A season, not a holiday
From November, shops, stations and streets fill with Christmas decorations and music. The atmosphere is festive and commercial, and most people enjoy it without any religious meaning attached.
At the same time, 25 December is usually an ordinary day. Offices are open, trains run as normal, and many people go to work. The moment Christmas ends, decorations are swapped for New Year ones almost overnight.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| クリスマス | kurisumasu | Christmas |
| クリスマスイブ | kurisumasu ibu | Christmas Eve |
| メリークリスマス！ | Merī kurisumasu! | Merry Christmas! |
| サンタさん | Santa-san | Santa: how children usually say it |
| クリスマスプレゼント | kurisumasu purezento | Christmas present |
| 冬休み | fuyuyasumi | Winter break |
Christmas Eve as a date night
Christmas Eve is widely treated as a day for couples. Restaurants take reservations weeks ahead, illumination spots are crowded in the evening, and people without a partner sometimes joke about spending it alone.
This is a tendency rather than a rule. Plenty of people spend the evening with friends, at a party, or simply working. Still, asking someone out for Christmas Eve usually carries a romantic message, so choose your words with that in mind.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| イブはデートなんです。 | Ibu wa dēto nan desu. | I have a date on Christmas Eve. |
| レストラン、予約した？ | Resutoran, yoyaku shita? | Did you book a restaurant? |
| 今年のクリスマスは一人です。 | Kotoshi no kurisumasu wa hitori desu. | I'm spending Christmas alone this year. |
| 友達とクリスマス会をします。 | Tomodachi to kurisumasu-kai o shimasu. | I'm having a Christmas party with friends. |
Cake, chicken and other food
A Christmas cake, most often a strawberry and cream sponge cake, is one of the most familiar customs. Many families and couples pre-order one from a bakery, convenience store or department store and eat it on the 24th or 25th.
Fried or roast chicken is also a common Christmas meal, and chicken shops and supermarkets get busy in the days before. Pre-ordering is so common that you will see reservation posters from early November.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| クリスマスケーキ | kurisumasu kēki | Christmas cake |
| ケーキを予約しました。 | Kēki o yoyaku shimashita. | I've pre-ordered a cake. |
| 予約受付中 | yoyaku uketsuke-chū | Taking reservations now: a common sign |
| チキンを買って帰ります。 | Chikin o katte kaerimasu. | I'll pick up some chicken on the way home. |
| ケーキ、何人分ですか。 | Kēki, nan-nin-bun desu ka. | How many people is the cake for? |
Illuminations and going out
Winter illuminations are one of the season's highlights, with light displays in city centres, parks and theme parks. They are a popular date and a common thing to invite friends to.
They can be very crowded on weekends and on Christmas Eve, so going on a weekday evening is a practical suggestion.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| イルミネーション | iruminēshon | Illuminations, light displays |
| イルミネーションを見に行きませんか。 | Iruminēshon o mi ni ikimasen ka. | Would you like to go and see the illuminations? |
| きれいだね。 | Kirei da ne. | Beautiful, isn't it? |
| 平日のほうが空いていますよ。 | Heijitsu no hō ga suite imasu yo. | It's less crowded on weekdays. |
Work, plans and small talk
Because Christmas is a normal working day, the most common December small talk is about plans for the evening and, a little later, about New Year.
If you come from a country where Christmas is the main family holiday, explaining that is an easy and interesting topic, and people are often curious about how it is celebrated elsewhere.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| クリスマスの予定は？ | Kurisumasu no yotei wa? | Any plans for Christmas? |
| 25日は普通に仕事です。 | Nijūgo-nichi wa futsū ni shigoto desu. | I'm working as usual on the 25th. |
| 私の国では、クリスマスは家族で過ごします。 | Watashi no kuni de wa, kurisumasu wa kazoku de sugoshimasu. | In my country, we spend Christmas with family. |
| 日本ではお正月が家族のイベントなんですね。 | Nihon de wa o-shōgatsu ga kazoku no ibento nan desu ne. | So in Japan, New Year is the family occasion. |
From Christmas straight to New Year
The switch from Christmas to New Year is fast. On 26 December, trees disappear and New Year decorations go up, and greetings change to wishes for a good year ahead.
If you want to be ready for the next week of greetings, the seasonal greetings guide covers the year-end and New Year lines in more depth.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| よいお年を。 | Yoi o-toshi o. | Have a good New Year: said before the year ends |
| 年末年始は実家に帰ります。 | Nenmatsu nenshi wa jikka ni kaerimasu. | I'm going back to my family home over New Year. |
| もうお正月の飾りですね。 | Mō o-shōgatsu no kazari desu ne. | The New Year decorations are already up. |