So I decided to post the difference between my Christmas In Japan compared to my normal one at home. In Kawauchi I was prepared to be spending it alone. I mean It's a family holiday in the US so I didn't want to intrude on my Boyfriends family..as we had only been together for a few weeks, and my adoptive family hadn't said anything about my coming over. It was a depressing thought, but I was thinking I would have the internet to keep me company. Turns out Christmas in Japan is NOT a family holiday....the way I came to understand they celebrate is with dinner like normal, and then cake...or young people spend the holiday planning dates with their boyfriend/girlfriend. So Masa called to have me pick him up...AGAIN!!..we were back at my apartment for maybe a half hour when Hiroko and Ken my adoptive parents called asking if I wanted to come over for dinner. So Masa and I went over and had dinner and spent several hours just hanging out at their house. It was great, so much better than me pathetically alone watching Drama TV shows at my apartment. I didn't take any picture unfortunately...but I guess it would be pretty normal ones of the 4 of us sitting at the table with food. I missed not being with my actual family, but had a great time! I had my mom keep m presents at home...seemed a waste to have them mailed to me only to have to struggle to fit them in my suitcase when I returned home.
In comparison Christmas in back home...as I said...is a family holiday. My family decided to do Christmas with my Dad's extended family. Which this year gathered first at my cousin's house for appitizers and then my aunt's for dinner and present opening on Christmas Eve. I got out of work in time to make it for appitizers, but waited for my brother-in-law to get out of work in order to drive together. We thought 3 cars was a little excessive...my sister works in the town that my cousin and aunt live....so I didn't end up getting to the party until it had already moved to my aunt's house. This side of my family is quite large, over half of my cousins were missing and we still had over 20 people gathered. By the time dinner was ready everyone had had a fair amount of time to get hungry...and we all practically pounced on the food!! and then chatted and kept eating for a while. Lots of fun and my aunt's ham was DELICIOUS!!
Once it was universally decided that we were done eating my cousin's kids couldn't stop themselves from insisiting on opening presents. So we all caved and gave them theirs....but that wasn't good enough for them..there were still a ton of gifts under the tree they wanted open! So the adults gathered around and played our dispersal game. Basically everyone brings one present for a general girl/guy (whichever you are) and they all go under the tree. Based on a number you order you go and pick a present from under the tree that is your gender and you open it...or if you liked a present someone else opened you can steal their gift...in which case they can get up and open a new present or steal from someone else...repeat procedure until all present are opened! It's a lot of fun. I originally got a set of 10 different clinique eye shadows, but my cousin snatched it from me. I took her sister's blanket instead and she went in the middle and opened the last present..thus ending the game. Worked out ok, I had most of those colors anyways (clinique is my favorite makeup ever!) and I love blankets!
Once the gift exchange was over we basically just chilled on the different chairs and couch drinking and talking for several hours until everyone was getting sleepy. My parents, grandmother and I headed to my grandmothers house and went to bed. Christmas morning started at around 9 for me...most of the fam was up already. we did the close family present exchange and then my grandmother made breakfast. I got a nook for Christmas!! love it. I use it daily. And my sister and brother-in-law gave me a new luggage set. I killed the last set in Tokyo because of how heavy it was. I really needed that, so good job sis~!
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