Ahhhh, Christmas. Time for gingerbread, snow, and visions of sugarplums dancing in children's heads. Just hear those sleigh bells jingling! (I think they're even ring-ting-tingling, too) It is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

But, wait, you want to change things up this year? Get away from the "Bah, Humbug" of a traditional, Western Christmas and try to celebrate the way some of our friends out East do? That's great! Christmas in Japan is a great way to celebrate, as long as you follow our simple, step-by-step process to do so.

Step 1: Grab your SO

While Christmas in America (and other Western countries) is a time for family and friends, Christmas in Japan is all about partners. I've heard it aptly described as being very similar to Valentine's Day, where couples book a restaurant for Christmas Eve dinner and spend the evening exchanging gifts with each other. Young adults, especially, will go for walks with their significant other to look at the Christmas lights around their town. This is a pretty easy step to adapt, wherever you are--as long as you have a date, of course! You can still admire the decorations alone, of course, but there's something about tentatively reaching for someone else's hand in the cold, winter air that sings "Christmas!"

Step 2: Order some Fried Chicken

I don't know about you, but my Christmas dinner usually has some combination of ham, veggies, bread, and potatoes--and, of course, a glass of wine. Here in Japan, everyone orders KFC or another brand of fried chicken for their Christmas celebration. All of the convenience stores and take-out restaurants have been advertising their fried chicken for weeks now, and they all have special packages for Christmas. When I think of Christmas, greasy, fried food isn't the first thing that comes to mind, but it's a cool tradition to try out. I quite like fried chicken, so I'd be more than happy to have some for Christmas, too! Maybe not as dinner, but it would make a great lunch or snack after opening presents.

Step 3: Put your Bible Away

While Christmas isn't an exclusively-Christian holiday, there's no denying its roots, and the many people around the world that do still celebrate it as a religious holiday. Since the Christian population in Japan is pretty low, Christmas is definitely seen as a secular holiday. In fact, when I tell people that I'm excited to celebrate Christmas, one of the first things they always as me is "are you a Christian?" So if you want to celebrate Christmas the Japanese way, pack away all of your religious memorabilia for another day.

Step 4: Bake (or Buy!) a Christmas Cake

I had a conversation with my supervisor about Christmas a few weeks ago, and he was really surprised to learn that Christmas Cake isn't a huge thing in the States. I don't know about other Americans, but when I hear "Christmas Cake," my mind goes to the dreaded fruitcake that always manages to make its way into everyone's trash can. But that's not even close to the Christmas Cakes of Japan! Instead, they're expensive cakes that are decorated with Christmas colors and images. Just as stores that sell fried chicken have been advertising their products for the past month, stores that sell cakes have been sending out fliers and advertising their Christmas Cakes. I always like the idea of homemade cakes, but the Christmas Cakes here are really beautiful. Since the holidays are already a season of cookies, pies, and other desserts, it's not too hard to add cake to that list!

Step 5: Go Shopping

Christmas in Japan, much like Christmas all over the world, has become a pretty consumer-based holiday. Here, every store put out their Christmas decorations and signs around November 1st. Christmas music has been piping through the Shotengai (covered shopping area) and department stores for weeks. Every store and franchise releases Christmas-themed products for the masses. Since I am a child and must own all of the new things at all times, I've fallen victim to the Christmas-decorating craze. Even my small, mountain village has brought out the Christmas decorations! There's plenty of places to go for Christmas shopping, but the best options are big cities like Osaka, Tokyo, and Kobe. In fact, if you're lucky, you might find a Christmas-themed market (if you're curious, check out my other article about the German Christmas Market in Osaka)! Shopping has become a huge part of the season everywhere, so it makes sense that a Japanese Christmas would involve buying presents for friends, family, and co-workers.

Step 6: If all else fails, throw a Christmas Party!

Christmas parties are pretty common all over the world, and Japan is no exception. There's nothing more fun than gathering friends and family together to celebrate the holiday. Whether it's about giving gifts to kids, drinking and dancing with friends, or spending some time with your partner or family, the holidays are still whatever you make them to be--no matter where in the world you are!