This comic has become my most favorite!
As this comic says, in Japan, Christmas is usually spent with one's lover.
But if you don't have a boyfriend (or girlfriend), it is called Kuri Bocchi (Alone on Christmas) lol
@mofushiki Merry Kuri Bocchi to me. Due to various conflicts, the family is arriving to celebrate Christmas a week late. I should put a Japanese flag over the mantel just so people will ask me about it. This is great.
@CorruptUser I'd imagine if the expressions were a historical reference, it'd be Sweden that would be okay with it, not Denmark, since Sweden's neutrality was respected during the war.
It's also worth keeping in mind, though, that Japan has a bit of a cultural fascination with Germany and German culture that goes well beyond an alliance in a war that neither is proud of.
@AmericanButterfly The chicken thing is due to lots of (very effective) advertising KFC did in the past. It's kind of impressive they succeeded making part of the holiday via ads.
Also don't forget the Christmas cake. Fried chicken, cake and kissing.
In China, Christmas is the day friends hang out and have dinner. It is impossible to get a table in a restaurant in China on Christmas day. Like Japan, many other traditional holidays are all about family, so they wanted a new one for friends. Also, Christmas Eve in China is peace day and they give presents of apples as the Chinese world for apple sounds similar to the Chinese word for peace.
I do recall due to a very successful ad campaign in Japan many years ago Japanese now equate KFC chicken as the official Christmas food. In 2019 that one day on Christmas eve accounted for 5% of it's annual revue.
@Mojo Aw, I was going to comment that! XD You're absolutely right; a salesman told Japanese people that KFC was the official Christmas food overseas, and since this was pre-Google (and even pre-internet IIRC) Japan believed him. KFC is not only mega-popular on Christmas Day, but KFC stores stop taking orders and only sell their Christmas Boxes...which is a pain for people like me who only want a simple pepper-mayo twister :P
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