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Celebrating Christmas in Japan

Although Japan does not officially celebrate Christmas like many other countries around the world, it is acknowledged in some ways similar to the UK and US.

There is no holiday on Christmas day, but some parents o give gifts to their younger children on Christmas morning. For some families, special dinners are served at Christmas, and may even include that Western Christmas favorite, turkey. Many homes adopt the European and North American practices of decorating the home with a Christmas tree and decorations, so ion some ways there are similarities with many Western countries.

Another similarity at Christmas is the Japanese version of Santa Claus, except that those of who know the real Santa Claus are fully aware they are one and the same person! In Japan, the gift bearer who descends chimneys is called Hoteoisho, but he serves much the same purpose as our very own Santa.

Christmas Eve can be a bit different in Japan, bearing some similarity to Valentine's Day. On Christmas Eve, romantic young couples get together and exchange gifts, while those who are alone yearn for someone to be with that evening. In some homes, too, a type of Christmas cake is made to celebrate the day.