ABC Monthly

                                                                                                                                                                                                  It's the last month of another school year!  Please check the calendar below, because there are a few holidays toward the end of the month. Idiom of the Month: "A breath of fresh air." - The start of a new school year will be breath of fresh air for many students entering into a new school.  This expression is...

  Here's the calendar for this month.  There are NO holidays this month.  Please be sure to check your lesson dates carefully! 今月のレッスンスケジュールです。１１日、２４日はそれぞれ祝日ですが、 レッスンがございます 。よくご確認ください。 This month we'll dive into the history of St. Valentine's Day in Japan. Like Christmas and Halloween, Valentine's Day is a celebration that has been adopted by Japanese people.  It started in 1935, when the chocolate company Moro zoff  started selling chocolates in heart shaped boxes; mainly targeting foreign nationals living in Japan at the time.  Valentine's Day didn't become popular with Japanese people until the 1970s.      The custom of women giving men either honmei-chocho or giri-choco is specific to Japan.  Although in recent years, the giving of giri-choco is fading. Do you give chocolates to people on Valentine's day?  Do you give yourself chocolate?  If you do, how much money do you spend on chocolates for others? 今月は、日本のバレンタインデーの歴史...

  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. 皆様、明けましておめでとうございます。冬休みはゆっくり過ごせましたか？1 月 6 日からレッスンを開始しますので、カレンダーを必ずご確認ください。（１３日は祝日ですがレッスンがあります）     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....

 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...