Happy New Year. 明けまして おめでとうございます
In Japan, the time period of January is called "oshougatsu"especially from January 1st to 7th. Many companies and shops are closed for the first three days of the New Year.
Oshougatsu is a very important day for Japanese. 日本では、新年の１ヶ月、とりわけ１月1日～7日までを「お正月」と呼びます。
It is said that Oshougatsu was originally a festival to welcome Toshigami, a Shinto god, and pray for a rich harvest for the year. Now, it is an event to celebrate the new year.
お正月はもともと神道の「年神様」を迎え、その年の豊作を祈る「神祭り」だったそうです。現在は新しい年を祝う行事として考えられています。
People say "akemashite omedetou gozaimasu" or "congratulations on the new year" to people whom they meet for the first time in the new year. "gozaimasu" is added for politeness. 年が明けて初めて会った人には「明けましておめでとうございます」と挨拶。「ございます」と丁寧に挨拶します。During New Year holidays, a lot of Japanese people visit shrines or temple to make wishes for the coming year. お正月休みの間に、多くの人が新年の願い事をするために神社仏閣を訪れます。Most Japanese people buy or prepare osechi. osechi is a type of dish, specially-prepared and eaten during the New Year.
 多くの日本人はおせちを買ったり準備したりします。
This photo is the last New Year's osechi. 
My younger son's family came back to visit from America during oshogatsu last year.  
昨年のお正月には一時帰国した次男家族と過ごしたのでその時に用意したお節です。

Today I visited the hospital to see my friend. 入院中の友人に新年のご挨拶

Can you see Mt.Fiji? 多摩川河川敷から見えた富士山です。

Then I went to Kita-kamakura to visit my family grave. 病院の後は、北鎌倉に墓参

The plum-blossoms are still in bud.梅の木

I came back Tokyo at 4:30 pm. There were many people to visit Kandamyojin.(Shinto shrine) ４時半頃東京に戻りましたが、多くの人が神田明神に初詣に訪れていました。

See you next time(⌒0⌒)／~~

Shiwasu
, another name of December, is still frequently in use today to describe busy time at the end of the year.12月の別名「師走」は、年末の慌ただしい様子を表すつきめいとして、現在でもよく使われていますね。

Omisoka/Joya no kane
On New Year's Eve.people clean their houses, put up New Year decorations, eat soba noodles, and visit their local temple or shrine. At midnight on New Years Eve. temples ring their bells 108 times to announce the New Year.

Have a great new year! 佳いお年を御迎えください❗

Nov.24(Thu.) I didn't have to do family support today because the little boy caught a cold.
今日はファミリーサポートをしている坊やが風邪を引いたのでサポートはお休み。

Nov.26(Sat.) I went to two exhibitions today. First, I went to see my syo(Japanese calligraphy)； it was being displayed today and tomorrow at Daitobunka University. It's the 58th Zenkoku Syodo-ten(全国書道展, Nationwide Syodo Exhibition).
There were 819 syo on display, chosen from 24,981 applicants from all over Japan. 188 people were given prizes during the award ceremony, and I got the second prize for my syo! 今日は2ヵ所の展示会に出かけました。最初に大東文化大学の書道展(お恥ずかしながら私の書も)今日・明日の二日間だけの展示なので、観に行くことに。明日は188名の方達の授賞式が執り行われます。私は推薦賞で展示の方だけですが、多くの作品の中から賞を頂戴したことは夢のようですし、偏に美翠先生のお蔭と感謝しております。

I want to take this opportunity to thank my syodo teacher, Bisui(美翠先生). She got me to fall in love with syodo. Teacher Bisui, I owe you a lot.

Today's lunch was okonomiyaki and a glass of mixed fruit juice. お昼にはお好み焼きとフルーツミックスジュース。

The other exhibition was about woven fabrics and textile products. It was held by my friend and her friends. She is a member of Weforum, who is one of the people I respect the most. もう一方の展示会は渋谷Bunkamura「織ばばと50人展」でWeフォーラムのメンバーが出展しています。彼女は私が尊敬する一人です。

This is her work of art. これが彼女の作品です。織！

On the way there, I saw these go-carts. The sight held people's attention. This is popular amongst foreign visitors and younger people. 帰り際に皆の注目を浴びているゴーカートを見ました。若者や外国の旅行者に人気らしいですね！

Nov.27(Sun.) Today was zazenkai(Zen class) at Kitakamakura. It is held twice a year, in June and November. 今日は年に2度(6月、11月)北鎌倉で行われる座禅会に出席

The changing leaves were beautiful here. 紅葉が綺麗でした。

Nov.28 (Mon.) I bought some year-end jumbo lottery tickets. The top prize this year is a record 10 billion yen! Many people lined up to buy lottery tickets. Us Japanese do not see lottery as gambling, but more like a form of entertainment. ドリームジャンボ宝くじを並んで買いました。当選者は10億円。このおじいさんが元気なうちに当てたいなー！

Dec.2(Fri.) I ate a double portion of noodles for lunch at Ginza. Haha!😄(^_^;) This is tsukemen. 久しぶりに銀座のつけ麺！つい大盛り(2玉)を食べてしまいました。

And my younger son came back to visit from America. We ate tenpura for dinner at Nihonbashi. I ate too much, so I was stuffed. 次男が米国から一時帰国。夕食は一緒に天ぷら「日本橋半之助」で食べました。昼食、夕食と食べ過ぎてお腹いっぱい！

Dec.4 (Sun.) Before my son left at 5 pm, we ate unagi kabayaki (broiled eel) for lunch at Nihonbashi. And I bought some souvenirs as well；kabayaki for my daughter-in-law and 4 grandchildren. They like unagi kabayaki very much. 息子が夕方発つ前に、午前11時から「日本橋いづもや」鰻の蒲焼きを食べる事に。アメリカで待つ義理娘と孫たちが大好きなので、いつものように蒲焼きを持たせました。

These are Otoshidama お年玉 for my grandchildren. During the New Year, we often give Otoshidama (packets with money inside) to children as a blessing. お年玉も付けて。

(⌒0⌒)／~~