Since I started teaching English to Japanese students in 2021, I instantly realized many of our cultural differences and similarities.
One of the topics I particularly enjoy discussing with them is the Christmas celebration.
As everyone may know, Japan is not a Christian country; most people practice Shintoism or Buddhism to some degree, but a lot of them say that they don't have a religion when asked.
So, when the Christmas holiday is coming up, we usually talk about differences in our Christmas traditions and all that comes with it.
For example, while Filipino families usually gather and eat dinner together during Christmas Eve or as we call it- Noche Buena, Japanese people celebrate it like Valentine's Day, where they meet up with their boyfriend/girlfriend and have a dinner date (also, alot of them eat KFC during Christmas, I don’t know how this tradition started but KFC does have good sales during Christmastime, that’s for sure, haha).
Additionally, even if they don't go to church or believe in the saints, they instilled the idea of Santa Claus in their children.
And there was even once that I had a very interesting discussion with an 8-year-old boy (who was more fluent than me in English) about Santa and his gifts.
He asked me, "Teacher, what gifts did you receive from Santa when you were young?"
"I did not receive anything. How about you? What gifts did you receive from Santa last year?" I replied, redirecting the topic to his gifts.
"I received some toys and sweets. Why didn't you receive anything?"
I was thinking of alibis during this time on how to defend my lack of gifts without spoiling the Christmas magic in this boy's innocent mind.
"Actually, I don't know, Santa just never came to our house. But you know what? I have never been angry or sad about it. Santa must have been so busy. Imagine how many kids he needs to visit this time of the year."
"Really? Is your house far? Teacher, I feel sad for you, but maybe you were just naughty when you were young," he concluded, and I laughed.
I mean, he was not totally wrong. I was a little bit naughty when I was young, but the reason Santa never gave me gifts was the same reason why millions of Filipino kids never receive one either- poverty.
We didn't even have enough money for a proper Christmas dinner, how much more extra cash for gifts? Haha.
However, even life was hard back then, and I never felt the Christmas spirit the same way other kids did. I never had a resentment toward my parents. As Melai Cantiveros-Francisco said in many of her interviews, "Mahirap kami dati, pero masaya. Walang inggitan kasi pare-pareho lang naman kaming mahirap dun sa lugar namin, so it's a tie." Haha.
Now that I am an adult and can see the bigger picture, I am so glad the way I grew up, because even if Santa never came to our town, from a very young age until now, I know how to appreciate the little gifts in life.
From the peaceful house that we live in, to the not-gourmet but healthy food that we eat, and most of all, the crazy but amazing parents and siblings that I have.
As cliché as it sounds, when you are older, you realize you don't really need the fancy things you used to envy on TV or now on the internet. All you want is a healthy body and a peaceful life.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that Santa or Saint Nicholas is real? I mean, he's dead now, but he was a Bishop in the 4th century who was popular for being generous, which is why he is the Patron Saint of gift-giving. Additionally, it is so ironic that people view him as this big, bearded, GENTLE grandpa, when legend has it that he punched a heretic named Arius at the first council of Nicaea for denying Jesus' divinity. Though we don't have proof that this really happened. Haha.
Saint Nicholas, pray for us, and may those kids who believe (and those kids who are now adults who used to believe) in you find Jesus through you!
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