We had a nice traditional Japanese Christmas dinner tonight. What is that? KFC. Yes, really.
In what has to be the most successful advertising campaign since DeBeers and "Diamonds are Forever," KFC has convinced Japan that the traditional Christmas feast is secret recipe-battered fried chicken (and strawberry whip cream "Christmas cakes", but that's another story). Go ahead, ask any Japanese what Americans eat on Christmas. "KFC!" It's not even a misplaced cultural stereotype, i.e. an American asking, "Don't Japanese eat sushi every day?". They believe without question that it's true. I can't decide if it's hilarious or pitiable whenever they're crushed to learn that eating KFC on Christmas would be the antithesis of what a Christmas meal should be. But here's the point: regardless of the fact that Christmas is 100% an adopted holiday in Japan with zero history, I love some of their interpretations of it, especially eating KFC on Christmas. Oh yeah, pizza is traditional Christmas fare too! 
In what has to be the most successful advertising campaign since DeBeers and "Diamonds are Forever," KFC has convinced Japan that the traditional Christmas feast is secret recipe-battered fried chicken (and strawberry whip cream "Christmas cakes", but that's another story). Go ahead, ask any Japanese what Americans eat on Christmas. "KFC!" It's not even a misplaced cultural stereotype, i.e. an American asking, "Don't Japanese eat sushi every day?". They believe without question that it's true. I can't decide if it's hilarious or pitiable whenever they're crushed to learn that eating KFC on Christmas would be the antithesis of what a Christmas meal should be. But here's the point: regardless of the fact that Christmas is 100% an adopted holiday in Japan with zero history, I love some of their interpretations of it, especially eating KFC on Christmas. Oh yeah, pizza is traditional Christmas fare too!