Although the word refers to New Year, it has two specific meanings; it is January, the first month of the year when, as the word implies, you 'put things right' (正(ただ)す月(つき)), and it also refers to the festive period from the first to the seventh day of the year. The specific word for the first day of the year is 元日(がんじつ). 　   　 　 From around the end of November, the Japanese start to send out New Year's cards. They are predominantly in the form of , New Year postcards. Many have a picture of the zodiac animal for the coming year, which for 2004 is , the monkey. However, people in mourning ( ) send a bereavement notice that year rather than a , and you do not send a to someone who has had a death in the family. Recently people have started to send greetings by E , and the Internet is often blocked around New Year. Here are some of the ways of saying 'Happy New Year' in writing: 　 あけましておめでとうございます 新年(しんねん)おめでとうございます 謹賀新年(きんがしんねん) 賀正(がしょう) 恭賀新年(きょうがしんねん) 　 Note: 賀(が) means 'felicitations, congratulations', and 謹(きん) and 恭(きょう) mean 'respectfully'. 　   　 　 Right up till 31st December, people greet each other with 「よいお年(とし)を（おむかえください）！」  Literally, 'May you see in a good New Year!' Then from　元日(がんじつ), New Year's Day onwards, you say 「あけましておめでとうございます」 . 　   　 　 Words influence what the Japanese eat at New Year. In special New Year food おせち料理(りょうり), , sea bream is eaten because the word for it is 鯛(たい) , the last two syllables of めでたい'auspicious'. 昆布(こんぶ), kelp is eaten because it sounds like the last two syllables of 喜(よろこ)ぶ, to be glad, and 豆(まめ), are eaten because this word has a homonym which means 'healthy'. 栗金団(くりきんとん) is eaten because it contains the word for gold　金(きん),. おせち料理(りょうり) is beautifully arranged in a four tiered lacquer box, 重箱(じゅうばこ), and recently some Western and Chinese food has come to be included along with traditional food. 　   　 　 「初(はつ)」 meaning 'the first', has a special significance in the following expressions: 　 初詣(はつもうで)  The first visit to a shrine or temple in the new year. People make the visit soon after 除夜(じょや)の鐘(かね), when the temple bells peal out the old year, or during the following week. (The 除夜(じょや)の鐘(かね) peal 108 times to dispel 108 煩悩(ぼんのう) , worldly desires.) 書初(かきぞ)め The first calligraphy of the new year. Formerly this was a custom involving adults, but now it is mostly done by schoolchildren as their New Year's homework! 初夢(はつゆめ) The first dream of the new year. This dream will reveal your fortune for the coming year. 「一富士(いちふじ)、二鷹(にたか)、三茄子(さんなすび)」Your dream is particularly auspicious if you dream about Mt Fuji, an eagle or an eggplant! 　   　 ディズニーカウントダウンパーティ A popular place to see in the New Year is　ディズニーランド. People compete in a lottery to buy tickets to go to the カウントダウンパーティー, which starts with a　パレード and finishes with　花火 (fireworks). The event is so popular that tickets are resold in auctions at high prices on the internet! 家でごろごろ Relaxing at home However, many people stay at home for 大晦日(おおみそか)(New Year's Eve) and watch the Red-and-White Song Contest, 紅白歌合戦(こうはくうたがっせん) . Performances of Beethoven's 9th Symphony 「第九(だいく)」 are often screened in the days leading up to 大晦日(おおみそか), and there is usually a screening of the story of the 47 Ronin 「忠臣蔵(ちゅうしんぐら)」 late on the night. 　   　 Section co-ordinated by Cathy Jonak 　   　 Privacy & Copyright © The Japan Foundation, Sydney