Kentucky Christmas

Every family has their own Christmas traditions.  Mine usually includes a trip to Watertown to celebrate with Grandma and my dad's side of the family.  Jeff's family always hung out with the same group of families for a "white elephant" Christmas exchange.  From what I understand, this is generally in line with what most of the rest of the world does, spending time with family and close friends, contemplating a birth that took place approximately 2010 years ago.  Of course, several friends also celebrated the "chosen people" way with Chinese food and movies.  (The NYTimes and SNL are blowing their cover though!)



Here in Japan, Christmas, as with many "western" traditions, is interpreted very differently.  It's common to find people getting together and eating KFC fried chicken.  No joke.  I have not been able to determine where this practice originated, though I am suspicious of KFC's role.  There are actually commercials advertising fried chicken from KFC, supermarkets, and konbini, commonly referred to as convenience stores in America.

Historically, the new year is a much bigger celebration than the birth of Jesus in this predominantly non-Christian country.  People get together for bonenkai, a traditional end of the year get-together that translates literally as "forget the year party." I'd prefer not to forget this year, thankyouverymuch!

This year, Jeff and I aren't celebrating Christmas.  Fitting I suppose, neither of us being Chrsitian and all.  Rather, we bought peanut butter (a celebration within itself), ate burritos with our good friend Chris, and are now watching Love Actually while enjoying a glass of wine. And Jeff is doing the laundry.  That is the only Christmas miracle I need.

Hope you're all enjoying your time off from work/school and your Christmas/Channuka/Kwanzaa/Festivus celebrations!  What are you all doing this year, anyways?

Mata ne,
Melissa