When I walk my daughter’s dog, we often cross a busy old shopping street. The other day, I noticed an unusual barbershop. It had a long message written on a large window facing the street. I looked at it more closely and was surprised. The English was correct, and the message was actually a good advertisement for a barbershop. I especially liked the last line that said, “You are but a few steps away from the future you.” I tried to imagine what the future me would look like after a visit to the barbershop. Then, I noticed a sign that said, “By appointment only.” Making an appointment was a hassle. I wasn’t that interested in the future me after all. (121 words)

This year is the 200th anniversary of a great piece of music, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This symphony was first performed in 1824 in Vienna. It was Beethoven’s last symphony, and by this time he had lost his hearing. How could someone who could not hear write such a beautiful piece of music? It’s amazing! Everyone knows the last movement of the symphony with its “Ode to Joy.” It is sung all around the world, and it is sung all around Japan at this time of year. In Osaka, they give a performance every December with 10,000 singers! There are many performances on the Internet, so why not enjoy one and welcome in the new year! (115 words)

How do you celebrate Christmas? In the U.S., that depends on where your ancestors came from. Many Americans decorate their Christmas trees early in December and have a turkey dinner on December 25, but my family was different. My grandmother came from Austria, so I grew up with Austrian traditions. We didn’t decorate the tree until December 24, and we had Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. My grandmother served roast goose instead of turkey for dinner. Before we started eating, we gathered around the piano and sang “Silent Night” in German. I don’t sing it anymore, but I can still remember the first words of the song in German. (109 words)

When I think of the end of the year in Japan, I think of the major cleanup that most people do at home and at work. It is called spring cleaning in English because people usually do it when the weather gets warmer in the spring. In Japan, people do it in December. This custom probably goes back to the Heian period when they had a special cleaning day called “Susubarai no Hi.” Yesterday, we cleaned one center at Fujimae Tidal Flat. There were 10 of us. I spent the morning washing the large windows that look out over the tidal flat. By the end of the day, the center was clean and ready for 2025. Then, we followed the cleanup with one of my favorite Japanese traditions, the year-end party. (131 words)

Do you know when the shortest day of year is? It is the day after tomorrow. The sun rises at 6:56 a.m. in Nagoya, and it sets at 4:44 p.m., so December 21 is 9 hours and 48 minutes long here. The day is shorter in the north of Japan. The sun comes up at 7:03 a.m. in Sapporo and sets at 4:03 p.m., so the day lasts 9 hours. If you live in Stockholm, Sweden, where the Nobel Prize ceremonies are held, December 21 is only 6 hours long, and if you go to the far north of Sweden, the sun never rises in December and January. (108 words)