christmas is for the lovers....

So hello every one. Even though its new years eve day. I will back up this blog just a bit to recap how our holidays were here in osaka.

First, to set the scene, christmas time in Osaka is not as festive as it is back home. There are lots of decorations and christmas music blaring in the malls. But i would have to say it the season here lacks a little...Je ne sai qua? I think the word im looking for is authenticity. Christmas is a adopted commercial holiday here. So any weird christmas traditions or any interesting christmas decorations have all some how jumped ship, crossed the atlantic and ended up here in japan. Many of my students have talked about getting a big chicken for christmas dinner, and asked me if I have chicken for christmas. Here in japan, Its super popular to have KFC for christmas dinner. People also give/ buy christmas cakes. In my opinion I think this tradition could have evolved from seeing lots of x mas baking in movies or TV. But for lack of huge ovens to bake in (In most apartments there is a flat grill oven, that can cook flat things like fish, burgers, frozen okonomiyaki) many people dont bake cookies or things like that. They buy these elaborate christmas cakes. They are like devils food cake or angel food cake but with crazy pretty icing on them. You can buy these every where. From highend department store deli's (like at Tacahimaya) to the neighbourhood conveinence store (family mart). One of our friends from work, Sabrina, is lucky enough to have an oven in her house and for christmas day, she brought in all types of baking. Like gingerbread cookies shaped like stockings, shortbread stars etc. It was great.

What was not so great with the holidays was the insame wave of home sickness that hit me and shiv over the holidays. I was quite bitter going to work on christmas. In the back of my head i have this colonial superiority in my thinking that every where, every one should celebrate christmas the exact way as it's done in north america. But thats a silly thought to have. Because Japan in a secular country and Christmas day is just like every other day. Its a working day. So off to work we went on Christmas day. The day started off great though, me and shiv got up nice and early to open our gifts, and we got to wear our new stuff from Uni Qlo ( new fave shop) to work. But i was in a horrid mood. I was feeling very home sick, on the verge of tears all day, and i wanted none of my lessons to show up today. But to my dismay, each and every student showed up for lesson. And to my grand irritation, every student was in the most chipper of moods. I was so irritated. After lunch though, I tried to buck up and be alittle bit more cheery, and the day started to go better. All of my students wanted to know about christmas in Canada. And i even had one student who made me laugh pretty hard. Here's the dialouge

Jan: So, its christmas today. How bout you choose the lesson. We can learn about any thing that you want to learn about
Student: ......................
Jan: Anything, pick a subject and I'll make up an english lesson for you
Student: what number is that
Jan: No, its not a number. You can choose what you want to do today.
Student: Oh! ok. You choose teacher
Jan: Ok. How bout we do a lesson on Christmas
Student: I hate Christmas
Jan: Why?
Student: Because christmas is for the lovers.

As shiv says, you cant make this stuff up. Thats what she said and man i started laughing. But she was dead serious. Christmas here is not about spending time with family and friends, Giving gifts and getting fat. Its all about spending time with your significant other (girlfriend/boyfriend) getting gifts from them and going on dates to christmas locations in and around the city. If you have a family, some japanese might get gifts for the children. Some students i talked to got one joint family gift; like a tv or trip to some where nice. But over all. Christmas is like she said “for the lovers”.

But im very lucky that im here in japan with my “lover” shiv. I was as bitter last week as a case load of lemons. And he's always tried to make me see the bright side of the situation. This past week was really bad, and i do belive christmas day was the hardest.

After work, we went out with friends to Shakeys for all you can eat pizza, and boy was that good. Then after that we set out to find Murpheys Irish Pub. It was hard to find, and we lost Dom and Kim on the way there. But in the end we found it and it was quite quaint, very irish and over priced. A piny of guinness was 800 yen. And a tiny cocktail 750 yen. They were serving Christmas dinner at murpheys too, steak and kidney pie, chicken, veggies, gravy and a drink for 2500 yen. Very over priced in my books.

But alas, we had to leave Murpheys 1) because i was in a grumpy mood and 2) zeev and Ania's train was due to arrive at our train station in about 20 minutes. It has been so nice having them say with us. Zeev ( or lord Zeevius as he likes to be called) is shivs friend from back in shivs grant macewan days. He was also the usher at our wedding. Him and Ania were doing a semester of university in Japan and now that its over, They are doing some traveling around japan. Such a treat to have people over for the holidays. It makes the house feel that much more christmasy. And thats what the season is all about...