Christmas decorations are up and events happen all over Japan November through December. Most office-working Japanese take a vacation between Christmas and New Year's, usually extending well into January. It's interesting to note that they tend to rip down all the Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve and quickly replace them with New Year's decorations. New Year's is actually the bigger holiday here.
While Christmas is celebrated in Japan with decorations and events for everyone, it is often seen as a "romantic holiday" and a special time for couples. While Christmas may be a time for gift-giving and festive cheer, New Years in Japan is a time for deep reflection and renewal.
It is New Years that holds a special significance for the Japanese people. New Years is a time for family gatherings and traditional rituals such as visiting shrines and eating special foods like mochi. The Japanese people take this holiday very seriously, with many participating in traditional rituals to welcome the new year. It is a time to let go of the past and look forward to a fresh start, making resolutions and setting goals for the year ahead.
The transition from Christmas to New Years is seamless, with the focus shifting from the festive decorations of Christmas to the more solemn and traditional decorations of New Years. This cultural emphasis on New Years as the main holiday showcases the importance of tradition and family in Japanese society.
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