Early visit from Santa

And they couldn't even be bothered to make the snowman out of white chocolate. Who has seen a brown chocolate coloured snowman - particularly in September?

they enjoy it every much as bit as you or me

No doubt. Sitting in an office while your kids are at Daycare sounds really festive.

Harold

There is no "proper" or right or wrong way of celebrating Christmas. Everyone celebrates it in their own way. For me, it is a spiritual way; for others it's dinner with family and friends; for others it is about charity. The Japanese have their way with their Christmas cakes, KFC, romantic dinners and illuminations and they enjoy it every much as bit as you or me or anyone enjoys our way.

Oh no, Harald is doing his Winston Smith impression, after being released from room 101 . Don't let them grind you down.

I like Christmas.

When it's done properly.

@Pautovsky

Meant to write " two forty-five minute sessions".

Not quite the same.... ; )

@lucabrasi, 45 sessions every day ? sounds a pretty tough gig to me. I hope he looks more santa than the dude in his brogues above.

A friend of mine gets flown in from Canada every year for a month every winter to do it

For a month in winter, yes, reasonable. Starting in September, Santa before he's had any mince pies to fill him out a bit and without his snow boots, Noooo.

Don't knock the gig. A friend of mine gets flown in from Canada every year for a month every winter to do it at a local department store. He gets put up in a very nice hotel, fed and watered and paid over 50 man.

For that he has to do two forty-five sessions every day.

Ha Ha. One sensei called in sick this morning. I bet he doesn't know he's getting paid in fried chicken.

Lost in a lost world.

People haven't been leaving Santa cookies and milk a lot, have they ?

The build-up starts for something that never really happens in Japan. Yet this is somehow so apt too.

Since when does any self-respecting Santa wear Oxfords? Somebody got lost on the way to the mall...

Stores should just leave their Christmas, Easter and Halloween stuff, up all year.

Santa's suit looks like it's from Daiso. Classy, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo. Very classy.

You gotta be kidding me! At times, Japan is ridiculous...

Hong Kong based hotel group....

It. Is. September. Any shop that starts pushing Christmas this early should be boycotted. Absolutely moronic.

Next year or the year after that we will see xmas decoration in the summer.

Santa needs a better tailor.

Jeez Louise. We haven't even got to Labour Day. Oh well. Shoganai. Why not bring out all the holidays at once and have them all year? Anticipation? Waiting? Marking time? Fully savoring something that comes but once a year? What's that in a swipe & click world? Oh, and while we are at it, why not bring out the blue tarps and start drinking now? Why wait for sakura? Heck, if we're going to make everything meaningless and screw symbolism over, why not have a Sakura Santa in pink?

Halloween stuff is making its appearance in America. Guess Japan has the jump on them

What the?! Is that early, slimmed down Santa? Where's the KFC? What's with the snowman with no eyes?

Damn I was off by one month! I figured October. (Santa should be carrying either a pumpkin or valentine too!)

You gotta be kidding me! At times, Japan is ridiculous...