The Japanese have a custom of sending New Year’s Day postcards to their friends and relatives, (2) ________to the Western custom of sending Christmas cards.

In this case, a family member sends a simple postcard (8) __________mochi hagaki

It is (7) __________ not to send these postcards when one has had a death in the family during the year.

To deliver these cards (6) _________ time, the post office usually hires students part-time to help deliver the letters.

The post office guarantees (5) __________ the greeting postcards on 1st January if they are posted within a time limit.

Japanese people send these postcards so that they arrive (4) _________1st January.

(3) __________, this custom existed for people to tell others whom they did not often meet that they were alive and well.