Monday Jan. 3, back to work for you? Traditions at New Year

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I woke up this morning with my usual holiday brain saying "now what day of the week is it?" For two weeks I have not had a regular schedule so I have trouble remembering. I'm glad they put day of the week on the "time and date" band of my computer at the top. In Japan, most people have through Jan. 3 off. Some people also have Jan. 4 off because Jan. 1 and 2 fell on a weekend. I don't go back until Jan. 6, and we are going to teach online for the first two days (Thursday and Friday) so that people who are still in quarantine from having traveled can participate. (Japan has a 14-day mandatory quarantine if you leave the country and come back in.) Traditionally in Japan, Dec. 31-Jan. 6 were off. Of course gradually that has gotten shorter and shorter. Some stores were even open on the first or second. Most stores opened today. The place that sells electronics was giving everyone "good luck coins" wrapped in a special paper. They are real five yen coins! Good luck for me getting one! I hope you can get back into your normal habits when you have to go back to work.