Christmas Already?

Day 11 of writing every day

Working every day in an office from 11- 8 this whole month with all the shutters closed as part of company policy, I never really get the chance to look outside unless I decide to use my limited break time to go out for a leisurely walk, which might be good at times, instead of rushing to the nearest restaurant or convenience store to get lunch and back in time to actually rest.

Eating should be a rest activity, not a hurried one. We’re more than capable of stuffing our faces on the go and chugging liquid fuel to satisfy our caloric needs without setting aside time for a proper meal. And I’m pretty sure that years of this continued practice of making every worker rush their lunch has had an impact on society. Everyone is just busy looking down at their phones after spending the whole morning staring at a screen. But that subject is something for another day.

I’m reminded that it’s Christmas on the weekends when I’m outside and actually have a chance to do some shopping, or when I happen to check social media when I’ve nothing else to do at break to take my mind off work during break.

In Japan, Christmas is a family event but also more popularly a special night that couples prepare well ahead of the date (probably to just bang after some romantic nonsense if you ask me). There’s really no religious association with Christmas here unless you practice Christianity or attend a private Christian school. Let’s be honest, Christmas is more commercialized than any other holiday as the original holiday that got taken over by consumption driven greed taking advantage of the principle of gift giving.

This all means next to nothing to me as a single man who came to Japan alone without any family. I work full-time and earn barely enough to save at my salary and that’s if I choose to live frugally and opt to not eat out or buy new things.

I’m being a grinch maybe but when I see all the LED illuminations that are now a standard winter attraction in the city, I get annoyed. The celebration doesn’t apply to me, why should any tax money be spent on such superficial things instead of improving living conditions, even if temporarily?

Christmas lights around the house aren’t really a thing in Japan but illumination art is quite a success. Some might even travel to other cities just to see a big exhibit. There is no observed Christmas holiday, however. This image of Christmas being a time for the iconic cake that is just a strawberry shortcake or some variation of sponge cake with cream is mostly because of the American occupation I’d say since it was only such a luxury to have sugar and decorated baked sweets in post war occupied Japan where everything was scarce.

Now people start reserving a cake for Christmas as early as October and I’m pretty sure the meat industry always plans ahead for the amount of Christmas chicken that a lot of Japanese plan to consume as part of what’s become the Japanese Christmas dish of choice (mostly just fried chicken).

I don’t think I’ll be doing anything special just because it’s Christmas, and if anything I’ll look forward to not having to hear the seasonal music anymore soon.

Thanks for reading!