Christmas around the world
In VA,we had a little bit of snow last night. The snow is already melted today,but made me think more about Christmas.
In the past, I have written to Santa Clause in Finland. I think mailing place is called “Santa World”,and it was funny that I have got an Air Mail from Santa in Japanese!! Santa Clause did understood Japanese and wrote me back in Japanese,it was really interesting thing to me as a kid.
How to cerebrate Christmas here in the states,and our country Japan is different. Over here,you gather up the presents under the Christmas tree,and on the day of Christmas,you will open up the present each other. Then,you have a big feast.
Well,over in Japan,I do not think many families have Christmas trees. That is because we do not gather present under the tree.
In Japan, Santa Clause (Or,parents) waits for kids to go deep sleep,and go in to the bed room with tip-toe and hide the present under the pillow OR put the present right next to the kids.
Then,kids will wake up and find the presents on her/his bed and go nuts about what they got from Santa Clause.
On the Christmas day,the family makes special meal but not as huge feast like US families,and family in Japan enjoy Christmas cake.That is all.We do not exchange Christmas list each other.
Christmas presents are more for kids than adult in the families,and then parents buy presents with no listing/ memos from kids.They just be sneaky to find out what they want for Christmas.
Therefore,coming here, in the states and cerebrate the first time Christmas was a little weird. Exchanging Christmas list?? That was one culture shock for me.
If you got a boyfriend/girlfriend,then, Christmas is romantic day back home in Japan. They do gift giving each other but without Christmas list.
They just get what they think would make the other half feel happy. Often times,couples have nice meal together and eat Christmas cake. That is how couples in Japan cerebrate Christmas.
Christmas time is great time to visit Sapporo (northern part of Japan) for snow festival.I hear they are nice place to look at amazing snow statues with lots of lighting.
I found an interesting site where you can look at how other world cerebrate Christmas. To watch how other countries in the world cerebrate the Christmas, please visit http://www.santatelevision.com
Merry Christmas to all,and hope you have nice Christmas!!
If you click on Japan on the Santa television website,you will see cerebration view from Sendai (northern part of Japan). It also has some interesting stuff there such as Rein deer racing video,mini info on St Nicholas etc. Maybe kids would enjoy watching it together.
