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Back in Philadelphia, we knew the neighborhood was changing when there was less “Chanukah” and more Christmas. Great big flagrant illuminations lighting up the night.
By the time I moved out, there was one house in which it was literally Christmas every day of the year. A neighbor simply decided not to take down the Christmas decorations. Plastic Santa and his reindeer remained on the roof, well past Jan 1, The Mummer’s Parade (a traditional all day String Band exhibition) well past the Show of Shows (the exhibition of the winning String Bands late February), straight past the 4th of July, whereby one day Santa and his reindeer just gave in and came crashing down, pitifully smashing into the toilet, spare auto parts and children’s toys that also decorated their overgrown lawn.
Our block was multicultural. A family of Israelis lived next to a family of Palestinians. Peacefully, they ran a business together. There was the reclusive Chinese family, “The Koreans” and the Hanukah houses. The only “Christmas” house on the block was my neighbor and one other. I felt lucky. Nothing beat having a Christmas neighbor, especially on Easter and Christmas. They were also quite exuberant about Halloween too. Their entire house turned into a haunted house, complete with skeletons and cobwebs on the lawn and a tape recorder that played very spooky music. They also brandished the Stars and Stripes on national holidays. Depending upon the holiday, that house was the neighborhood beer, chocolate and barbeque dispensary.
The multi-culturalism of my neighborhood extended well past the residential area. My hangout then was a Greek-owned Continental restaurant. The owner used to make the best Greek baked lamb, traditionally an Easter delicacy, but part of the Friday special along with the matzo ball soup and souvlaki.
A few doors down was the Italian bakery. For years, a Type II diabetic now in remission, my parents’ Sicilian neighbors had gotten me addicted to canolis, the greatest of all Italian pastries, heaven and a million calories in a shell. To this day, I can’t resist an Italian bakery.
Despite the cultural diversity, I must admit, I always felt a bit strange on Christmas. In school and on TV, we were taught what Christmas is supposed to be like… the caroling, the gifts under the Christmas tree, and Santa sliding down the chimney once the kids went to bed.
My childhood home had a chimney and fireplace. The chimney was struck by lightning one year, causing a glass-encased portrait of myself as a baby to come crashing down where I had been playing moments earlier. Fortunately, my life was spared.
On Christmas, we sometimes sat by the fire. “Won’t Santa slide down it and get burned to death?” I asked my parents. “No,” they sternly told me, “that’s not our holiday.”
But Christmas ... everyone celebrates Christmas. In fact, most kids, not just ones from the Christmas houses, would go to the department store and sit on Santa’s lap. If you were lucky and Jewish or Chinese or something, maybe you’d even get it for Hanukah, Kwanzaa or your birthday.
One year, I worked at a department store. I was depressed back then. I still get depressed, especially in the fall. Santa had called in sick at work. He had the flu and the manager told me that I would be Santa. “But..." I said. “You are going to be Santa,” she reiterated.
And so I was, the most depressed Santa ever, and from then on, Christmas depressed me more and more. But then I came to Japan.
“Everyone in Japan celebrates Christmas!” I was told. We have Christmas cake. People go on dates and afterwards, go to love hotels.
The Christmas illuminations in Tokyo are quite beautiful. They’re a bit less colorful than the gaudy Christmas house ones I remember in Philly, but breathtaking nonetheless. This Buddhist, Shinto, agnostic nation love their Christmas illuminations, their Christmas dates and the shopping. It’s such a happy time for them.
Then came my first year working at an English conversation school ... and the Santa costume which was laid out before me. Luckily, before I could say no, Chris, the teacher who loved rolling on the floor and playing with kids, and wasn’t melancholic, showed up. He made the best Santa ever.
As for the Japanese, you’d wonder why Christmas is so special to them. Is it that sense of awe and envy those “non-Christmas house” people in my neighborhood used to have looking in?
Actually, after the war, especially by the 1950s, “American Christmas” and its emphasis on "yogashi" (Western-style sweets) became a symbol of American affluence and the rise of Western-style consumerism. It is said that it was Ginza with its modern department stores in the 1870s when guests to Japan began to comment how they no longer felt like they were in an exotic country.
The Christmas cake, too, more so than anything else is said to be particularly significant. Sugar during the war was rare, so afterward, products made from it became a symbol of recovery and affluence. The pricy urban department store-purchased mythical “American-style” Christmas cake eaten at home with the family dramatized this.
Today, some people argue that Christmas is without meaning in Japan. “How can you celebrate Christmas without Christ?”
But this is a Western question. For the Japanese, Christmas is not meaningless. It is a festival that celebrates its affluence as a nation; however, a week later comes the flip side -- New Year, a time deeply enshrouded in cultural ritual and tradition. It is at that time that the Japanese don kimono, go to the shrine and experience both their roots, as well as contemplate the future.
The holiday season, then, to the Japanese is really a time of balance, renewal and contemplation. But what does it mean to you?
© Japan Today
34 Comments
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Tim_Fox
The Christmas without Christianity is nothing exceptional to Japan. In the US and Canada, it became about Santa when the Night Before Christmas was published and about the time Santa appeared in Coca Cola commercials. The big difference is that in Japan, Christmas is likened to a Valentine's type of day, whereas in North America it is a family day. The question "How can you celebrate Christmas without Christ?" is not a North American one. It is a question asked by North American and Japanese (yes surprise surprise there are several) Christians. It is largely a holiday of affluence though for Americans and Canadians. Black Friday starts it off in the US, and Boxing Day wraps it up in Canada.
7777777
Christmas without Christianity is like Ramadan w/out islam or Passover without Judism. You can go through the motions of it but the meaning and origins of the occassion are why it exists and everything points to it. For Christmas, people may not know why the star and angels are on the tree, the presents, the lights, a lot of the music, etc, but it all points to Christ. If someone started asking they`d find it wrapped in Christianity. Likewise someone can have the Passover food and candles and enjoy it without giving it any thought, but if anyone asks "why this food?" it will point to Judism. A few questions reveal the true source and purpose.
MaboDofuIsSpicy
When I was growing up on Long Island NY (Queens and Brooklyn are on Long Island too by the way) we had the main Jewish holidays off as well as Christmas. Great times, and lots of mixed races around... well mostly white, but it was a fun time. And no Christ stuff basically for my family. I do respect Christ though as he was a great Rabbi and had lots of good things to say and teach about being human.
Virtuoso
Ho! Ho! HO! ;-)
nath
For Christians, Christmas is a holy day. For everyone else, it's a holiday. In Japan, where a tiny percentage of the population is Christian, it's a nice seasonal holiday to celebrate with blue lights and KFC. Nothing at all wrong with that.
Mr. Landsberg, I hope your Christmas experiences back in Philly included the light show at Wanamaker's. (Don't know your age - maybe Wanamaker's was something else by then. It's Macy's now.)
bajhista65
Since the 90's, Christmas is well observed in Japan entirely influenced by the west. Now you can see many illuminations all over. I lived in Japan for almost 30 years and worked as a musician. Where I came from, Christmas spirit begins in the months with a 'ber. As early as September, Christmas song are being aired on the radios.
Christmas minus Christianity? Actually Christimas doesn't connote Christianity in Japan and other countries that is non christians. In my researched, it was coined by the Vatican as a MASS for CHRIST coinciding with a mass for the Pope during that Era as a special celebration every December 25th of the year that became universal called CHRIST MASS. Many believed that Jesus Christ was born Christmas eve. December 24. Christian Bible did not mentioned anything about his date of birth, mass for Christ or Christmas. We are all mis-informed and brain washed by Vatican's Roman Catholic Religion.
As a musician, I am sure you are familiar with the song "The First Noel". When I was in my Elementary Grades, we sing this in class heartedly during the season. Everytime I hear this song now, it makes me laugh why I did not noticed before the lyrics' of the song with contradictions. Please allow me to explain why... =)) THE FIRST NOEL The First Noel, the Angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay In fields where they lay keeping their sheep On a cold winter's night that was so deep. Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel Born is the King of Israel!
The angels told them the Savior King of Israel born in Bethlehem. But wait.... How can the Shepherds lay in the fields with snow deep... They will freeze to death. It's winter. And what were they doing in the fields with their sheep. feeding their sheep,? Naahhh...there's no grass but snow. =))
Christmas is just the same thing as Santa Clause. Kids waits for Christmas for they received lots of gifts, money, food clothes and most of all toys. ;-) Do Santa Clause exist? For kids, maybe. =))
Christmas ...what it meant to me? Christmas is giving and forgiving. For kids, it's receiving presents, new clothes and shoes, carnivals, cakes, candies and snacks etc. =))
For manufacturers and retailers.....Christmas meant very good business and profits .... =))
Deplore
Wait wait wait... think about that for a second though. To Christians, it's holy. To everyone else, it's a holiday.
Holiday.
Isn't the word holiday just a combination of the words holy and day?
Chris Jacques
This was a nice article and I agree with mst people here that the question does not apply only to Japan. People around the world have lost the true meaning. But ultimately all that matters is that religious people celebrate their religious holiday for the right reasons. For the rest, well if you feel comfortable mocking a person's faith, that's up to you.
I'll play the devils advocate for the sake of discussion. Imagine if we started celebrating Hannukah with made up characters that had nothing to do with the religious aspect. I think if you proposed that question to most people today, they'd find it offensive. Yet that's what we've done to the Christian religion.
If you examine the Japanese version of Christmas, it's the opposite of Christmas. Checking into Love Hotels to commit lustful acts... What's next, eat ham & cheese sandwiches in Ancient Egyptian costumes to celebrate Hannukah? How about filming pornos inside Japanese shrines on New Years Day?
Sorry for this next part, but I can't leave this poster to his hate speech.-
*@Bajihista85 I'm sorry you feel the need to spew ignorant, hateful rhetoric. You sound like a "Biblist". First of all the "Vatican's Roman Catholic Religion" IS Christianity. Let's get some facts straight. The bible was assembled 300 years AFTER Christ's death. It was not written Christ. It was written ABOUT Christ based on the many writings the Catholic church gathered from the time of Christ until the creation of the bible.
Christ chose Peter as his "rock" to build his CHURCH. That's all Christ wanted, a CHURCH to spread his teachings. Christ NEVER told anyone to create a bible. Peter became known as the first father, the first POPE. So you're basically claiming the Apostles are brainwashers by spreading the word of Christ. This is why the final word of Christ comes from the POPE, not from the BIBLE. There are thousands more ancient texts in the Vatican library than the tiny Bible that you claim is the complete teaching of Christ.
The date for Christmas is arbitrary, it doesn't matter, but a date had to be picked or else how could we celebrate? This is hardly brainwashing.
As far as the wrong lyrics, was this written by Christ? Was it even written by his church? No. Ironicly if you look at the writers of most popular "Christmas" music, they were written by people of Jewish faith. This was part of the commercializing of Christmas, but was hardly limited to Jews. so called Christians did their best to capitalize on the popular holiday.*
**A true Christian (Catholic) does not limit giving and forgiving to a single day, or time of the year. We do that everyday. Because that's the right thing to do. We don't do it for reward or recognition, or for presents or candy.
Christmas is simply to celebrate the birth of Christ, a man who said "Do unto others as you would have done unto you". Sounds good to me.
Dont get me wrong, I celebrate the fake, gift-giving version of Christmas too. But I never lose sight of the true meaning, and I keep that "Christmas spirit" with me throughout the year.**
Bartholomew Harte
Jeez, I could have written that same story -Exept it would have been in "Brooklyneeze Merry Chistmas,& Happy New Year,Jerry!
jforce
Christmas Rules. Regardless the religion, it is something to look forward to and damn, those lights are pretty!
Seiharinokaze
I think people go to more chic hotels rather than love hotels on Christmas Eve. And what concerns Japanese, particularly women, is not if it's Christmas minus Christ but if it's not a "Christmas minus someone special." They self-deprecatingly call themselves "refugees on Christmas (Eve)" and "refugees on the New Year's Eve (Ohmisoka nanmin)" who have no one to be with on the year-end and new year season. Often they get together and feast themselves a hot-pot dinner to beguile their loneliness and while away the time. That's a Japanese rendering of Christian salvation.
nath
For me Christmas is and will always be about the whole family coming together and being as one. Yeah, some of my family is rather religious but that is not what christmas is about for us.
Everyone needs to find their own meanings for holidays like christmas.
Sad to say but why are non-christians forced to take days off when their own religious holidays aren't honoured?
7777777
"Sad to say but why are non-christians forced to take days off when their own religious holidays aren't honoured?"
In Japan, that doesnt apply. The only religious holidays here are Shinto and Buddhist related. Im not a part of either of these religions, but I ENJOY the day off! I suggest that you enjoy your day off as well. You don`t have to celebrate a Christian holiday but you can always enjoy a day off from school or work!!!
Gary Kirkpatrick
Given that the Christian part was a later add on it really doesn't matter.
Nicky Washida
I bloody love Christmas. I really do. I am up for celebrating anything, but Christmas is really the special time for me. I was raised a christian, so I understand the meaning behind it, but beyond that I have wonderful memories of Christmas as a child, and I am trying to create the same memories for my own kids now. I feel sad sometimes, that they dont get the opportunity to experience it in quite the way we did back home, but on the other hand they are not heavily influenced by the other kids around them and demanding a long list of items.
This year in particular we are focusing on being together as a family and planning to spend the money on good food and games we can play together. That is what Christmas means to me more than anything - just being together and being thankful for that.
That is of course after the mother of all Christmas parties I have planned for a couple of weeks time! i have calculated that our guests need no more than about 1 sq m of space each in which to dance, and planned the guest list accordingly! I have fake snow, mistletoe, mulled wine, a disco ball, and santa clause paying a visit for the kids. Cant wait! Its been a rough year and I want to get everyone together to celebrate getting through it together. I want to introduce some of my kindergarten ladies to the delights of mulled wine too - man I am going to have to do some serious repenting after this holiday season!
Merry Christmas, fellow JT posters! xxxxx
Nicky Washida
sorry santa "clause" was a typo - I am not THAT blonde!
nath
I'm Jewish, but more than 20 years ago I gained a brother shortly after midnight on a Christmas Day. This naturally led to Christmas coming with a birthday cake and candles as well as the movie and Chinese restaurant visits typical of American Jews on Christmas. Of course, it's sometimes tough to find a non-Chinese (or non-Japanese) restaurant open on my brother's birthday, but there have been years where we dodged the question entirely (by going to Disneyland, Disney World, on a cruise, etc.) Also, Hannukah sometimes intersects Christmas, leading to a menorah displaying its holiday candlelight on the kitchen table along with the birthday cake.
nath
Holiday.
Isn't the word holiday just a combination of the words holy and day?
Gosh, you're right. Now that I think of it, I've always felt very religious about Independence Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day. I imagine the Brits feel the same way about their weeks at Brighton or Blackpool.
herefornow
Fair enough, Japanese have every right to have a day to eat cake, go out to dinner, exchange gifts, and have sex. But why "Christmas"? Could just as easily be Halloween, Ground Hog Day or July 4th. In ten years in Japan, no one, and this article certainly does not, have an explanation for that.
BlueWitch
I love this. I made my reservation already. If you wait till Christmas eve, probably 99% of the places will be full. About the cake, I always bake my own made of carrot and decorate it with dried fruit, raisins and a thick layer of vanilla frost. I hope the carrot cake is successful. It will be the first time for me to bake it. I tried doing the very spongy Angel cake but I failed.
That is a true fact. Sugar was not only rare but the little that was available was extremely expensive so mostly the rich could buy sugar. Now, what in Japan doesn't contain sugar? lol There's sugar in almost everything. Even in meat-tare and adzuki beans and shoku-bread. Well, that's not a bad thing for a society that enjoys sweet. but for those trying to be on a serious diet? I feel for them.
Sioux Chef
Christmas minus Christianity = the best kind of Christmas.
ExportExpert
Xmas without christianity is great same as easter with out religion, just means its a holiday with a nice dinner.
After all it is a celebration at the years end precluding New Years Eve. To many it just means an excuse to get drunk.
Time to drop all the religous rubbish anyway, wise up people, it's long over due.
Sioux Chef
I was unaware X-mas cakes had added sugar in them. They just taste like whipped cream.
lostrune2
New Year's without religious overtones is good too. Just kiss everyone and partay!
anglootaku
Xmas and Seasons Greetings are silly words made up for non Christians.. even non Christians say Christmas.. nothing wrong with that, but altering a word for a special occasion is just not right..
anglootaku
Christmas in it self has just turned into a money making season really..
anglootaku
I do have to say, Christmas in Japan is great, they really know how to make a great atmosphere and presentation of trees etc
anglootaku
If not the best Christmas decorations I've seen.
nath
Still don 't get the true Christmas feeling/spirit here compared to where I grew up.
And I think many countries like Japan, USA, etc simply turned it into money making venture.
BurakuminDes
@ ChrisJacques:
Japanese have a right to celebrate any festival any way they like. Just because they don't believe your fairy-tale version does not make how they celebrate any less valid than yours. "Lustful acts"? Who are you, Moses or something? Stop imposing your religious values on another culture.
kurisupisu
Xmas eve in Japan a fest of pre-marital sex very Unchristian!
kurisupisu
Eddie knows so much about Japan that he misses out on the cultural significance of it here........?
PeaceWarrior
Let them enjoy themselves 'cause apparently it stops soon after marriage for most.
nath
This morning they interviewed foreigners on this topic.
European, etc see it as a day for the family to get together, asians(taiwan, singapore, etc) see is a day for dating, etc.
To each their own, I don't celebrate X-Mas either in the Japanese nor the american way I do what I was brought up to do.