Christmas season has started! It does look like London is much shinier than October. London is always a low-key city but Christmas is a bit different. I thought London Christmas would have been super amazing but …..It was a bit different as I expected.
No.1
Christmas is a family gathering. It’s not for couples or friends.
Yeah, it’s like new year in Japan. So my first year in London, all my Japanese friends who had nothing to do gathered.
And no restaurants, no transportations and no super markets on Christmas day. (Only some off-licences.) Even though you are not thinking of having a family Christmas, you need to prepare some food and drinks for Christmas day, unfortunately. So Christmas day is not like happy shiny people singing on the street, but like a quiet dead town. They’re having parties day before and after so London is normally super quiet in three days.
Why is it called Boxing Day’?
Historically, servants were required to work on Christmas Day. On December 26, they were given the day off, along with a special “Christmas box” containing gifts, bonuses, and food from their employers. They would then take this box home to their families.
No.2 Christmas will start after Halloween and will last until new years.
In Japan, you can hear new years’ songs from the 25th evening but in London, you can enjoy Christmas lightups, Christmas markets and (maybe) Christmas menu until 4th of January. We’re still in the celebrating mode for new years so no one minds it.
And then it turns to January, Londoners start ‘Dry January’. They do need to take care of their body and their wallet. ☺️ ️What do they need to dry out? Of course, it’s alcohol.
But they’re having parties and drinks over Christmas. It feels like Japanese Bonenkai (year-end party) starts earlier.
I haven’t decided whether I should stay in London or go back to Japan. I still want to enjoy the London Christmas but new years are always better in Japan. I’m not sure when I can get the right answer.