Christmas

I believed in Santa Claus until I was about six years old

I found out it was my parents, because my cousin told me and right after that I found presents in my parents' car.

I remember being shocked. I felt like someone pushed me off a cliff.

However, I pretended that I didn't know until I was in Grade 4

My brother also found out early, but pretend he didn't know either.

My mother said she discovered that I knew when I was seven years old, but she had to hided, because I have a younger brother who still believed in it.

I used to write letters to Santa and leave cookies and juice for him. When I wake up, they were gone, so my parents must have had them.

I still remember, when I was in Grade 2, my classmate were talking about seeing Santa Claus. One girl said "I saw Santa in the park!" and the other boy said "I saw Santa in my dream" I couldn't join their conversation because I already knew Santa was not real. It was funny.

My English tutor told me about secret Santa game, that I think I would hate to participate in it, because I think it is stupid. I wouldn't like a present I don’t want.

I hate buying present for people too, because I don't understand what people want, and I don't want to use my money them.

Christmas is a big deal for many of my friends. For me, Oshogatsu is more important.

Oshogatsu (New Year) is similar to Christmas in Japan, because this is when a family gets together. In Oshogatsu we get fat, because most people eat a lot of carbohydrates, and don’t move. For example eat Soba on the 31^st, Mochi, Osechi, Sushi, and Alcohol.

I can’t wait for a New Year to come, because there will be no school (But we have homework), I can get Otoshidama that is money.

I borrowed a book

Last week, I borrowed a book from my violin teacher.

It is called "The Violin Masterpieces of Guarneri del Gesu" written by Peter Biddulph.

My teacher introduced this book to me after a lesson one day

I knew about this book, but I never seen it before

I was interested in it, because I love looking at pictures of great violins.

I was overwhelmed, because this is a very precious book

This book introduces violin masterpieces made by Guarneri del Gesu who is a violin maker as great as Stradivarius.

However, his personality was different from Stradivarius.

Stradivarius was calm and sensitive; on the other hand, del Gesu was aggressive, that when he was angry, he used his hands. You can see this clearly in his violin.

Stradivarius’ violin does not make any sound unless one plays it carefully and sensitively.

Del Gesu’s violin is very tough, and if a player plays it hard, del Gesu answers back and make powerful sound.  Some says del Gesu is greater than Stradivarius.

Violins in general are named after first player or owner.  For example, Paganini who was the first virtuoso (great violinist) ever, and one of del Gesu’s violin is named after him. There is also Heifetz, which is named after the greatest violinist of the 20^th century.   Heifetz had his own del Gesu and Stradivarius (His Stradivarius is called Dolphin. Currently used by Akiko Suwanai a Japanese violin player based in Paris).

Del Gesu is still loved by many violinists. Mayuko Kamio is a violinist I know personally. She was using Stradivarius before, but she now uses del Gesu after she got it recommended by many people.

I can’t play sensitively, so I would love to get del Gesu one day. If it is possible, I would like to get violins by Stradivarius and del Gesu.