Today, I’m going to compare Japanese Christmas and New Year with British Christmas and New Year.
In Britain, Christmas Day is a holiday, but Christmas Eve is not. People buy presents for friends and family and hide them until Christmas Eve. Then they put the presents under the Christmas tree. People usually have parties on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas Day with their family. On Christmas Day, people go to church, open their presents, eat Christmas lunch and watch the Queen’s Speech. Christmas lunch is usually roast turkey, roast potatoes, vegetables, mince pies and Christmas pudding.
In Japan, Christmas Day is not a holiday, nor is Christmas Eve. People also buy presents for friends and family, and they give it on Christmas Eve. In case of people give presents to children they also put it by bed. People also usually have parties on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas Day with their family. On Christmas Day, people don’t go to church, Christmas lunch is also roast turkey, Christmas pudding.
In Britain, New Year is a short holiday. Only January 1st is a holiday. People go to parties on New Year’s Eve, stay up until midnight with family and friends and celebrate New Year with champagne. Although January 2nd is not a holiday, many people stay home. There is no special food for New Year.
In Japan, New Year is a little long holiday, that between December 28th to January 8th. People also celebrate New Year.
In both Britain and Japan, people spend the holidays with family and friends. In Britain, people eat special food at Christmas, but in Japan people eat special food at New Year. In Britain, people give presents at Christmas only, but in Japan people give presents at Christmas and New Year. In Britain, Christmas is more important, but in Japan, New Year is more important.
I spent New Year with my friends. We visited Katsuoji shrine, which is in Osaka.
