Just the other day, I got an e-mail from a Japanese friend of mine wishing me a happy new year, and this specific friend is always very thourough in sending out traditional new year cards to hear friends and colleagues. In the e-mail she explained to me that since her father had passed away earlier this year it is custom to not send out any traditional new year greeting cards and she apologized by mail for this so I would understand why I didn't get any from her this year. Personally, I'm a pretty crappy card writer and am very bad at sending out cards like this, I do it from a professional standpoint to business contacts etc. but not very good at doing it to friends, this years effort extended to a simple e-card which I sent out in a cluster to friends (if you're one of those who received it, please forgive me!). But still, like anyone I appreciate getting a physical card, it is nice.
But with this new found knowledge, I have decided to now assume that there had been a death in the family this year if I don't get a card sent to me. Laziness or the fact that not a few Japanese people are similarly bad as me in doing this I will pretend doesn't exist.
I have a feeling that quite a few of my Japanese friends has had a sad year with my definition, but I'm sticking to it.
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