The word shogatsu originally referred to the entire first month of the year. Nowadays, it refers specifically to the first week of the year. Shogatsu is the most important holiday of the year for the Japanese people. They start preparing for the coming shogatsu at the end of the year by cleaning and decorating their houses, and preparing osechi dishes. Shogatsu is considered a family holiday and many people travel to their hometowns, which results in heavy yearend holiday traffic. Many make their first visit of the year to local shrines or temples and spend time relaxing with family members during the first three days of the New Year. Parents and relatives hand out otoshidama, or a special New Year's allowance, to children. Another important part of the holiday is the exchange of New Year's greeting cards. Unlike Christmas cards, New Year's cards are kept at the post office and then delivered in a big bundle on New Year's Day. 意訳：日本では一年の最初の月を言うが，特に松の内（元旦から７日まで を指す．日本人にとって最も大切な正月を迎えるために，年末はすす払い，飾り付け，おせち料理準備などに追われる．また，故郷で正月を過ごす人が多いので，年末は帰省ラッシュが起こる．正月の三が日は初詣はつもうでに出かけたり，家でのんびりする人が多い．子どもたちはお年玉を親や親戚からもらう．年頭のあいさつは年賀状でやりとりをする場合が多い．投函された年賀状は元旦にまとめて配達される）
