On Holidays Abroad

Tradition

I have the best memories of Christmas as a kid.  My family must have done something right!  I was a really lucky kid.  I say that and I mean it as well.  Christmas was always one of my favorite times of the year growing-up.

I was the baby.  I was always the baby of my family.  I was the first grandchild so of course there is some spoiling that comes with that.  My gifts were awesome, but I liked the time with all of my family far more than any gift I ever received.  From the time I was born till first grade I had lived with everyone in my close family.  I lived with my mom, aunts, uncle, my grandma, and my grandpa.  We all lived in one house.  When I moved, Christmas and other holidays became just that more important to me.

Our tree was real.  Every year the smell of pine makes me think of Christmas.  Our ornaments were old, handmade, and many were worn.  I added a few every year from school projects or special occasions that took place.  I have my favorites for sure.  We would stack the presents under the tree, wherever the tree was placed that year.  Sometimes it was next to the fireplace or in the corner of the room, but it never failed in drawing attention to it.

I loved the tree.  I loved the time spent decorating and taking it down.  It was full of memories and stories.

Holiday food is my favorite kind of food.  I eat holiday food outside of holiday times, but it just tastes better with that atmosphere Christmas gives it.

Everything about Christmas is linked to family and time spent with them.  From the tree, to the presents, to the food, and to the time spent with family.  I’m a family orientated person.

We don’t celebrate Christmas here in Japan.

It’s purely commercial.  Christianity was banned for a number of years, it has yet to gain a real footing here in the land of the rising sun.  There are Santa’s everywhere. There are advertisements for KFC chicken buckets and Christmas Cakes, because that’s how the Japanese celebrate their Christmas.

No trees are put up.  No ornaments are hung.  There is no feast.  Sure there is the Japanese aspect to marvel at, how they celebrate in their own way.  It’s fascinating to me, but at the same time it’s a bit of a disappointment.  The child in me wants to hang my stocking, wants to put up my family tree, and wants American Christmas food.  That little kid in me really, really, wants to be home for the Holidays.

I think it’s because of my history with Christmas and such.  I’ve never been away, truly away, like this before.  It’s taken a little longer than I expected for it to hit me.  I am very far away.

In those moments, where I miss Christmas and the traditions my family have that come with it, I go for a walk.  Kashima is beautiful this time of year, and just the right temperature for me as well.  Just cold enough to see your breath but not so cold that you need a full jacket.

When it all gets a little overwhelming I go on a walk and think about how much I wanted to get here.  I think about the new things I am experiencing.  No, I may not have my traditions here, but that just means I can learn about the Japanese ones.  Sure I want to put up a tree but I think in doing so I would make myself homesick.  I don’t want to do that to myself.  So I look at the Japanese wreaths they put up for Christmas and admire them.  I know I will be missing them next year after all.

It’s hard.  I’m not going to lie to you or myself.  I miss my family right now.  I really miss my family.  That’s all the more reason to soak in what I can.  I’m throwing myself into my studies, into cultural things, and into life with my host family.  I’m keeping busy with learning all I can because it’s all over in a little bit.

It is best not to dwell on what you can’t do.  It’s a far better mentality to go about doing things you could never do in your home country.  That’s my tidbit of advice for the Holiday Season.

See You Soon

Mata chikaiuchini

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