JAPONSKO

Christmas abroad

The Christmas are formed by rituals, which are repeated every year and bring us to the sacred time in between. However is it the same everywhere in the world?

The Christmas are the Christian religious holidays, which remind us of the birthday of Jesus Christ. In various countries, the Christmas have much in common, but sometimes there are differences between them. Let us look at what KUMIKO OHASHI - from TOKYO, JAPAN tells.

"With us, in Tokyo, first decorations with Christmas motives have already appeared in the beginning of November, this year. As you perhaps know, Japanese are not Christians (Most inhabitants of Japan are Buddhists and only one percent of Japanese are Christians), that is why we just enjoy the beautiful and romantic Christmas atmosphere. Fifteen years ago, when Japan experienced the most successful economic boost, couples had luxury Christmas dinners in French restaurants and they exchanged expensive presents. Today, we rather wish practical things, but first of all, at Christmas nobody wants to be alone (i.e. without a boyfriend or a girlfriend). It is before Christmas, when many girls try to get a boyfriend. Thus, for Japanese the Christmas are the holiday, which they spend in two, while, New Year is celebrated with the family traditionally. The fact that the Christmas adopted from the Western culture do not have a real significance here yet is also evidenced by the fact that they are not a public holiday while in the New Year time people usually get seven days off. But I will also try to leave for home in the Christmas Eve earlier this year."

the material has bee prepared by the article of Denisa Kollmannová (ABC magazine, January 5, 2004)

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