It may seem a bit out of place for me to be talking about Christmas on New Year's of all days, but I'm behind in updating, and as there are technically still a few days left of the Christmas season, I think I can be forgiven. Just about.
Having been a resident for almost 3 and a half years, I'm used to the oddly turned around, Valentines-version of Christmas, or rather
Christmas Eve, in Japan. For those of who you are unaware of what Christmas is like here, Christmas Eve is a "couples night" for the Japanese, and so you're pretty much screwed if you don't have a partner to spend the night with. Mr. Billy Hammond explains it better
here.
Last year, Christmas day fell on the weekend, however, it being a regular Tuesday this year, I went into work on Christmas day for the first time in my life. It was shocking for me deep down, but as the whole Christmas saga had died all around me, not that it was ever that lively to begin with, it didn't feel that strange, oddly enough.
In saying that, I did experience a few specks of Christmas here and there over the month.
First off, I had
Christmas parties with the students of my English class that I teach once a month. The majority of my students are middle-aged housewives, bless them, and they all brought amazing home-made food. Aren't these snowmen bread the cutest?
Also, I always make time to squeeze in a visit to
my favourite bar 'Melty' in
Sapporo. Look at the adorable Santa ice-cream they presented to me as a little freebie ♥