Andy Cook (Owner/Teacher, Smith’s School of English - Fuse)
The Christmas season in this country is interesting because it reminds me of the New Year’s festivities and atmosphere in my home country. It can be argued that it isn’t the same but there are lots of bright Christmas light displays and decorations all over the main shopping areas (minus anything on or around people’s houses/property, probably not a bad idea considering some of the cheesy stuff I’ve seen), plenty of Japanese Christmas shoppers, bargains, parties (mixed with year end parties or bonenkai’s I think?), and noise to remind you what time of year it is.
It can also be argued that buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken instead of turkey, ham, duck, ect. is strange. It’s fine with me because all the shops and restaurants are open meaning my wife and I can choose practically anything for Christmas dinner, no cooking involved. Very convenient as long as you book in advance.
It seems to me a lot of the arguments and negativity toward this country’s version of Christmas and the New Year’s holiday’s stems from people (including myself) missing their loved ones, friends, local customs(ect.), and memories of Holiday’s past and then trying to hold that up against a different version in another country. Not fair and it obviously doesn’t work.
As for me I stick around for the holiday season partly due to the extra expense of going home during a peak travel season and knowing my family has their own family, friends, and plans to attend to. So even if I went home there would be a good chance I’d have a hard time finding them. I have my own family, friends, and plans right here. It’s a pretty low key, relaxing time, and I work part of the holidays (not great for most but fine by me because I don’t think I can handle a long layoff). However I don’t forget Christmas because I still exchange gifts with my family overseas and my family here, I still put up lights and decorations in my school and at home, and have Christmas dinner with my wife.
What’s different is that I also share this time of the year with my students (my extended family to a degree I suppose). I put up lights and decorations (sometimes make decorations) with my children students (which they always enjoy), give information or stories on Christmas’s when I was a kid (only if the students care to ask so I don’t bore them too much), and I hand out personalized Christmas cards with candies or chocolates to all my students. In the past I’ve participated in or hosted Christmas parties for students and put on stupid looking Santa suits for everyone’s amusement but found the cards, candy, chocolates, lights, decorations, and a simple greeting of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year much easier, heartfelt, and remembered.
Funny thing is that Fuse students do know something about Christmas other than the commercialism which is easy enough to find. I know this because the students almost all have kept every card or Christmas memento, and remembered most of my boring Christmas stories over the last few years. The fact they remembered something as simple as a story or card rings pretty close to anything I ever knew or could teach about Christmas.
Andy Cook