Japanese custom of Mourning Post Cards

今年は私の祖母が五月に、旦那の祖母が今月に永眠しましたので、

新年のご挨拶は控えさせて頂きます。

来年も変わらず、末永くお付き合い下さい♪

今年もあと僅かとなりましたが、良いお年をお迎え下さい。

We have a custom to send a New Year's postcards to greet our important people such as our relatives, friends and co-workers by around December 25. It's called "Nengajo"in Japanese, and similar to the Western one of sending Christmas cards. We greet, message "thank you" beside best wishes for a happy new year. 

But I can't send "Nengajo" this year, because I lost both my grandma and grandma in law. When we have lost a loved one during the past year, we send "Mochu hagaki" by the early December.

When we get this mochu postcards, we understand a sender is in mourning. so the receivers don't send "Nengajo"to a sender.

The photo is my "Mochu hagaki" and English message to my friends.

We have some days left this year. Please have good days and I hope you will have a wonderful new year, too !!

Nao