Do you enjoy spending Christmas in Japan?

Yes, but this hasn't always been the case.

I've spent all but 4 Christmases since 1999 in Japan (last time I was in my home country for one was 2007).

My early Christmases in Japan were when I was in my 20s, an age when I didn't really care much about the holidays or do much to mark the occasion save maybe singing a few carols at karaoke with friends or something, which was fine. It didn't even bother me too much having to work on Christmas day.

But as the years have gone by I've gotten older, I've become a parent and made a family of my own here, and I've lost loved ones back home who I had really cherished childhood memories of spending Christmases with. This has hyper charged my feelings about the holidays and I really enjoy Christmas a lot more than I used to. I really just want to make the season as happy and memorable for my children as it was for me, and I've been able to do that. We decorate the house, we have an advent calendar they open every day, I spend weeks planning out presents and activities we can do together, read Christmas books to them, etc.

They are going to be teenagers soon so this phase in my life where I can enjoy being a Christmas Dad with kids who still believe in Santa Clause is going to come to a close, but right now I love Christmases here.

Yes, It's more quiet in Japan

Its just not the same...

My first Christmas in Japan was a real shock to the system. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw they were taking down the decorations on Christmas day itself! I think it has much more meaning when you have small family. We have attempted to mark the occasion by doing something special, even if it wasnt a christmassy activity. We've been to the beach, for example, a number of times. In my current work, I don't have a day off, by default but I'll usually try to take it off anyway.

If you have a family then you can make Christmas special wherever you are! Of course, the first thing you need to do is take the day off. I always take Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. Then nice food, Christmas music and a few drinks with the family and it becomes a special day. I think it would be more difficult to have a good Christmas if you were alone but it is possible.

I have spent Christmas in Japan and like a lot of other people here I have found that after I hada family it became a lot nicer. Trying to recreate Christmas the way it is back home always feels a bit disappointing, since somehow it will never be the same, but spending time with the kids, trying to make Christmas as special as we can is really nice.

I enjoy Xmas anywhere. You would have to be a kill joy if a venue or place stop you from enjoying Xmas. Xmas is all about getting presents and having a fat time, yeah giving present is nice but receiving take priority over giving on the enjoyment meter.

I enjoy Xmas in Japan in the country side where everything is a white out. There’s no need to go out just stay in relax watch the snow continue to fall while sitting near a real wood burning fire place. The house is decorated and the Xmas music playing. Xmas is for the kids. My grand kids running around with cousins enjoying family. We love Xmas, it is what you make it. We bought a winter home do we all go there for the winter wonderland. After the new year we will pack things up lock the home up and go back to the city. Xmas should not be a what you expect it to be. In my family case it is what we celebrate it.

Yeah getting is way better then given. Those who oppose this theory are more worried about putting out a perception of what is the appropriate view instead of one’s emotion to say you enjoy giving more than receiving is a Person who is lied to give a false perception. Because if you are honest receiving bets giving hands down

A fairly obvious No answer as we would all prefer to spend it with family back home. Thanks for the reminder guys! Azzaaasssss!

its simple.

Christmas are usual days here so HOW somebody can enjoy?

Yes, and when possible I take the day off from work. Most of my employers understand. If they don't, I can just phone in sick. I have lots of sick days and holidays that I rarely use. The winter holidays are what you make of them. If you are hung up on having one specific day off, then you should get over yourself. Japan isn't a Christian country. It is just an event like Halloween. As a non-religion burdened person I enjoy raising my kids to enjoy the secular version which is much more fun. Happy Saturnalia everyone. Or whatever you call the winter celebration that long precedes the Christian perversion of it.

No. And that's because of multiple reasons.

First, there is absolutely no Christmas spirit here. Everything is fake. Everything is hyper comercialised to grotesque. Christmas markets are almost the same as October Fest one, except for some winter tematics.

I always try to go back to my home country, for both Christmas and New Year holidays.

We have fireworks, Christmas carols everywhere, snow, the smell of Christmas food, the atmosphere, the real, natural Christmas tree, everything is there. Including the family left behind.

Cannot imagine a better Christmas thst with the loved ones.

There is no Christmas in Japan. It ends on Christmas eve with mum and the kids eating KFC and strawberry shortcake. I have tried. I once made a full Christmas dinner, only to be asked for rice and soy sauce to put on the turkey! They should rename the celebration Santamas that begins after Halloween and ends on the 24th of December.

This year will see 3 days before my Mother in Law returns to her own place after 3 and half years living with wife and I.

Hasnt once said "thankyou "

So yeah, I'll enjoy this years Christmas.

I work on December 24, 25 and I do not care about this!

 Everything is fake. Everything is hyper comercialised to grotesque. 

This is what I think when I visit any country ^o~

As far as I remember, I don't have any really good memory of Christmas (I was raised in a fairly strong catholic environment), so no I don't care about Christmas and in fact how it is celebrated in Japan is good enough for me.

Now... if you ask me about Saturnalia.... well then Japan does not celebrate it as it should!!

Most Japanese aren’t Christians so how can it be enjoyable in Japan?

Absolutely hate Xmas here .

I have my own, but I miss my family. Most of the ritual stuff, Queen's speech on tv etc, I don't care about. We get snow where we live in Japan most years, so we do get the visuals.

Japanese shops doing a two-month Halloween cash-in annoys me much more than them doing a two-month cash in for Christmas. The focus on the Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day, used to annoy me, but it seems that way in some other countries too, so I've mellowed on that.

I always tell people back home if they think Christmas has become devoid of meaning and is strictly commercial they should come and spend it in Japan. That way they can leave a present at the head of their kid(s) before going off to work.

Oh, and they shouldn't forget to reserve their "Christmas KFC" a month or two in advance.

I find Christmas in Japan to be no better or worse than Christmas anywhere else.

There’s no Christmas in Japan.