To have a merry little Christmas
Once upon a time I came to Japan. Having a 100% foreigner mindset I waited for December to discover that the essential Christmas must-haves have long been sold. If you are a foreigner living in Japan and plan to spend Christmas as you always did, here are some tips for you.
Timing
Book now, be happy when the time comes. I mean it. November is the high season for booking, buying, stocking, and everything. Make sure you know what you need and book in advance. That’s the key to happiness.
Advent calendars
Buying beforehand or booking will bring the magic of Christmas. As for things like Advent calendars, you can buy lots of variants, from a Lego calendar for your youngest, to a tea calendar for yourself. Make sure you know what options there are on the market, and choose the one you want. Here are some nice hints for you:
- Chocolate and other sweets;
- Lots of Japanese makers and makers abroad offer a wide variety of choices from Royce’s calendar to Lind Teddy calendar;
- Non-chocolate makers also go in hand with this new to Japan notion and offer a calendar with cookies and gummies;
- etc.
- Shampoo and Cosmetics;
- Molton Brown’s Limited Edition Advent Calendar;
- Beauty Works Advent Calendar;
- Makeup Revolution You Are The Revolution 25-Day Advent Calendar;
- etc.
- Lego and other stuff for children;
- There’s also sake, coffee, tea, and champaign calendar for those who appreciate;
Festive food
If you plan to dine out, you better book in advance as well. If an at-home dinner is your way of celebration, booking Christmas food is something new to a mind of a foreigner. Cakes, chicken, and other dishes that traditionally appear on a dinner table are usually purchased in advance. Many big department stores offer catalogs, and you can choose any item you like.
My personal recommendation is to book a cake asap.
Dining out or traveling
Needless to say, you won’t have much luck with finding a place to dine on Christmas eve. The same goes for a hotel. I’m not sure about the restaurants, but hotel fees double during the Christmas season. Nonetheless, many nice hotels are booked, and you will have to deal with what is left.