Japanese Christmas eve

Dec 25, 2010

Do you want to know how my Japanese friends celebrate Christmas eve?

Below are some interviews with my colleagues at 7pm last night, the Christmas eve.

O-san (a female scientist, just wed last year): We will be having dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby. Of course, with the Christmas cake as well.
Me: Then you should be going home, get dressed and touch up your make-ups!
O-san: Oh, we are going there straight from work. He finishes at 8pm. There is still time for me to finish writing up an article.
Me: Yeah...very typical scientist!

N-san ( a male surgeon, just wed a surgeon last year): I don't know. No special plans yet. Oh, but she did say she will pick up the Christmas cake on the way home!
Me: Oh, any presents for her?
N-san: I don't remember giving her any special presents. hehehe...
Me: Ah? very typical hardworking surgeons... :)

NS-san (a technician mother with 3 children): I will pick up the Christmas cake from the nearby bakery. Maybe cook something special tonight.
Me: And maybe a present from hubby?
NS-san: Ever since our first child was born, there was no presents from him.
Me: Yeah...we tend to save for the children. Very typical mother. :)

M-san ( A scientist, wed last year and just came back from Harvard Uni this year): I will cook dinner and bake a Christmas cake. We will have dinner together!

That sounds more like it!

And me?
Like any kid in Japan, Sya wanted a cake. So we decorated the cake together...

Sya and the hat he made in nursery

Mommy I want to blow the candles...

Mommy, can I have your cake, with that big strawberry please?

The remainder of this cake will sit in the fridge for a while. Any volunteers?

Sya received a teddy bear from his Japanese Obaachan (the landlady)

A present from his piano friend...

Merry Christmas to friends who celebrate and Happy holidays to all!



12 comments:

TK said...

Wah!!!I want the big juicy strawberry!!!!
Tebalnya icing tu...sedapnya...
Banyak jugak hadiah Sya dapat..comel tedybear tu!
The Japanese are workaholic..I read in the newspaper, Japan's population starts to shrink. One of the reasons is because of the long woking hours..dorang sebok bekerja...

Nana said...

Strawberry tu mahal gila. Sebab sekarang bukan season strawberry. Cream tu I saje buat banyak sikit sebab hubby and anak I suka cream tebal2. Hehehe...Teddy bear tu handmade...Syafiq and I love it!
Japanese population is shrinking because it's too expensive to bring up a child. Purata anak utk satu famili...1.2 orang! Less than two each couple! The government is trying to encourage their people to have more. Even trying to cut down the burden by giving monthly allowance. Long hours of working is also another contribution. Then ramai female kerja besar2 tak mau anak. Don't want the kids to interfere with the career. Kesian betul tengok diaorang.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aunty Nana,
Four candles? That's not MY birthday cake, is it? purrrr....meow!

Nana said...

Hi Cat-in-Sydney!
Happy belated birthday Angie! So I see that you are four. Just imagine Sya blew the candle on your behalf ok dear? ;)

Cheqna said...

waaahhhh...i want that strawberries...cake also ok but no cream tebal for me..or the fat will "extend" my size lagi..hehehe :)))

Nana said...

Hi Cheqna!
I have just delivered the strawberries to your dream. I hope you have receive it. hihihi
Yup, the cream was sure a no no...I tepikan cream tu masa I makan. Tapi lepas habis makan, tengok pinggan licin lah pulak. Musykil, musykil! :)

i amsterdam said...

Can I have your cake and your teddy Sya? They are so yummy and lovely :D


PS : You were right Nana, the christmas cake is a must, even though they might not celebrate christmas itself :D

Nana said...

Hi I amsterdam!
That cake dah habis! Kali ni laku sebab banyak kerim...:)Luckily Sya is satisfied with just the cake and that teddy bear from his 'Japanese grandmother'. He didn't ask for his transformer autobot anymore. But he will ask that for his birthday, I am sure! :)

Dr Sofea J.Ann Tan said...

Nice yummy cake thr...
Mesti Sya excited dapat Xmas gifts..
Wishing u a happy new year and happy hols to u n family... Pssstt...de Japanese cuti new years x ? I presume not..hehehehe...

Anonymous said...

OMG!OMG! I LOVE THE TEDDY BEAR!!!! I get weak knees over things like these. *sighs*

As for the gorgeous cake, you can have all of it, thank you. I've eaten so much cream and fat and sweets over the last 5 days that I am officially in a food coma. *LOL*

Nana said...

Hi Sofea!
He is still excited over the teddy bear.
He sleeps with the teddy bear...but complained one thing. Why does the teddy bear smells like the landlady? I told him to hold the teddy bear and sleep with it. And told him that, soon the smell will be gone and the teddy bear will smell like him. hihi
Japanese take long holidays for new year because they celebrate solar new year instead of lunar new year since 18 century. The holidays officially start from the 29th Dec to 3rd January. Yup...we'll be on holiday starting tomorrow! Happy holidays to you too!

Nana said...

Hi Andrea!
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday! I can imagine the loads of food. But for 5 consecutive days? I would have food coma too!
Yeah, Sya really likes teddy bears. The new bear is officially called Kuma-chan. Along with his other teddy bears: Pooh-chan, papa pooh, mama pooh and blue pooh-chan. ;)

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