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New year postcard
New year is the greatest festival in the Japanese calendar. At this time a very large number of nengahngaki (greeting cards) are exchanged between families, friends and business associates. The card is a standard postcard sent without an envelope. On the front is some attractive design -often relating to the animal zodiac symbol of the coming year - and a handwritten message. Every year since 1949, the Japanese government has run a lottery based on these cards; every special nengahngaki bought at a Japanese Post Office bears a number and a draw is held in January for a large number of prizes, including sets of special issue postage stamps.