this inadequate description simply says:
I talk about new year cards – all the way from Japanese tradition and various postal statistics to the DIY kit assembled to make your own version of ours at home
plus the work and thinking behind this year’s offering – with various digressions, stumbles, lighting changes, two beverages, well technically one isn’t a beverage, more stamps, a hooray for Okayama high volume mailers
oh by the way we sent about 290 including hand delivered items but somehow it doesn’t feel enough
more on this topic scattered throughout the archive because it just seems to make sense that way
in the meanwhile, a robot generated summary:
In this video, Dave O discusses the tradition of sending New Year’s cards, particularly in Japan, and his personal process and thoughts on the practice (2:23). He shares details about the number of cards he sent (4:01) and the declining trend of New Year’s card usage in Japan (13:48-18:00), attributing it to factors like population decline and the rise of the internet.
He also explains the design and elements of his 2026 New Year’s card (21:32), including the use of special stamps with a lottery number (8:01), traditional Japanese addressing methods (10:34), and the incorporation of personal touches like his son’s drawings and family photos (25:56). Dave highlights the importance of these cards as “generational objects” (3:49) and a way to maintain connections, despite the cost and effort involved (18:42).
The video also touches on the challenges of international mail services in Canada and the US (20:09), and Dave mentions making digital versions of his card available online for those who couldn’t receive a physical one (21:32). He concludes by offering to send a card to viewers who are interested, asking for a small contribution to cover costs (45:09).
