Shiwasu is an old name of December. I think, most people don't know all of the names of months, however, 'shiwasu' is the most popular one. When it turns to December...on December 1st, news casters on the TV always say 'shiwasu ni narimashita'. So, therefore everyone knows the name of this month. December is one of the special months of the year.
About December...in western countries, maybe Christmas' event is the biggest. However in Japan, new year's event, 'shougatsu' is the biggest event. So, people prepare for it in the end of the year. Of course in December, a lot of places are decorated with Christmas stuffs because of western countries' influence. However, after 25th, it changes soon into end of the year and new year's moods. I feel something Japanese from here, lol. In the end of the year, people clean up their houses, make new year's cards, prepare something for coming new year, and talk about the going year. So...December is the month when people drink a lot. A lot of dinner parties which are called 'bounenkai' are made everywhere.
Bounenkai is 'a year forgetting party'. People think back to the year and talk about it...and drink a lot. So, this month is very busy season for izakaya-restaurants. It is not too much to say that 30% of the sales of a year is made in December. As I am doing a part time job in an izakaya-restaurant, I know how busy it is. Really lots of reservations for bounenkais. And most of the resevertions are larger than other months' because every post of companies makes a bounenkai somewhere. Yeah, bounenkai is such a popular party.
On December 31st, people...maybe especially aged people don't like going out. There are a lot of special TV programs in the end of the year and in the new year season, and maybe people like to watch them in the kotatsu, lol. I think that I wrote about kotatsu in a past contribution of this blog. The general image about the style of spending 'oomisoka' is in kotatsu...watching TV with eating an orange and some senbeis (a rice cracker)...and sip a cup of green tea!! It is VERY JAPANESE style, lol. And for me, 'yukutoshi kurutoshi' (it is a TV program) is necessary to feel the going year and the coming year. If I stay at home without watching the program, it is hard to feel that the year is going and a new year is coming. It is a live broadcast of circumstance of some temples and there are lots of people who are coming there as their first visit of the year to the temples. And, I can hear the watch-night bell through the TV. It makes me feel something I can't tell, and also makes me feel the day real. So, I like the TV program :)
Now, it is already shiwasu. Maybe I have to clean my room and do something that I should do before the year ends. It is a little bit sad that the year 2007 is about to end. It was a busy year. However, I did something new during this year...new experience, lol. Of course I have a few plans of bounenkai with my friends too. I'm really looking forward to the bounenkais. Everyone became busy in the past some years...especially in a few years and we can't meet so often. So, making a bounenkai is a good chance to meet them. I'm sure that we have a lot of things to talk since most of us haven't met each other since this summer :P
About December...in western countries, maybe Christmas' event is the biggest. However in Japan, new year's event, 'shougatsu' is the biggest event. So, people prepare for it in the end of the year. Of course in December, a lot of places are decorated with Christmas stuffs because of western countries' influence. However, after 25th, it changes soon into end of the year and new year's moods. I feel something Japanese from here, lol. In the end of the year, people clean up their houses, make new year's cards, prepare something for coming new year, and talk about the going year. So...December is the month when people drink a lot. A lot of dinner parties which are called 'bounenkai' are made everywhere.
Bounenkai is 'a year forgetting party'. People think back to the year and talk about it...and drink a lot. So, this month is very busy season for izakaya-restaurants. It is not too much to say that 30% of the sales of a year is made in December. As I am doing a part time job in an izakaya-restaurant, I know how busy it is. Really lots of reservations for bounenkais. And most of the resevertions are larger than other months' because every post of companies makes a bounenkai somewhere. Yeah, bounenkai is such a popular party.
On December 31st, people...maybe especially aged people don't like going out. There are a lot of special TV programs in the end of the year and in the new year season, and maybe people like to watch them in the kotatsu, lol. I think that I wrote about kotatsu in a past contribution of this blog. The general image about the style of spending 'oomisoka' is in kotatsu...watching TV with eating an orange and some senbeis (a rice cracker)...and sip a cup of green tea!! It is VERY JAPANESE style, lol. And for me, 'yukutoshi kurutoshi' (it is a TV program) is necessary to feel the going year and the coming year. If I stay at home without watching the program, it is hard to feel that the year is going and a new year is coming. It is a live broadcast of circumstance of some temples and there are lots of people who are coming there as their first visit of the year to the temples. And, I can hear the watch-night bell through the TV. It makes me feel something I can't tell, and also makes me feel the day real. So, I like the TV program :)
Now, it is already shiwasu. Maybe I have to clean my room and do something that I should do before the year ends. It is a little bit sad that the year 2007 is about to end. It was a busy year. However, I did something new during this year...new experience, lol. Of course I have a few plans of bounenkai with my friends too. I'm really looking forward to the bounenkais. Everyone became busy in the past some years...especially in a few years and we can't meet so often. So, making a bounenkai is a good chance to meet them. I'm sure that we have a lot of things to talk since most of us haven't met each other since this summer :P
5 comments:
おはよう恵
Talking about the last month of the year..yes, time really passes very fast, in a blink of an eye, it is already going to be year 2008. I'm both happy and alittle sad about it. Being happy because i can leave my workplace soon and be a 'freeman', doing all the things i like without anyone bothering me. Now, being upset because i'm growing up and there are many things i have to do and having more responsibilities to bear, be able to earn money and plan for my future...=( that is really troubling. Are we really born into this place to work until we die ?
It can be quite scary to think about my future as i cant see it.
Sorry, i wrote off the topic again =)
Yah, in Singapore, we celebrate the last day of the year too. We do 'countdowns' on the last day. The television will show programs of people counting down at various parts of Singapore. The places would be very very crowded and policemen would be there for security reasons.I personally do not like countdowns, i do not really like crowds..everyone would be squeezing one another and it is very hard to walk around, once the countdown finishes, everyone will have to wait for a long long time to get out of the place, after that, everything gets back to normal, so i prefer to stay at home and watch the programs. We do not have the habit of eating snacks or drinking 酒 during the countdown, but, we do that during Chinese new year, it is a festival celebrating in Singapore. If 恵 is interested to know more, i will tell you more next time if we have the chance =)
Preparing for the new year..like cleaning up the room and house. We do that when Chinese new year is near the corner but not before the countdown. It is interesting that different countries have their own cultures so we can talk about it. If all countries practice the same things, the world is going to be very..boring..=) You also mentioned Christmas, and yes i think i've told you that i like christmas alot. If i am not wrong, Christmas has something to do with Christ, but i'm not so sure about that. Christmas gives me a very good feeling, it is like a very happy moment for me. All the trees are lighted up with beautifully coloured bulbs and stars..wow...=)
During Christmas, we will go to my aunt's place to have a meal together with the whole family, i am not sure if you do that, probably not ? For this year, we might not be able to make it for the gathering because we will be landing in Singapore on the 25th of december, which is Christmas. I hope to spend Christmas in Japan, i believe it is going to be very beautiful..alittle unfortunate beccause i dont have a companion =)
And the cold weather would also be a plus point to celebrate Christmas in Japan ! 日本！Here i come ~ ! =D
Hahaha, yeah, we don't go to our relations' house in Christmas. Here in Japan, Christmas eve is like a day for couples to date. They go to see illuminations, a nice restaurant, giving each other some presents, and make love at a hotel? lol. However, you know, what I said to my bf, lol. It wasn't only once that I had a chance to go on a date on Christmas eve, however I haven't done it. Maybe next time~.
Anyway, hope to talk to you soon! I wanna hear about your exam and plan to Japan more :P
=D OKAY ~
mm.. and another year bites the dust.. yeah, it is sad how fast time passes and quick we are to forget years past (the past few have been an absolute blur for me).. but it's also a relief if you think about it.. after school it's just work, work, and more work till retirement and death.. so in that sense it's not all that bad (I'll leave the major worrying part when I hit my 30's and enter my mid-life crisis)..
but back to new years.. personally I don't put too much emphasis on them.. for the same reason I don't really celebrate birthdays.. time passes every day and we all age a little bit.. but as we're not celebrating new days and new weeks, what's so special about a new year?
here it's more an excuse for people to party through the night, get drunk or wasted then sleep it off the next day (unless you're the poor sap who has to go in to work shitfaced the day after).. sure people make resolutions and stuff but honestly, no one ever manages to keep them..
now how am I celebrating the holidays? probably trying not to make a fool of myself at the company party ^^; (there's always that one person who has a little too much to drink, here's hoping it won't be me !).. course there's the mandatory gift-giving and such.. secret santa at work (bet you half the people there will get gift certificates, and the other half alcohol).. and laughing at the all people freezing their asses off in the square waiting for the ball to drop :P
Yeah, we don't celebrate each week or month, but isn't it a good chance if the day is a start of a big stage??? I know we are getting older a little every day and that sucks :( I don't wanna get older anymore~.
You have company parties there ne. In Japan, we also have company party sometimes. Please don't make resaurant clerks cry with drinking a lot and throwing up :P I really don't like it! As I am working in an izakaya-restaurant, I sometimes had to clean it up :s Geee~ it smelled really bad ne. And I don't like people who are too noisy with alcohol too. Hope that Jeff is not one of the people like them :P
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