RE: Cards (was re: GG: Saint Valentine's Day)

["Junichi Miyazawa" <Junichi_Miyazawa@msn.com>]

Robert, 

>I'm surprised to hear that card-giving (or was that just _Valentine'
s 
>Day_card-giving?) is a rarity in Japan; since the (to me) bizarre, 
>music-playing cards (the ones which have a silicon chip embedded 
>in the paper; & which play a dodgy MIDI-style _Happy Birthday to 
>You_ or whatever whenever you open the card... i can't quite decide 

>whether GG would loathe them for their commerciality or love them 
>for their unabashed tackiness (it would have to be one or the other.
.. 
>nothing in between)) i see throughout China & Hongkong are generally
 
>described as a Japanese invention. Is the belief correct?; or is thi
s a 
>cultural artefact restricted to Chinese?

No, I only said card-giving is a rarity only for *Valentine's Day*.
Cardi-giving is very common in Japan: especially exchanging
New Year Cards is very common and poular.  As for Valentine's 
Day, ladies might give cards *with* gifts (mainly chocolate).
In other words, Japanese ladies don't give cards without
chocolates.  Do any other Japanese subscribers take over
the explanation of tje Japanese card-giving tradition?

Sorry for my unclear explanation.
Just for avoiding misunderstanding,

Regards,

Junichi

P.S.  Yes, bizzare music-playing cards might be a Japanese 
invention.