メリークリスマス!

2 posts within SUCH close proximity...can you handle it?!

i don't really think anyone reads this. prove me wrong, please.


a belated merry christmas to you all! yes, i know it's not PC, but it's just what you say during this time of year. "season's greetings" is too hallmark-manufactured-fake for me. regardless of what you did or didn't celebrate, i hope it was perfect.

not many people celebrate christmas over here. at least not in the traditional sense that we know it. generally speaking, christmas is purely a commercial holiday over here. oh wait, it's like that in the west too. but at least we have more Christians to use as leverage! ok! i'll stop. but we have more people celebrating christmas as the religious holiday it is in the west than here in japan. here, it's more about the way things look: they decorate like fiends. there are decorations EVERYWHERE. in the street, in convenience stores, at the subway station...they go all out. i think they generally decorate like fiends for every holiday. [i just cannot wait until valentine's day. it'll be a challenge keeping my lunch down. i can feel the anticipation already.] halloween was over the top, and decorations were up until october 31st. the next morning all you could see was red, green, and sparkles. they're really on it over here.

anyhow, christmas shopping isn't the deathwish it is back home, but it's still quite busy. and as inescapable as i thought mariah's voice was during the holidays at home, she might as well be wearing a slutty santa costume and dancing alongside you ALL DAY here. they have speakers in the STREETS. they play christmas music on those speakers, all day. no joke. not that it's a bad thing, i really enjoy christmas music, and haven't heard nearly enough of it this year. but...in the streets! literally impossible to get away from! it's kinda funny.

23/12/07: began my holidays as of today! didn't sleep in completely though, kelsey and i had been invited to our manager/co-worker simon's place for a christmas meal. it was awesome! he made 3 different kinds of curry, and chapattis! which i rolled! can you believe it? neither can i. met simon's adorable son noah, and beautiful wife manami, as well as some other cool guests. had great food, with great people...all in all, a great time. =)

24/12/07: joined some friends at karaoke in yokohama for a couple of hours. awesome, as always! had just enough time to sing some bon jovi, ace of base, backstreet boys, and oasis, before booking it for our train bound for shibuya to go clubbing! went to a club called atom, which had 3 floors, 2 of which were some awesome hardcore trance, and the last one was a hot, sweaty room of hip hop and r&b [would we ever have it any other way?]. it was a good night. the djs were dressed in santa costumes! and the club girls dancing on the podiums were wearing slutty santa costumes. [*note: slutty santa costumes are as prevalent in stores as decorations are! they LOVE their festive costumes here.] they even made it "snow" just after midnight with little soap suds. how festive! they also played some crazy trance remixes to christmas songs...i'll let you guess one. did you say MARIAH? bingo. they love that song here. i think they love that song everywhere. i read somewhere it is the best selling christmas single every year. and for good reason! "all i want for ku-ri-su-ma-su, is youuuuu!"

25/12/07: went over to friends teresa, lauren and christal's place for an amazing christmas dinner. we totally weren't expecting it! they had chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and the cutest little christmas cakes to top it all off. had a great time with some more great people. =) then went bowling where i lost BADLY. but it's all good, cuz it's christmas.

japan is really great. i [still] love it. love the people, love the atmosphere, love the culture [even as i find out more and more about it!]. and i'm not homesick! i've kind of learned that it's the people you meet that will either make or break your time over here. i'm grateful to have met a lot of awesome people, through work, friends, or just randomly. i do miss you all back in toronto, though. i wish you the best for this holiday season and for the year to come.

ja ne!



--
soph