New Year's holiday; period encompassing the close of the old year and the start of the New Year
depression; melancholy; dejection; gloom; despondency
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
group; bunch; crowd; group
hardly any; almost nonexistent; very little
granny; grandma; gran; old lady; old woman
family; members of a family
homecoming; returning home
hanky-panky; juggling; cheating; deception; smoke and mirrors
to be effective; to take effect; to work; to function well; to be possible (to do, use, etc.); to be able to
to support each other; to support one another
to one's heart's content; as much as one wants; as hard as one can; resolution; decisiveness; determination
through; throughout; in the course of; all over or throughout (e.g. a place)
to go with (a companion); to hang out with; to do together
absurd; unreasonable; excessive; very; extremely; excessively
New Year (esp. first three days); first month of the year; January
mochi; (sticky) rice cake
soba noodles eaten at night on New Year's Eve
just like; (virtually) no different from; (almost) the same as; as good as (e.g. dead, settled)
to eat; to live; to make a living; to bite; to sting (as insects do); to tease; to torment
on closer reflection; on second thought; come to think of it; actually
to scheme; to plan; to play a trick; to invent; to conspire; to frame up
female high-school student
(just) making sure; just to be sure; just in case; for caution's sake
that kind of; of the sort; of the kind; such
(suffering) damage; injury; harm
in that case; (might not be what was expected or hoped for but) if that's the case
companions; friends; comrades; mates; partners
to be blown off; to blow off; to blow away; to vanish; to disappear
powerlessness; helplessness; incompetent
as much as one can; as much as possible; if at all possible
to climb over; to get over; to surmount; to overcome; to surpass; to overtake
to swear; to vow; to take an oath; to pledge
another meeting; meeting again; reunion
exchange; interchange; switching; reciprocity; barter; substitution
in; on; at (place); as for; regarding
by all means; at any cost; whether (one is) willing or not; willingly or unwillingly; on no account; by no means
thank you; thanks; much (thanks); very (sorry); quite; really; somehow
pleasant; agreeable; comfortable; refreshing
incomprehensible; nonsensical; puzzling; mysterious; meaningless
recently; lately; these days
cast-off skin (snake, insect, etc.); husk; empty shell; exuvia; exuviae
New Year's Eve; December 31