For as long as I can remember, Oshogatsu (New Year's) and me just haven't gelled.
Whenever Christmas ended, the depato (department stores) hastily switched their background music from "White Christmas" to nonstop (and unbearable) koto music and the neon-lit trees were cleared away in favor of New Year's decorations. It meant that I was headed straight for a massive attack of the Oshogatsu Blues.
No one in my family paid particular attention, as we took it for granted that these blues come around every year to strike any female over the age of 12. I grew up around women who were irritable or depressed, or just plain exhausted every Oshogatsu season.
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