年賀状 - nengajo
the nengajo is a special type of japanese greeting card sent out to commemorate the new year! they are also called 年賀はがき (nengahagaki) because they are written on postcards.
何は年賀状をいただきますか。Who recieves a nengajo?
although some people only send them to friends and family, it is traditional to send them to everyone you know, including colleagues and people you haven’t spoken to in a while. these are means to keep in touch and express gratitude towards people in your life who have helped you! it is customary to send one back if you receive one from someone.
these cards are delivered on january 1st, and they are most often decorated to reflect the chinese zodiac year. 2019 is the year of the boar, so many 年賀状 will be decorated with pictures and art featuring pigs! some people decorate their own, but they can also be bought at post offices.
年賀状 also include lottery numbers printed on every card! many prizes can be won if you receive a card with the winning numbers on it!
if someone has a family member that passed away during the year, they are not supposed to send or recieve 年賀状. earlier in the year, they will typically send out a special type of card which announces this.
some useful phrases
明けましておめでとうございます。= Happy new year!
ご健勝とご多幸をお祈り申し上げます。= Wishing your family good health and happiness.
昨年はお世話になりました。= Thank you for everything last year.
今年もよろしくお願いします。= Thank you in advance for this year.



















