Christmas Eve is the bigger day in Japan instead of Christmas Day. Couples go out on fancy dinner dates and families have roasted chicken and eat Christmas cake. Last year I had the Japanese KFC “Kentucky Christmas” experience. This year we just opted for plain ol’ “regular” sushi. And we all loved it!
Tensions were running a little high one evening. The kids were tired, a bit cranky, and not very enthused about the dinner I had made. To perk their moods up a bit I thought I’d ask some questions about Santa.
“Hey, are you guys excited about Santa this year?!” I asked with a wide-eyed smile.
“Yeah!” was their joyous response.
I grew up watching Star Wars just like any child of the 80s did. My brother and I had the action figures complete with the Darth Vader carrying case. I had Star Wars sheets, Star Wars pajamas, and even Star Wars underwear. You could say the Force was strong in our house. But as we got older, our interest in Star Wars was just pure nostalgia. And after the complete disappointment that was Episodes I, II, and III, my interest fell to almost zero.
We started our New Year’s Celebration on New Year’s Eve with a soba noodle dinner. I’ve been told that it’s a tradition to have soba noodles on New Year’s Eve and udon noodles for New Year’s dinner. The long noodles represent longevity and a long prosperous year to come. Also, soba noodles easily break. This can represent any misfortune you’ve experienced throughout the year, that it can now break and you can let it go.
Continue reading “Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! (HAPPY NEW YEAR!)”
Nothing says Merry Christmas like Kentucky Fried Chicken and tons of sushi.
When I was reading up on Japan before my first visit 12 years ago to meet Aya’s parents, I learned that having KFC for Christmas dinner was a thing. Really? KFC is a thing in Japan!? Yes, it is. Something about a wonderful marketing campaign from 1974, but I won’t bore you with the details here.
