What is the Different Between American Christmas and Japanese Christmas?

Recently, there are some Christmas decorations in the shopping mall or in the city. Christmas is coming soon! When I was a child, I was looking forward to Christmas coming because I can get a present from Santa Claus. During Christmas, I had a very good time with my family. However, how do Americans spend Christmas? I wondered “What is the difference between American Christmas and Japanese Christmas?”

In Japan, when I was a child, I spent Christmas with my family. The night before Christmas, I was really excited because I would be able to get the present from Santa Claus the next morning. I remember I tried to wake up to see Santa Claus’s identify, but actually I spent right away. The next morning, I found there is a present next to me. I was really happy! At night, we ate super delicious food and the Christmas cake. It’s the Japanese style Christmas.

On the other hand, American Christmas seems to be different from Japan. I asked RA. There are many differences between America and Japan on Christmas. First, Christmas is the Christian cerebration, so my RA who is Christian read a Bible story with her family when she was a child. Also, I heard the meaning of star which is put on the top of the Christmas tree. When Jesus was born, there was a big star, so everyone could know by following star. The star is the symbol of Jesus’s birth. I didn't know that the star has a meaning, so I was surprised. Maybe, almost all of the Japanese also didn’t know this story because there are few Christians in Japan. We have never heard this story.

Next is food. Japanese people usually eat chicken or other favorite food, but American people usually eat ham, potato, bread and the vegetable salad. It is the traditional food in the States. Also, the big difference of food is Americans don’t eat cake! In Japan, Christmas cake is very important to enjoy Christmas, so the cake shop is busiest season in Japan on Christmas because almost all Japanese buy Christmas cake to eat it.

Also, there is a difference of feeling of people towards Christmas. In Japan, Christmas’s target is couples or children, so there are very beautiful illuminations in the city. It makes couples feel romantic, but Christmas is for families in America. They spend Christmas together.

In conclusion, it is the same name “Christmas”, but each country has a different custom and culture. For example, it is food and who it is for. If I research more, I would find more interesting different between American Christmas and Japanese Christmas. I thought differences are interesting.