A (majime) moment of reflection

So. Christmas. Some foreigners laud the fact that Christmas isn't "celebrated" here because it means having a Christmas that is non-stressful without the constant familial and traditional pressures of a western Christmas. I both agree and disagree.

Because Japan is essentially a non-Christian country, Christmas Day is a money-making enterprise, there's no other way of looking at it. It's a day where Japanese women everywhere get taken out to fancy restaurants by their boyfriends and exchange expensive gifts. Unless a Japanese person is Christian (around 1%) knowledge of "Jesus" is probably limited to what a westerner's knowledge of "Buddha" might be.

So last night when we were walking through Ikebukuro, seeing all the hawkers and street-advertisers dressed as Santa, an odd, artificial taste lingered in my mouth. I'm not saying that Christmas hasn't been reduced to a commercial mecca in Australia or wherever, cos it most certainly has, but it seems all the more horribly exploitative here - a country that has little (if any) education about the origins of "Christmas" or the traditions of celebrating a christian holiday. It may be hypocritical of me to succumb to gift-giving on Christmas Day when I criticise it, but my point is that in Japan there is no christian ideology to support the excessive Christmas advertising and marketing campaigns.

I'm no diehard Christian. My mum's a Catholic, my dad's an Anglican. I consider myself agnostic if anything, but Christmas (irrespective of the "gift-giving" stress) was a crucial part of my growing up, as it is for every person from a predominantly christian country.

It's strange having Christmas in Japan. It can never be the same as celebrating it in Australia (and neither should it), particularly cos we aren't sweating in 30 degree heat and heading for the beach with lilos and Christmas picnic in tow. So Matt and I celebrated it in our own way. It was pointless trying to emulate past Christmases anyway, as the harder you try, the more disappointed you get when the two don't match.

Matt made a roast dinner on Christmas Eve (bang up job of it he did, too), we drank a bottle of 1992 Aussie Frontignac and some port, listened to jazz and played Scrabble. On Christmas Day we opened presents, ate a huge fried breakfast, and hung out at home munching on the shortbreads Matt's parents sent us. We had dinner at El Torito, a Mexican Restaurant in Ikebukuro and walked home (note: beautiful evening for a stroll).

And it was top-shelf. Low key and as non-stressful as we could possibly make it, in spite of my coughing up a lung. Our family and friends weren't around us and that part of the day felt lonely, but there were no family agendas to deal with. No arguments about whose family we would celebrate Christmas with this year. No having to keep everyone happy.

So whilst the whole Japan Inc. Capitalist Rollercoaster got me down a bit, this year's Christmas was far from stressful. And at the end of the day, Matt and I had each other and that's what really mattered.

You can go vomit now.

Ikebukuro Xmas - Matt chats to rellies in sunny Cairns; Sonic Hedgehog Christmas