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Christmas Eve is the bigger day in Japan instead of Christmas Day. Couples go out on fancy dinner dates and families have roasted chicken and eat Christmas cake. Last year I had the Japanese KFC “Kentucky Christmas” experience. This year we just opted for plain ol’ “regular” sushi. And we all loved it!

Ellie and Chloe devoured sushi rolls and yaki tori (grilled chicken). Ellie was so excited. “Is it Christmas yet? Do we get presents? I’ve been good!”

IMG_5876_editIMG_5872_editIMG_5881_editIMG_5880_editChloe just wanted cake. We ordered our Christmas cake from the Maison Souvenir pastry shop by the train station. You can buy a Christmas cake anywhere on Christmas Eve though. The grocery store, any bakery, the department store, 7-11, any convenient store actually. And they even all look fantastic, at least to the untrained foreigner eye. You can buy fried chicken anywhere on Christmas Eve too. 7-11 had a sign advertising “premium chicken” for you to pre-order. I think I’ll pass on that. Anyway, last year we ate a strawberry shortcake Christmas cake, this year we opted for the chocolate cake. We sand Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and then blew out the candles similar to a birthday cake. With all that anticipation Chloe had for cake, she didn’t like the chocolate frosting and just wanted strawberries. Go figure.

IMG_5897_editIMG_5899_editIMG_5917_editIMG_5919_editIMG_5907_editIMG_5921_editOur family Christmas dinner was great! But the kids were ready for business. Their stockings were hung, candy was left out for Santa with a note reading, “I gave you my candy, love Ellie and Chloe.” Now we just had to wait for Santa-san.

Santa in Japan leaves presents by the kid’s pillow, not under the tree. But I think this year Santa is just going to leave them on the couch. With all of us sleeping together on the floor we have enough going on in bed to add presents to the mix.

I hope everyone enjoys their Christmas celebrations!

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