Christmas around the World

[JohnS]

No matter how you spend Christmas, whether with dear family or friends, whether you eat or drink too much or just simply you are grateful that you live in a country that has the following day as a Boxing Day holiday to recover, here at FoH, we wish you a Merry Christmas for 2023! Be sure to check our FOH Christmas wrap topic too! 

Me? I look forward to spending time with family on Christmas Day, which is becoming ever-increasingly international as I get older. Sure, my family are all Australian citizens, but if you were to look at the countries we all have come from, down-the-line, I could name destinations such as China, Egypt, Italy, Greece, Sri Lanka and Turkey without giving things a second thought! Wow!

How are you looking forward to spending Christmas in your country? What are some of your traditions? In Australia, there are some traditions that remain strong to the present day such as hearing Christmas Carols everywhere you go during December, enjoying extra work and social events during the same month in the lead up to Christmas, as January is the traditional vacation month where everyone goes on holiday, and businesses traditionally take a few weeks off. Of course, Christmas Day is always either extremely hot or extremely wet or extremely stormy (in other words, navigating an extreme weather event at this time of year is 'part and parcel' of living in this country) but if there's one thing you can count on around Christmas, it's the traditional Christmas BBQ! (Yum, yum!)

Other countries have their own traditions, such as Japan where sales of fried chicken are at the highest on the day and people spend time with their family. Or other countries such as Malaysia where it's a public holiday on Xmas and Shopping Malls in big cities go all out on Xmas decorations. How is Christmas celebrated in your country? For reference, check out the following link which provides some interesting information for how Christmas is celebrated around the world...

https://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/

[99call]

11 hours ago, JohnS said:

as Japan where sales of fried chicken are at the highest on the day and people spend time with their family

I've experienced one Christmas in Japan, with an ex who was Japanese. It was a very odd experience back in 2007.Christmas in Japan seemed to be slightly misunderstood. Like it was for couples  tacky romantic overtones.  It was like 20% Christmas and 80% Valentine's day. 

I had no idea about the poultry apocalypse.

💥🐥💥

[MrBirdman]

5 hours ago, JohnS said:

What are some of your traditions?

My mother grew up in Pennsylvania’s coal region, where they have a tradition of lighting a bayberry candle on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. If you light one (preferably gifted to you) after dark and leave it to burn out on its own, it is supposed to bring good fortune and prosperity throughout the next year. As an adult I hadn’t kept up with it; then my mother passed away suddenly in 2021 at a fairly young age. This candle is lit more for her than myself, though if it brings prosperity in 2024 that would certainly be welcome too.

Merry Christmas 🎄 

[yossie]

4 hours ago, 99call said:

I've experienced one Christmas in Japan, with an ex who was Japanese. It was a very odd experience back in 2007.Christmas in Japan seemed to be slightly misunderstood. Like it was for couples  tacky romantic overtones.  It was like 20% Christmas and 80% Valentine's day. 

I had no idea about the poultry apocalypse

Most of people here are not Christians. So, Someone , I assume marketer, brought the religious culture as commercial one.  As to chicken, I guess It was simply no turkey.

[JohnS]

Yes, it's true that Japan is a secular country, but still a Christmas tradition has come along in the last few decades, I think. It's all very interesting. It goes to show how international the world has become in the internet age.

[Fuzz]

The tradition of Kentucky for Christmas in Japan started back in the mid 70s. After the recovery from the lean post war decades, Japan became an economic powerhouse. It was around this time that a lot of American fast food franchises started popping up, Kentucky Fried Chicken among them.

As to why KFC is a Christmas tradition? Some say it was because a manager of the first KFC in Tokyo overheard a foreign couple talk about how they missed having turkey for Christmas, or when he dressed up as Santa and saw how the kids loved, that he came up with the idea. Some others say it came to him in a dream. Whatever the reason, KFC has been a tradition in Japan ever since.

Even flights on JAL serve KFC during Christmas on select routes.

Demand for KFC increases to the point where you have to preorder your party bucket in advance to ensure you get your dose of holiday fried chicken.

And it is not just fried chicken, you can even get a whole roast chicken.

 

 

 

[BoliDan]

That's funny that KFC is a Christmas tradition. In the US I know numerous families that have a Christmas tradition of going to Asian Restaurants (mostly Chinese though) for Christmas dinner. Since they don't celebrate its usually easy to find one open in Christmas day, and fairly packed with families that follow this tradition. I'm open to it, we don't have any extended family within 2000 miles so we just do presents, charcuterie board, Christmas ham and bed.

[Chibearsv]

Due to a couple logistical issues yesterday, we ordered Chinese carry out. Instead of cooking a roast and putting out a spread, we brought home a spread 😀

It was great!  Might continue that tradition