When the first snow covers the last green and sends all plants and flowers into hibernation, in the sky a pale tinted winter moon rises, indicating a coldness deep inside, when it's getting more and more foggy outside and in the homes fires crackle... then goku-getsu has come ("end of the year-month"), also known as shi-hatsu-zuki ("four seasons come to an end-month") and haru-machi-zuki ("waiting for spring-month"), or, as we call it, December.
With the twelfth and last month in the year a busy time begins in Japan: koto-hajime, the start of things to be done at the end of the year. Everybody prepares for New Year, sends out greeting cards and small rice cakes to cherished people, settles last differences and disputes, purifies and decorates the home for New Year. In the Kyoto-Osaka area, Geiko, Maiko and other people of the showbusiness solemnize Hatsuyori on the 13th: carrying along kagami mochi, rice cakes, as gifts they go around to the different teahouses and their masters' houses to bring their New Year's congratulations. 
Tea people set pine branches and/or daidai oranges into the alcoves, cover the stepping stones, the water basin and the doorsill in the garden with straw lids to protect them of the white crystals and set the mood for yuki no cha, the tea ceremony celebrating the first fallen snow. As the end of the year approaches, they change the kama, kettles, several times. And while they do this for the last time for Joyo-gama, the tea ceremony on New Year's Eve (joya), okotousan is celebrated in Kyoto - literally meaning "such a busy moment, there's so much to do." After visiting the teahouses of the different quarters to express their gratitude and to receive small gifts, all Geiko and Maiko go to the Yasaka shrine to light up a wick of rice straw with the holy Okera flame and take this wick home to ignite the oven, as this brings luck for the coming year.
And so do we at the Blue Lotus celebrate the end of the year! Though there might be no public celebrated Koto-hajime, there are other exciting things coming up: in the following weeks our sim will slowly turn into a landscape of snow sculptures and on Sunday, 27th, at noon we will show you the origin of the first rabbits in our winter play.
Okotousan: such a busy moment, there's so much to do. So let's cherish this special month together. The Blue Lotus warmly invites you!
