fingers at the edges of the shoji screens and the patter-patter it makes is reminiscent of Japanese horror movies and vengeful ghosts. Despite this, my mood is festive as I contemplate plans Christmassy and Ratty. Ratty? I hear you squeak, rearranging your whiskers with a velvety paw. Yes, ratty indeed, as this Shogatsu in January '08 heralds the Year of the Rat, and already post offices, gift shops and stationers all over town are packed to the ceiling with postcards, seals and ornaments of next year's astrological animal. Move over, ye wild piggy, it's time for ratties to take to the stage!
So far I have acquired several musical and illuminated Christmas cards and a packet of ratty seals (whereupon the rats are distinctly mousy in aesthetic). My Japanese teacher advised me on the writing etiquette of New Year's cards (nengajyo) which I will send in December. Apparently, if posted during mid-December, one etches the kanji nen ga 年賀 below the stamp, in order to assure timely delivery on precisely the 1st January. Yes, the post office will put aside thousands of ratty cards for amazingly punctual New Year's Day delivery.
An exceedingly cute step-by-step guide to writing negajyo cards can be viewed here (click on the link at the top of that page).
Christmas Day will be spent with the Well-Travelled Lady of the Turkish Cigarettes, Mistress P, and her family in Matsue. This will involve a decadence of food, grog and desserts with which we will be overflowing all the way up until New Year. I have already commenced my cunning investigations of Vegetarian Christmas Recipe websites, and it seems that Nut Roast is a Yuletide winner. I've heard much of this roast, but have never cooked it before, so if anyone has advice on matters nutty, *do* let me know.
This weekend Sir S and I will motor along to ol' Hiroshima town for a jolly time of Christmas shopping and knocking back the umeshu with friends. I hope to purchase more Nipponese Christmas cards. I adored the ones I got last year of naughty Santas leap-frogging in onsens, squiffy Santas supping sake and sprawled over the tatami matted floor of izakayas, and a Santa with reindeer flying over Fuji-san etc etc. Hurrah for upcoming tinsel, baubles and feasts!
So far I have acquired several musical and illuminated Christmas cards and a packet of ratty seals (whereupon the rats are distinctly mousy in aesthetic). My Japanese teacher advised me on the writing etiquette of New Year's cards (nengajyo) which I will send in December. Apparently, if posted during mid-December, one etches the kanji nen ga 年賀 below the stamp, in order to assure timely delivery on precisely the 1st January. Yes, the post office will put aside thousands of ratty cards for amazingly punctual New Year's Day delivery.
An exceedingly cute step-by-step guide to writing negajyo cards can be viewed here (click on the link at the top of that page).
Christmas Day will be spent with the Well-Travelled Lady of the Turkish Cigarettes, Mistress P, and her family in Matsue. This will involve a decadence of food, grog and desserts with which we will be overflowing all the way up until New Year. I have already commenced my cunning investigations of Vegetarian Christmas Recipe websites, and it seems that Nut Roast is a Yuletide winner. I've heard much of this roast, but have never cooked it before, so if anyone has advice on matters nutty, *do* let me know.
This weekend Sir S and I will motor along to ol' Hiroshima town for a jolly time of Christmas shopping and knocking back the umeshu with friends. I hope to purchase more Nipponese Christmas cards. I adored the ones I got last year of naughty Santas leap-frogging in onsens, squiffy Santas supping sake and sprawled over the tatami matted floor of izakayas, and a Santa with reindeer flying over Fuji-san etc etc. Hurrah for upcoming tinsel, baubles and feasts!
posted by Miss Ember at 10:56 pm
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