Christmas Past and Present

I spoke to my Father on the telephone today and asked him how he used to celebrate Christmas when he was a kid growing up in Croatia.

He said that his family would go out to find a tree on Christmas Eve. It would be small enough to fit on the kitchen table. Straw was put beneath it and candies, glass balls, and homemade decorations would be used to make it festive.

My Grandmother would put a pork roast, (specially selected by Grandpa - who was a butcher), into the oven and the whole family would head off to midnight mass. By the time they would come home it would be very early Christmas morning...that roast and many other fixings would be ready for eating.

A turkey was later eaten for Christmas Day dinner.

At this point in the conversation my mouth began watering. Dad was surprised when I told him that I could not buy a pork roast or a turkey in the grocery stores here. I reminded him that most Japanese people do not have ovens...where on earth would they cook them?

The popular item to eat at Christmas in Japan is Christmas cake that you buy from the convenience or grocery stores. These cakes are often topped with cream and strawberries and come with birthday candles. I have asked a few people, 'What are the birthday candles for?' So far, no one has been able to answer my question. In Hokkaido (the most northern and coldest area of Japan) these popular cakes are often made out of ice-cream!

Holy Icebergs Santa!

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