Christmas is considered to be the most wonderful time of the year. This may be true in most countries, however in other places this is not the case. <\/p>\n
I find that Christmas in Japan is missing something. Yes, there are beautiful lights, and decorations line shop windows and homes. Holiday music plays in shops with Mariah Carey\u2019s \u2018All I want for Christmas is You\u2019 playing on an endless repeat. <\/p>\n
Yet, despite all of this, I find that Christmas in Japan lacks the Christmas spirit. What is the Christmas spirit exactly? Well, honestly, it is hard to say. It is a feeling you get during the month of December. It is a contagious<\/u> warmth that spreads all around and somehow makes even the most pessimistic<\/u> of us a bit more cheerful. It is the same feeling that you get when you see children laughing or a loved one smiling. It is that unexplainable feeling of pure happiness. <\/p>\n
When I fly home, this is the type of warmth I experience as soon as I walk through the door. My dog comes flying out of nowhere and tackles me in the hope of getting a good pet and belly rub. The living room and kitchen is filled with the smell of freshly baked goods and warm cider. My mother is teary eyed as she engulfs<\/u> me in a hug that fills me with absolute love. <\/p>\n
If I am lucky, my family will have already arrived. They will be scattered throughout my family home and the noise is endless. In Japan, I live alone so it is usually quiet. However, at my home during the holidays, the house is filled with people and the noise is deafening. <\/p>\n
There are cousins arguing, aunts gossiping and uncles drinking and playing a game of Mahjong. Meanwhile, the children run around like little heathens<\/u> while someone older tries to round them up and make sure they do not cause the entire household to turn into complete and utter chaos. <\/p>\n
It is quite rowdy<\/u> and terribly noisy, but this is home and I love it! At some point, my cousin will beg everyone to go caroling and we will all march outside and do our best not to mangle<\/u> classic Christmas hits with the inevitable \u2018All I Want for Christmas is You\u2019 making another appearance. <\/p>\n
After that, it is back to my home where there will be a feast spread out on the table and everyone will gather around and hold hands to say a short prayer. It is at this time that I truly feel blessed because I can actually feel the love of my family surrounding the table. <\/p>\n
In the evening, we exchange gifts and watch as my mother saves the wrapping paper because she is a crafty person and thinks she can recycle it in some way. She does, because she is honestly very creative. <\/p>\n
Christmas is a precious time for me and I wish I could go back yearly to enjoy the holiday with family. Unfortunately, it is also the most expensive time to travel so I am usually here in Japan celebrating alone. This year, perhaps I will try out the Japanese tradition of eating KFC and buying a Christmas cake. <\/p>\n
Evalyn<\/p>\n
<\/br>
\nVocabulary<\/b><\/p>\n
contagious (adj.) ? can easily be spread to others
\npessimistic (adj.) ? having a negative feeling or attitude
\nengulf (v) ? to swallow completely; be completely wrapped up in
\nheathen (n) ? an uncivilized person
\nrowdy (adj.) ? too energetic, loud and unable to be controlled
\nmangle (v) ? to destroy and twist into something beyond recognition <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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