ABC Monthly

  Happy New Year to everyone out there!  We hope you have had a relaxing winter vacation. We're back into action starting Jan. 6th, so be sure to check your calendar.     Did you know that traditionally Japan celebrated the same New Year as the Chinese and Koreans?  Before the Meiji era, Japan used the lunisolar Chinese calendar to celebrate the New Year.  This tradition ended in 1873 when the Meiji government switched to the Gregorian (modern day) calendar as part of it's effort to modernize Japanese society.     Last year we talked about New Year resolutions (goals that you set to achieve within the new year).  This month's idiom is related to the topic of new year resolutions. Idiom of the Month: "Out with the old, in with the new" -  This idiom is used in conversations when talking about all the changes you plan to make in the new year.  "Out with the old," refers to ending bad habits like playing too many video games, eating...

 What's Happening This Month Here's the calendar for this month.  Please note the dates for the winter vacation period.  We hope you all have wonderful winter holiday! 冬休み　12月24日　～　1月5日 Culture Corner:  A Letter to Santa (A brief History)     Interestingly enough, letters originated FROM Santa as opposed to him, like children write these days.  Parents would write letters to their children, from commenting on their behaviour throughout the year to giving life advice. This tradition started sometime in the 1820s.  Thomas Nast's 1871 illustration of St. Nick; published in Harper's Weekly Magazine was shown alongside letters to "Good Children's Parents" as well as "Naughty Children's Parents" helped spread the idea of sending Santa Nail.  Nast is also credited with popularizing the idea that Santa lived and worked in the North Pole through an 1866 illustration that named "Santaclausville, N.P." as Santa's address.  The idea of sen...

 What's Happening This Month Here's the calendar for November.  Please notice that we have some unusual days off this month, so please check the calendar carefully or you can contact us to make sure. １１月のレッスンスケジュールです。４日(月)から９日(土)、２６日(火)は休講とさせていただきます。お間違えの無いよう、ご確認ください What's New  Some of you may or may not have noticed a few changes to our school.  On October 25th, we added some new signs to our building and more importantly, we have light!  After a few years of broken lights we have brand new lights to shine down upon you!  So, come toward the light and let us learn together! みなさま、もうお気づきでしょうか？１０月２５日、ABC教室の外観がリニューアルしました！ ホームページのアドレスやインスタのQRコードなどを追加した新しいデザインにしていただきました。また、看板には、LEDの照明がつきました！元々ついていた設備でしたが劣化によって 数年間の壊れたままでした…でも、写真の通り、とても明るく教室を照らしてくれています！ さあ、明るくなった教室に集まって、一緒に学びましょう！ Halloween 2024 Here's what went down at ABC's Halloween party for 2024!  Click the link to share the fun:   ABC Halloween Party 2024 　←YouTube最新動画！ 【最新動画UP!!】今年のABCハロウィンパーティー...

 What's Happening This Month Here is the new schedule for the second half of this school year. There is an unusual break at the beginning of November, so please check closely. Upcoming Events:  ABC Halloween Party     It's that spooky time of year again!  Are you ready for another fun party?  If you forgot, check out the fun we had last year here:  Halloween Party 2023 Here are the details for this year's party: Culture Corner: Canadian Thanksgiving     Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated in Canada on the second Monday of October.  It has been celebrated since 1957.  The holiday is meant to celebrate the end of the harvest season. It is a public holiday, so most businesses are closed and public transportation services run on a shortened schedule.     It is a holiday where many people visit family and friends, similar to Christmas.  Most people also have a special dinner.  People of European descent often hav...

 What's Happening This Month Here's the calendar for September.  Although both Monday the 16th and Monday the 23rd are national holidays, only the 23rd the school will be closed. ９月のレッスンスケジュールです。１６日、２３日が祝日ですが、 ２３日のみお休みとなります 。ご確認をお願いいたします。 Here is the calendar for the second half of this school year.  Please check the dates and if you have any questions, please ask us. 今年度の後半のカレンダーです。日程をご確認の上、ご不明な点がございましたらお気軽にお問い合わせください。 Culture Corner: Back to School     Here is Ota, students are starting the second term of the school year on September 2nd.  Some other cities have already gotten back to school in late August.  In Canada and the U.S.A. students are also getting back to school, but in a slightly different way then in Japan.  In North America, September marks the beginning of the new school year.  Students enter a new grade and will have new classes with new teachers.  Many students like to go shopping during the summer holidays and show of...

  What's Happening This Month Here is the calendar once again.  Please note that will not have lessons during the Obon holidays (August 11th to August 17th). 👆お盆休み（8月11日～8月17日）は、レッスンお休みです。 We still have some space left for our Summer Camp, so if you're interested, please give us a call or drop in for a visit.  Spaces are filling up quickly, so don't miss out! 👆８月のサマーキャンプにはまだ空きがあります！夏休みの怠けた体に喝を入れるため・・・２学期の早寝早起き準備もかねるため・・・ぜひお問い合わせください。定員の予約は日に日に埋まってきていますのでお早めに！ Here's a quick peek at Week #1.  If you like what you see there's still time to join for week #2!  Click on the link below to see all the fun:  ABC Summer Camp 2024 Culture Corner: Summer Vacation     Like Japan, Canada also has a long summer vacation.  However, there are some major differences between the two countries.  In Canada the school year ends in June.  Summer Vacation is normally two months long.  That's right, all of July and August there is no school.  I...