Yes, Virginia, there is Christmas in Japan, but, no, Virginia, don't expect it to be anything like life back in Kansas.The Japanese have come to adopt many features of Western society and adapt them to their own tastes. Included among those adoptions are Christmas, Valentines Day, fast food, pop/rock music and parents threatening to sue a school for scolding a misbehaving child (as has happened to a fellow JET's school).
Christmas is a relatively recent addition to Japanese pop-culture and, although decorations and Christmas music abound throughout the country in December, it is primarily a holiday for young couples and families with young children. Many children do believe in Santa, and gift exchange is generally limited to those who believe in Santa or have a 20 something year old girlfriend or boyfriend.
As for Christmas dinner, look no further than "Kentucky". Everybody who wants a traditional Christmas dinner in Japan makes a visit to "Kentucky" - "Kentucky" being what most people in this country call KFC. Somewhere in the translation of "Jingle Bells Batman Smells" Robin laid an egg - a big greasy, extra crispy egg, at that. People seem to think that chicken is the traditional American Christmas dinner, so those who wish to celebrate the season go out for chicken by the bucket full.
New Years is the big holiday here, and, unlike China, Japan has transitioned from the lunar calendar, so their New Year always falls on the same day. Next year will be the year of the rat on the Chinese zodiac (also the Japanese), so be kind to your rodents, amigos.
As for me, I'm going to be travelling in Osaka, Thailand, Cambodia and Nagoya, so I won't be writing much for a couple weeks. I will leave you with some seasonal felicitations from a weekend English seminar I helped run last week. High school students had to group together and develop small dramas based on the theme of Santa's reindeer being too sick to fly on Christmas Eve. Using the props provided, one young man developed a brilliant Christmas exultation:
"I'm black spiderman. I hate global warming!"
Merry Christmas, mina-san (everybody).
Happy New Year 良いお年を！
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