Why do Japanese people send New Year Cards instead of Christmas Cards?

In many countries, December is filled with Christmas cards.
People send messages of warmth, joy, and celebration before the year ends.

But in Japan, something feels different.

Instead of Christmas cards, Japanese people send New Year cards—
after the year has already ended.

Why wait until January?
Why start the greeting only after the clock resets?

In Japan, Christmas is mostly a seasonal event—
lights, music, cakes, and atmosphere.

But New Year is something else entirely.

It is not just a holiday.
It is a reset.

So instead of saying
“Happy holidays,”
Japanese people say:

“I hope this year will be kind to you.”

And they say it after the old year is complete.

New Year cards are called nengajō (年賀状).

They are mailed at the end of December but delivered all at once on January 1st.
The Japanese postal service even creates a special system to make sure they arrive exactly on New Year’s Day.

Each card carries:

• A New Year greeting

• Wishes for health and good fortune

• Often, the zodiac animal of the year

These cards are sent not only to close friends, but also to:

• Colleagues

• Teachers

• Clients

• People you haven’t spoken to in months—or even years

Because in Japan, Christmas doesn’t mark the beginning of anything.

It is joyful, but temporary.
When Christmas ends, life continues exactly as before.

New Year, however, marks a clear boundary.

The old year is finished.
The new year has begun.

That boundary matters.

New Year cards are not just greetings.
They are a quiet way of saying:

• “Thank you for being part of my life last year.”

• “Let’s begin again, gently.”

• “Even if we drifted apart, our connection still exists.”

In this sense, nengajō are not about celebration.
They are about continuity.

Interestingly, New Year cards are also used to maintain relationships without conversation.

You don’t need to explain anything.
You don’t need to catch up.

The card itself says enough.

And if someone experienced a loss during the year, they send a different card—
one that says:

“I will not celebrate loudly this year.”

This, too, is part of the culture.

To many visitors, Japan can feel emotionally reserved.

But New Year cards reveal something deeper.

Japanese people don’t ignore relationships.
They preserve them quietly.

Instead of seasonal cheer,
they choose a moment of reflection.

Instead of festive noise,
they choose a calm beginning.

Japanese people send New Year cards instead of Christmas cards because:

New Year is when relationships are renewed.

Not loudly.
Not dramatically.

But intentionally.