A Japanese Christmas
Despite the fact that Christmas is based on religious beliefs, it has evolved to become a universal celebration. We all know that Japan is not a largely Christian country although there is a small (but strong) following. Since Christmas is deeply rooted in Christian tradition, have you ever wondered how the Japanese as a nation celebrate this holiday?
Based on the web site Japanese Lifestyle, most of the focus is centered on Christmas Eve and not the day itself. With regard to giving gifts, it is only the children who normally receive gifts from their parents. The reverse is not true due to the idea that people receive gifts from Santa Claus and once a person becomes old enough NOT to believe in Santa, he or she does not receive gifts anymore.
You would enjoy the lights that are to be seen all throughout Japan during this season, though. Establishments and households put up decorations like Christmas trees and lights – much like the people in the West. Another noteworthy point is that in Japan, December is considered to be the month of “forget-the-year†party or bounenkai. This means that there are a lot of parties going on throughout the month. And make no mistake about it – the Japanese love their drink just as much as any other nation in the world. During the Christmas season, then, you should not be surprised to see a tipsy person or two on the streets. One thing is for sure – they celebrate Christmas big time in Japan.
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Posted December 6th, 2008 by Maki | Comments (3)3 Responses to “A Japanese Christmas”
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[...] relationships and the money of giving gifts. In this post, let us look at some other aspects of the Christmas celebration wherein we can reduce the stress we might [...]
A midwinter celebration has always been universal, including in Japan. The celebration here has certainly taken on much of the non-religious stylings that Christmas in the west has but most of that (e.g., trees, lights, family feasts) is pagan anyway – ask a Greek Orthodox Christian when the real Christmas is – so enjoy the midwinter festival as an event with traditional roots just like the Summer, Autumn and Spring!
You can’t have a Japanese Christmas without hearing this song on the radio, its kinda like Wham’s Last Christmas.
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/beautiful-japanese-christmas-song-itsuka-no-merry-christmas/