CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"><html> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=7YQSqjSh" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/culture/christmas.html","20120318022436","https://web.archive.org/","web","https://web-static.archive.org/_static/", "1332037476"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=p7PEIJWi" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://web-static.archive.org/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">  <title>JAPANESE CHRISTMAS - CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN</title> <meta name="description" content="Christmas in Japan a part of Japanese Culture describes key differences between Christmas in Japan and Western countries like the USA or Australia."> <meta name="keywords" content="Christmas in Japan">  <meta name="resource-type" content="document"> <meta name="LANGUAGE" content="en-US"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/web/20120318022436cs_/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japaneselifestyle.css"> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436js_/http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-199931-1"; _udn="none"; _ulink=1; urchinTracker(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436js_/http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=mimarket"></script> <style type="text/css"> .style1 { font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; } </style> </head> <body style="font-family: Arial" topmargin="0" leftmargin="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <div align="center"> <table border="1" cellspacing="0" width="512" cellpadding="3" id="AutoNumber1" height="682" style="border-right-width: 0px" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td width="506" rowspan="5" valign="top" height="674" bgcolor="#DADADA" style="border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium"> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/"> <img border="0" src="/web/20120318022436im_/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/name_banner.gif" width="155" height="71" alt="Japanese Culture"></a><br> <b> <span style="font-variant: normal; font-style:normal"> <font size="1"><a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/">Home</a></font></span></b> <a href="culture.html"><h2>JAPANESE CULTURE</h2></a> <p class="MenuOn"> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_language/japanese_language.htm">Japanese Language</a><br> <a href="geisha.html">Geisha</a><br> <a href="samurai.html">Samurai</a><br> <a href="sumo.html">Sumo</a><br> <a href="japanese_tea_ceremony.html">Japanese Tea Ceremony</a><br> <a href="japanese_tea_ceremony_detail.html">Tea Ceremony</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/food/food.html">Japanese Food</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanfestival/default.htm">Japan Festival</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/tokyo/tokyo_festivals.htm">Tokyo Festivals</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/events/bon_odori_2003/default.htm">Bon Odori Festival</a><br> <a href="shichi-go-san.html">Shichi-go-san Festival</a><br> <a href="new_year.html">Japanese New Year</a><br> <a href="christmas.html">Christmas in Japan</a><br> <a href="japanese_cell_phone_culture.html">Japanese Cell Phone</a><br> <a href="japanese_women.html">Japanese Women</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/garden/japanese_garden.html">Japanese Garden</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/garden/cherry_blossom.html">Cherry Blossom</a><br> <a href="hanami.html">Hanami</a><br> <a href="ikebana.html">Ikebana</a><br> <a href="marriage_modern.html">Japanese Wedding</a><br> <a href="japanese_marriage.html">Japanese Marriage</a><br> <br> <b><a href="japanese_architecture.html">Japanese Architecture</a><br> </b> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/japanese_temples.html">Japanese Temples</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/japanese_castles.html">Japanese Castle</a><br> <br> <b> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/fashion/fashion.html">Japanese Fashion</a><br> </b> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/tokyo/tokyo_fashion.htm">Tokyo Fashion</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/tokyo/harajuku_fashion.htm">Harajuku Fashion</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/fashion/kimono.html">Kimono</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/fashion/japanese_clothing.html">Japanese Clothing</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/fashion/costume_japanese.html">Costume Japanese</a><br> <br> <b> <a href="japanese_art_posters.html">Japanese Art</a><br> </b> <a href="anime.html">Anime</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_language/japanese_calligraphy.htm">Japanese Calligraphy</a><br> <a href="manga/fusanosuke_natsume.html">Manga</a><br> <a href="tatami_mat.html">Tatami</a><br> <a href="ofuro.html">Ofuro bath</a><br> <a href="onsen.html">Onsen</a><br> <a href="go_game.html">Go Game</a><br> <br> <b> <a href="japanese_music.html">Japanese Music</a></b><br> <a href="japanese_music.html">J POP</a><br> <a href="j_rock.html">Japanese Rock Music</a><br> <a href="japanese_music_folk.html">Japanese Folk music</a></font><br> <a href="koto.html">Koto</a><br> <a href="shakuhachi.html">Shakuhachi</a></font><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/events/wadaiko_rindo/default.htm">Wadaiko Drumming</a><br> <a href="japanese_dance.html">Japanese Dance</a><br> <br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japan_history.htm">Japan History</a><br> <a href="japanese_literature.html">Japanese Literature</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japangovernment.htm">Japan Government</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/japan_map.html">Japan Map</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japangeography.htm">Japan Geography</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japan_city.htm">Japan City</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japan_prefectures.htm">Japan Prefectures</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japanpopulation.htm">Japan Population</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japan_climate.htm">Japan Climate</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japan/japaneconomy.htm">Japan Economy</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/directory/japan/japanese-culture/">Japanese Culture Links</a></p> <p class="MenuSmallOn"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/">JAPANESE TOPICS</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/traveltojapan.html">Japan Travel</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/japan_hotels.htm">Japan Hotels</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/tokyo/">Tokyo Hotels</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/kyoto.htm">Kyoto Hotels</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/osaka.htm">Osaka Hotels</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_friends/japanese_girls.html">Japanese Girls</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanforum/">Japan Forum</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/links/link_exchange.htm">Link Exchange</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/contact.htm">Contact </a></p> </td> <td width="470" height="69" colspan="3" style="border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-style:none; border-left-width:medium">  <script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?n=ac3fb7e3&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE" target="_top"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436im_/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=9&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=ac3fb7e3" border="0" alt=""/></a></noscript> </td> <td width="126" rowspan="5" align="left" valign="top" height="674" style="border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="125" cellpadding="0" id="table1" style="border-left-width: 0; border-right-width: 0; border-collapse:collapse" bordercolor="#111111"> <tr> <td width="100%" style="border-style:none; border-width:medium; ">  <form method="get" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://www.google.com/custom" target="_top"> <table border="1" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="130" style="border-width: 1px" id="table2"> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="top" align="left" style="border-style:none; border-width:medium; "> <input type="hidden" name="domains" value="www.japaneselifestyle.com.au"></input> <input type="text" name="q" size="14" maxlength="255" value=""></input></td></tr> <tr> <td nowrap style="border-style:none; border-width:medium; "> <font size="-1" color="#000000"> <input type="radio" name="sitesearch" value="www.japaneselifestyle.com.au" checked></input>This Site <input type="radio" name="sitesearch" value=""></input> Web</font><br> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search"></input> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://www.google.com/" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436im_/http://www.google.com/logos/Logo_25wht.gif" border="0" alt="Google" width="53" height="23"></img></a> <input type="hidden" name="client" value="pub-5526911272805734"></input> <input type="hidden" name="forid" value="1"></input> <input type="hidden" name="channel" value="1313373182"></input> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1"></input> <input type="hidden" name="oe" value="ISO-8859-1"></input> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="GALT:#008000;GL:1;DIV:#336699;VLC:663399;AH:center;BGC:FFFFFF;LBGC:336699;ALC:0000FF;LC:0000FF;T:000000;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;LH:30;LW:83;L:http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/name_banner_tiny.gif;S:http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au;FORID:1;"></input><input type="hidden" name="hl" value="en"></input></td></tr></table> </form>  <div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250" class="addthis_button_compact">Share Article</a><br> <a class="addthis_button_facebook"></a> <a class="addthis_button_twitter"></a> <a class="addthis_button_email"></a> <a class="addthis_button_google_plusone"></a> <br><br> <a class="addthis_button_facebook_like"></a></div> <br><br> <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script></td> </tr><tr> <td style="border-style:none; border-width:medium; ">  <script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a1827675&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE" target="_top"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436im_/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=10&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=a1827675" border="0" alt=""/></a></noscript>  <script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a5e7e86d&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE" target="_top"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436im_/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=11&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=a5e7e86d" border="0" alt=""/></a></noscript> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="470" height="867" valign="top" colspan="3" style="border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; border-right-style:none; border-right-width:medium; border-left-style:none; border-left-width:medium">  <table border="1" cellspacing="0" width="489" id="AutoNumber3"> <tr> <td width="483"> <h1>JAPANESE CHRISTMAS - CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN</h1> <h3>Christmas in Japan - Comparison between a Japanese Christmas and Christmas in western country.</h3> <p> <img src="/web/20120318022436im_/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/culture/fatherxmas.gif" name="Graphic5" alt="Christmas in Japan" align="LEFT" hspace="2" vspace="2" border="0" width="142" height="153"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none">Christmas in Japan is different from western countries like the USA or Australia. The major religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shinto, so Christmas is more commercial event. The main celebration revolves around Christmas eve and not Christmas day.<br> <br> In Japan it is common to give Christmas presents. Within the family parents give presents to their children, but the children do not give presents to the parents. The reasoning behind this is that only Santa bring presents, so once the children no longer believe in Santa the presents are no longer given.<br> <br> Most Japanese families would have a Christmas tree and now it is becoming very common to have lights on the outside of houses as you would see in the USA or Australia.</span></font></p> <h3><font size="2">Christmas in Japan for Single Women</font></h3> <p><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="text-decoration: none">For single women in Japan it is really crucial to have someone to spend Christmas eve with. It is also really important for them where they spend Christmas eve and what present they receive. The whole evening must be very special, gorgeous and romantic. Japanese women who have a boy friend tend to show off, so women who don't are not happy to talk about the topic.<br> <br> There also used to be a sarcasm that Christmas is compared with a woman's age. Cake shops throughout Japan always try to sell all their Christmas cakes before Christmas eve. Any cakes left after Christmas are seen to be very old or out of date. Women over 25 years old used to be said 'unsold Xmas cake.' It's a bit bad joke, though. However, nowadays, the average age for marriage has changed, getting older and older, and it is a history.</span></font></p> <h3><font size="2">Christmas in Japan - Business & Shopping Hours</font></h3> <p><font size="2">The shops are open Christmas day and all other days up to New Years day, except they close early on the 31st. <br> <br> Most shops are then closed on the 1st, 2nd & 3rd. After this it depends on the shop, some will stay closed longer. The trend is towards shops opening on the 2nd of January.</font></p> <h3><font size="2">Christmas in Japan - Language</font></h3> <p> <font size="2">How to say "Merry Christmas" in Japanese - easy - "Merry Christmas"</font></p> <p><font size="2">How to write "Merry Christmas" in Japanese - メリークリスマス</p> </font><p> <font face="Arial" size="2">See also our article on <a href="new_year.html">Japanese New Year</a></font></p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" height="24" valign="top" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px"> <b><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Other Topics </font></b> </td> <td width="33%" height="24" valign="top" style="border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1px"> <b> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Discuss<br> Japanese Culture</font></b></td> <td width="34%" height="24" valign="top" style="border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px"> <b><font size="2" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Where to buy Japanese Culture</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" height="50" valign="top" style="border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px"> <p class="MenuOn"> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_friends/japanese_dating.htm">Japanese Dating</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_friends/japanese_singles.htm">Japanese Singles</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_friends/asian_dating.htm">Asian Dating</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_friends/asian_singles.htm">Asian Singles</a><br> <a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanese_friends/japanese_women.html">J<span class="style1">apanese Women</span></a></td> <td width="33%" height="50" valign="top" style="border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1px"> <p class="MenuOn"> <font size="2"><a href="/web/20120318022436/http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/japanforum/japanese-culture-f4.html">Find answers to your questions about Japanese culture in our Japanese culture  forum.</a></font></td> <td width="34%" height="50" valign="top" style="border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px"> <p class="MenuOn"> <font size="2"> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://www.kimono.com.au/adserver/adclick.php?bannerid=496&zoneid=&source=&dest=http://www.ebisudesign.com/"> Ebisu - Melbourne</a><br> <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://www.kimono.com.au/adserver/adclick.php?bannerid=496&zoneid=&source=&dest=http://www.ebisudesign.com/"> Shoji Screens, Tea sets & Calligraphy artworks.</a></font><br></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="844" height="41" valign="top" colspan="3" style="border-right-style: none; border-left-style:none; border-left-width:medium">  <script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a295b780&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE" target="_top"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120318022436im_/http://kimono.com.au/openx/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=9&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=a295b780" border="0" alt=""/></a></noscript> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <p align="center"><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="1">Copyright 2001 - 2011 Mi Marketing Pty Ltd. ACN 098 375 145 trading as Japanese LifeStyle. All Trademarks belong to their respective owners. </font></p> </body> </html>