Only 1 per cent of Japanese people believe in Christ.
Even so, most Japanese people decorate their stores and homes with evergreens during Christmas. They enjoy giving each other gifts, and this is the part
they celebrate.
They have a priest called Hoteiosha who acts like Santa
Claus. He brings presents to each house and leaves them for the children. Some think he has eyes in the back of his head,
so children try to behave like he is nearby.
Among the Christian Japanese, Christmas is not a day for the family. They do not have
turkey or plum pudding, instead the day is spent doing nice things for others, especially those who are sick in hospitals. Christmas for those in Sunday schools is the happiest day of the year. On Christmas Eve or Christmas night, the children
put on programs that last for hours. They sing, they recite, and they put on a drama of the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Sounds like a pretty cheerful time, huh?
