"necoandjeff" <spam@schrepfer.com> wrote in message
news:ccwtd.55931$QJ3.25327@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
> anko eater wrote:
> > "mr.sumo.snr." <llanelli14@SPAMSUCKBANANAS.yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:B9Tsd.14582$1V6.1435@fe49.usenetserver.com...
> >> Simple question.  Why does Japan celebrate the end the year on
> >> December 31st?  I'm fully aware that the Gregorian calendar was
> >> introduced 1873. And am therefore guessing that it had something to
> >> do with the Meiji era social-political reforms.  But if anyone has
> >> anything more detailed I'd be grateful.
> >
> > Simple question. Where did you get the wrong idea that the Japanese
> > celebrate the new year's eve?
> > The Japanese celebrate the new year's day, but the new year's eve is
> > just a day for the preparation of the new year's day celebration.
>
> Hmmm. So what do you call gathering together with your family, staying up
> until midnight, eating toshi koshi soba, and heading out after midnight to
> the local shrine for hatsumode?

They are waiting for the new year's day coming within a few hours, to
celebrate the new year's day with all family members getting together. They
always start to celebrate after the midnight which is actually the new
year's day, not the new year's eve anymore. Eating toshi koshi soba isn't
celebration. It's just a practice. And hatsumoude is always done after the
midnight, which is the new year's day.

> In any event, his question is why the Western new year and not the Chinese
> new year.
>