Christmas in Japan
Christmas in Japan is rather bizarre.
A lot of the externals are the same - stores play a lot of Christmas carols and there are Christmas lights. However, there are some differences. The color schemes for the lights are different. This year there was a lot of pink. The nice shopping area near my house chose butterflies for the theme. Somehow, a large illuminated butterfly just doesn't remind me of Christmas. A few people will put up lights at their home, but not many. Also, Wham!'s Last Chritmas is a really popular Christmas song. I heard it all the time. I think I heard most of the famous Christmas songs, except Silent Night and Deck the Halls.
The "traditional" Christmas dinner here is KFC or homemade fried chicken, followed by Christmas cake. Many Christmas cakes involve strawberries, but not all. I'm not sure how friend chicken became the Christmas food, but I think your average Japanese person would believe that everyone in America chows down on KFC and cake on Christmas Eve.
Christmas is completely commercialized. No moral messages whatsoever. Nothing about caring about family, peace, people who are important to you. Nothing about giving is more important than getting. No charity appeals (that I know of) to make sure everyone has something for Christmas. Christmas Eve is a popular hookup night. If you've got a significant other, its pretty much a given you'll have a date with that person. Christmas, in a lot of ways, is really about the individual, or if you have a family, about your kids. Perhaps, in part, because New Years is a family orientated holiday.
Since it is completely commercial, sometimes there are amusing disconnected between the Japanese version and the rest of the world. Like Christmas trees decorated with the Star of David or all the romantic goings-on.
No candy canes. But they have white chocolate covered chocolate Pocky, which are delicious. I bought some for souvenirs, but I keep eating them all. Christmas wreaths are popular. That tradition was easily transferred to Japan, since everyone puts out a wreath for New Years and most homes have a space to display flowers in the entrance.
All the stores are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and when those days are during the week, people go to work just like normal.
So, that is my impression of Christmas in Japan.
A lot of the externals are the same - stores play a lot of Christmas carols and there are Christmas lights. However, there are some differences. The color schemes for the lights are different. This year there was a lot of pink. The nice shopping area near my house chose butterflies for the theme. Somehow, a large illuminated butterfly just doesn't remind me of Christmas. A few people will put up lights at their home, but not many. Also, Wham!'s Last Chritmas is a really popular Christmas song. I heard it all the time. I think I heard most of the famous Christmas songs, except Silent Night and Deck the Halls.
The "traditional" Christmas dinner here is KFC or homemade fried chicken, followed by Christmas cake. Many Christmas cakes involve strawberries, but not all. I'm not sure how friend chicken became the Christmas food, but I think your average Japanese person would believe that everyone in America chows down on KFC and cake on Christmas Eve.
Christmas is completely commercialized. No moral messages whatsoever. Nothing about caring about family, peace, people who are important to you. Nothing about giving is more important than getting. No charity appeals (that I know of) to make sure everyone has something for Christmas. Christmas Eve is a popular hookup night. If you've got a significant other, its pretty much a given you'll have a date with that person. Christmas, in a lot of ways, is really about the individual, or if you have a family, about your kids. Perhaps, in part, because New Years is a family orientated holiday.
Since it is completely commercial, sometimes there are amusing disconnected between the Japanese version and the rest of the world. Like Christmas trees decorated with the Star of David or all the romantic goings-on.
No candy canes. But they have white chocolate covered chocolate Pocky, which are delicious. I bought some for souvenirs, but I keep eating them all. Christmas wreaths are popular. That tradition was easily transferred to Japan, since everyone puts out a wreath for New Years and most homes have a space to display flowers in the entrance.
All the stores are open on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and when those days are during the week, people go to work just like normal.
So, that is my impression of Christmas in Japan.