For generations, people in Japan have celebrated New Year’s Day by sending specially designed cards — nengajō (年賀状) — to each other. As part of the tradition, postal workers stock all the nengajō that are mailed in the final weeks of the old year, and then deliver every single one on New Year’s Day.
Nengajō often based on the present year’s zodiacal animal and 2010 is the Year of Tiger.
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…you can argue that Hello Kitty is actually a Tiger 
Nengajo cards purchased from Japan Post have a lottery number on each card. The cards can be purchased with a blank back or with printed designs. On January 15th, the winning numbers are picked and the results are announced the following day on television and in newspapers.
Here is an example of a winning number
The holders of winning numbers receive prizes. The prizes are not money. The first prize in a past lottery was a wide screen TV set, a car navigation system, and a washer/dryer. The second prize was a camera, a radio and a CD player. The third prize was a regional products gift pack, and the fourth prize was a collection of commemorative stamps. Nengajo card 2009 lottery prizes.
We are hosting our very own nengajō lottery draw this year – the 21 winners will be announced on 15th January on Twitter and Facebook. Join our facebook page and follow our twitter page now.
Hope you like our self-made nengajō specially for you.
