フィリスのＳＬ生活日記

How to Describe Christmas and New Year's Day in Japan

I am just going to write about How to Describe Christmas and New Year Celebrations here in Japan.
To those who have never spoken about these kinds of matters in English, I hope my description here will be　of
some help! You can just copy what I have written here and paste in your chat　conversation with foreign friends, and your　foreign friends will enjoy talking with you!

On Christmas Day Celebrations:

In spite of the fact that 94 percent of the Japanese population are non-Christians, Christians being only 5-6 % of
the total Japanese population,　the Japanese enjoy Christmas as a means of enjoying the mood of　this religious
occasion.

＊CHRISTMAS IN　JAPAN
Like Valentine Day in Japan, Xmas was introduced into Japan for business promotion purposes as in Christmas Sales of clothes and so on.　But people in general do not mind it at all, they enjoy this Western festive occasion to the full! Parents give Christmas gifts to their children saying that Santa will bring good presents to them on Chirstmas Eve.　Also those in love regard Christmas Eve as a good occasion to go dating and　enjoy　dancing and/or to go to　luxurious restaurants to enjoy Christmas Dinner! Some will enjoy eating roast turkey, but turkeys are imported from the United States and still very expensive, so instead of turkey we eat roast chicken.
Christianｓ will go to church, but their number is still small, and they　occupy only 5-6 percent of the total Japanese population.

＊Japanese are said to be non-strict about their religious sense; so this kind of phenomenon is easily observed in Japan.
When you are born, your parents will celebrate your birth by going to Shinto Shrine.
Also when you become 3, 5, or 7 years old, parents will go with you to Shinto Shrine to pray for further good growth of their children. When you come of age and become old enough to marry someone, you may hold a wedding ceremony at Christian churches and or/ Shinto shrines.
And when you pass away, Japanese usually hold funeral ceremonies　for you in a Buddhist way.

＊New Year's Day Celebrations:
Formerly New Year's Day was celebrated in February according to the lunar calendar, but since the solar calenar
was adopted at the beginning of the 20th century, New Year's Day has been being celebrated on January 1st according to the solar calendar. As sung in Children's Song, Japanese children play in this period of time by
flying kites and spinning tops. We eat special New Year's dishes, and the typical New Year’s dishes are
Rice-cake soup(=Ozoni), herring-roe(-kazunoko),　sea tangles(=konbu）、soybeans、seasoned small fishes,
sea-breams(=tai).boiled fish-paste, lobsters、and so on. All of these food items symbolizes happiness and
longevity of people throughout the year!
New Year's Day dishes are intended for eating during this festive occasion which lasts January 1st through January
3rd, when schools and offices are closed. At some places stores and companies are closed till January 5th or 6th.
To those who like drinking sake(=Japanese wine) this period is good for drinking with their friends and relatives.

Described by Phyllis Watanabe
20101207