Monday, December 18, 2006

Christmas in Japan

Christmas in Japan

I have received question after question about how Christmas is celebrated in Japan. As a result, I've decided to write a blog entry about just that. There is a Christmas in Japan – but it certainly does not correlate directly with an American Christmas. When people in America are screaming that the meaning of Christmas has become materialistic – they should come to Japan.

One would most certainly walk around the city that is 40 minutes from my house or even shop in any of the stores in my town – and think that possibly – the Japanese do celebrate Christmas. You definitely hear Mariah Carey and Wham's Christmas hits, just like in America. You definitely see Christmas lights, Christmas trees, wreaths, decorations, Santa Clause's, Christmas Cards, etc. But – Christmas doesn't extend much past that.

Only 2% of Japan is Christian – which means that the religious aspect has been removed from Christmas. However, I haven't been to church in nearly 6 years aside from weddings and funerals – so the religious facet of Christmas isn't what makes me miss home at this time of the year. It's certainly the cultural aspect of Christmas that I will miss. I will miss going to my dad's family on Christmas Eve to do gag gifts, I will miss exchanging gifts with my family when we get back from Christmas Eve, I will miss waking up really early to open presents while my dad blares Christmas music through his surround sound that is good enough for a movie theater; I will miss scrambled eggs, strawberries, and tea for breakfast; I will miss fighting over who takes a shower first so we can be ready for when the rest of my entire family arrives; I will miss bread boat, showing my gifts to my family, doing lotto's from Florida from Grandpa, gag gifts with my mom's family, the kid's table, the latest movie blasting on the TV downstairs, being ridiculously immature with all my cousin's. That is what I think Christmas is all about.

I have started asking Japanese people about Christmas on Christmas day. One of the teacher's I work with told me that kids until about age 12 do believe in Santa Clause. They receive presents on Christmas Day. I was really surprised to hear this. I then asked a woman in my English Conversation class since she has children at the age of receiving presents. She said – kids do receive presents in her house, too. But, my question is this - “If everyone has to work on Christmas Day – when do the children open their presents?” She couldn't understand my English and I don't have the Japanese to ask that question. So – to me, it seems silly to celebrate Christmas – by giving your children presents – and have them open their presents while mother and father are at work. I have discussed it with another western teacher – this is her third year here and she cleared it up a bit more for me. Kids get presents – but not like how we do. In America, we get hundreds of dollars worth of gifts (if we are privileged middle class). The kids here will get maybe a few presents that are placed on their pillow while they are asleep.

It seems to me that someone thought it was a cool concept and then brought it here and adapted to how they liked it. With that in mind, I will be celebrating my Christmas the Japanese way - at work. I have saved all the Christmas presents that were mailed to me – to open on Christmas eve. I have piled a bunch of boxes up – placed the mini tree that Dianna & Brian sent to me on it and are putting my presents around it. I am hanging up my Christmas cards on my wall nearby my tree and presents. On Christmas Eve, I will open my presents, drink wine and make a dinner for myself. I will call my family at night. Christmas day, I am going to work and then joining two other teachers in the city for dinner.

That – is Christmas in Japan.

1 comment:

Lisa Marie said...

I see picachu in the background i think.