Japan December

The night before Christmas at last! A few weeks ago it felt like it would never come. School was so crazy, and I'm really excited that it's break time. It's more of a break for New Year really. That's the important holiday this time of the year in Japan. But they do like Christmas too.

Christmas tree at Harvest Walk, Dec. 20th
(where we went for our anniversary)

Teaching Christmas lessons to some of the elementary classes was so much fun. The words weren't too hard for the kids to pick up, since most of them in Japanese were taken from English anyway. For example, Christmas tree in Japanese is pronounced "kurisumasu tsurii", and present is "puresento". And of course they knew star. They all yelled it so confidently - how could they not after playing Mario games?

Apparently Peanuts is well-liked here as well. (Especially Snoopy.) The Christmas one has been rented out every single time we go to the DVD rental store. We've found some other good Christmas movies there though, so that's been nice. Christmas movies are the best. :) Near the rental store there is a place much like Home Depot, and we found a nice fake tree that's about 5 feet tall.

Toys R Us was absolutely packed every time I saw it. I wouldn't have gone in there unless someone paid me to. Traffic has been terrible here after work hours and on weekends for the past two weeks. Quite frightening, really. As if driving wasn't scary in the first place... Also, all the workers at various stores have been wearing Christmas get-up. Mostly we see Santa hats, but we saw the workers at a gas station dressed in full Santa suits, and one as a reindeer. It was so funny!!

Tree at Harvest Walk from the front,
with me standing in the little ... um ... thing.

Christmas in Japan is considered a couple's holiday. You go out to eat fried chicken - preferably at Kentucky Fried Chicken - yes, that's right, people: KFC. Though I've read that some go out to sushi instead :P You also get an expensive strawberry cake. Strawberries are a Winter thing here in Japan, primarily picked during January, but many are sold during December. The school kids were shocked when I don't them I'd never had a strawberry cake at Christmas time. The horrified looks on their faces were so funny - they suddenly wondered what kind of terrible place America is!

We haven't seen nearly as many Christmas lights here as there are in America. But there are parks set up specially with Christmas Illuminations. Disneyland has an Illumination set up too. It sounds like many families take their children to see it - it sounds amazing!

Drinks we had at the Udon shop we went to for our anniversary.
Calpis Soda and Melon Soda - nice Christmas colors, actually.