christmas – Bored Sensei…

I never had Q&A about Christmas in my entire life, so this is my first. I find it hard to answer some but it was fun. So here are the questions I answered 😀

What’s your all-time favorite holiday treat/food/sweet?

Everyone loves bibingka, but I am not a fan of kakanin so I prefer Lechon Baboy, Graham cake, Buko salad and Spaghetti 😀

Favorite holiday memory as a child?

~~Would you believe if I say I don’t have any? My childhood wasn’t that great (and I prefer erasing them in my memory).~~ The very first time I remember going to church with my mom and dad (together) on Christmas day.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

Do you consider Mean Girls as Christmas movie? They danced Jingle Bell rocks Hahaha 😀

Have you ever had a White Christmas?

~~I grew up in the Philippines. NOPE.~~ I bought a white cat for Christmas! Actually it was supposedly a gift to my mom but I ended up keeping it (my boyfriend liked him too and asked me just to keep it!)

How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

I remember when I was young, I was the only person (in the family) who’s very excited to decorate the Christmas tree. I wanted it to be colorful and full of tinsel lol, and put lots of gifts underneath (even if they’re empty because we usually start SEPTEMBER).

Where do you usually spend your holiday?

with family and cats

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

If I am with family, YES, my mom would scold us if we open them before Christmas. But if it’s only me, I usually open it after receiving, curiosity kills a cat you know.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Jingle Bell Rocks and Sana Ngayong Pasko (recently, it’s OFW kinda thing haha)

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?

Rudolph the red nose reindeer, Rudolf, Rudooooooolf, Roooodolph. WAIT. Are they all the same? 😀

Snow! love it or dread it?

I love it!

What holiday traditions are you looking forward to every year?

I was always looking forward for caroling when I was a child. NOW? Maybe being with family and my cats at Noche Buena?

Saddest christmas song?

Sana Ngayong Pasko -Ariel Rivera

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

We never had a real Christmas tree.

Be honest, do you like giving or receiving gifts better?

I like receiving gifts ofcourse but I like giving gifts more than receiving. I dunno, but I feel really good giving not only gifts but favor to people as well, tho sometimes I know that I have to stop, especially learn how to say NO.

What is the best Christmas present you have ever received?

LOVE. And the opportunity to pursue my career abroad.

What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?

Finland to see Santa 🙂

Are you a pro present wrapper or do you fail miserably?

I could say I’m a pro. I am always that person who would give a perfect wrapped present.

Do you remember your favorite gift?

Princess, Oyster, Garlic and Olive. They’re my cats.

Most memorable holiday moment?

When I visited boyfriend in Eastwood and spend Christmas together.

What made you realize the truth about Santa?

It was when I kept on receiving things I wished for (ie exactly the same doll I touched in a mall with mom lol) and my sister told me “I saw Santa last night, it was dad”.

What makes the holidays special for you?

It is special because it is the perfect time to renew bonds of love. We can show appreciation to our love ones, family, friends, enemies, acquaintances and even strangers.

What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you?

Christmas is best enjoyed when it isn’t centered on decorations, gifts, or festivities, but when love is at its core. Love is the essence of Christmas. Christmas should mean taking quality time with your family and friends. It’s about cherishing and celebrating the love you share. —Jesus

It would also be fun if I’ll tag people to do the same (but unfortunately I don’t know HOW), I know some questions are lame but it’s my first 😀

Bored Sensei.

Some questions I got from: https://meandbmaketea.com/2016/12/11/christmas-qa-the-christmas-tag/

Featured Image: fotografias.cocinatis.com

Romaji: Meri Kurisumasu!

Hiragana: めりーくりすます

Katakana: メリークリスマス

Merry Christmas everyone!

It’s my second Christmas in the land of the rising sun and my day is the same as last year (as of now). I am at work today just like last year, I had classes and just waiting for another one while writing this.

So my day goes like this; I got up early since it’s weekend, went to school 20 minutes before the time, bought breakfast at 7/11, checked my schedule, attend the meeting, ate early lunch (fried chicken and fries) at 11:00 because I have marathon class from 12:30 to 4:00, talked with students and handout some postcard and now, killing time.

So I wanna share things I have learned about Japan’s Christmas celebration.

1. Japan doesn’t celebrate Christmas as a religious celebration, Christmas is known as more of a time to spread happiness with a love one (boyfriend, girlfriend thingy) or with family and friends. (I am not sure if it’s true but I’ve heard that Christmas eve is also peak season for love hotel and usually fully book this season because lovers are singing jingles all the way lol).

2. They eat FRIED CHICKEN on Christmas, especially KFC. I’ve tried asking all of my students and here are some of their answers; 1. KFC stands for Kurisumasu Fried Chicken, 2. They eat chicken as an alternative for turkey, 3. Because it’s popular, 4. Everyone eats fried chicken, 5. KFC- Kentucky For Christmas and 6. I don’t know eehhhhhh (then think deeply)

3. Demand is so high for KFC at Christmas time that queue outside the restaurants are pretty long. They also have KFC Buffet during this season but only in chosen areas like Osaka or Tokyo.

“According to KFC Japan spokeswoman Motoichi Nakatani, it started thanks to Takeshi Okawara, the manager of the first KFC in the country. Shortly after it opened in 1970, Okawara woke up at midnight and jotted down an idea that came to him in a dream: a “party barrel” to be sold on Christmas.

Okawara dreamed up the idea after overhearing a couple of foreigners in his store talk about how they missed having turkey for Christmas, according to Nakatani. Okawara hoped a Christmas dinner of fried chicken could be a fine substitute, and so he began marketing his Party Barrel as a way to celebrate the holiday.

In 1974, KFC took the marketing plan national, calling it Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii, or Kentucky for Christmas. It took off quickly, and so did the Harvard-educated Okawara, who climbed through the company ranks and served as president and CEO of Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan from 1984 to 2002.

The Party Barrel for Christmas became almost immediately a national phenomenon, says Joonas Rokka, associate professor of marketing at Emlyon Business School in France. He has studied the KFC Christmas in Japan as a model promotions campaign.

“It filled a void,” Rokka says. “There was no tradition of Christmas in Japan, and so KFC came in and said, this is what you should do on Christmas.”

Advertisements for the company’s Christmas meals show happy Japanese families crowding around barrels of fried chicken. But it’s not just breasts and thighs – the meals have morphed into special family meal-sized boxes filled with chicken, cake, and wine. This year, the company is selling Kentucky Christmas dinner packages that range from a box of chicken for 3,780 yen, ($32), up to a “premium” whole-roasted chicken and sides for 5,800 yen. According to KFC, the packages account for about a third of the chain’s yearly sales in Japan.

It also helped that the stores dressed up the company mascot, the smiling white-haired Colonel Sanders, in Santa outfits. In a country that puts high value on its elders, the red satin-suited Sanders soon became a symbol of a holiday.

BBC Capital: How a fast-food marketing campaign turned into a widespread Yuletide tradition for millions.

4. They eat sponge cake on Christmas frosted with whipped cream, decorated with strawberries.

5. Christmas tree is not common at home but most establishments has Christmas decors.

6. The have their Buddhist Santa – Hoteiosho, who resembles Santa Kuruuso (Santa Claus). They call him Hotei-sama. He’s a Buddhist monk, with a large belly and a cloth sack full of toys. He has eyes in the back of his head, which means that he’s able to see the children and how they behave without them knowing.

Milei.vencel, Hungary – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

And that’s all for now, I’ll be having class in 10 minutes now. I may not be having celebrations like I usually do in the Philippines, I am still happy because I know that wherever we are in the world, in the universe rather (naks lakas maka-Pia) Christmas is for our Jesus Christ and we can always celebrate in our heart with Him. Let’s not all forget that Christmas is for Him, and remember that this day is the day that he was born and let’s all be grateful for everything that we have.

I’m wishing everyone Merry Christmas!

And if you are in Japan during this season please have a “Merii Kurisumasu!”—the Japanese way!

Bored Sensei.

Tag: christmas

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