In Japan we love Christmas but it is not a national holiday. Since Christianity is not the major religion in Japan, to lots of Japanese people Christmas is all about Santa – a time to give and exchange gifts. Parents in Japan normally leave gifts in a kid’s room while they are sleeping whereas in the USA the gifts will be placed under the tree. We normally celebrate Christmas on Christmas eve, perhaps because people have to go to work or go to school on Christmas day, or maybe it’s like a pre-party for Santa. On the Christmas day kids open their gifts in the morning before school, and we normally don’t do anything afterwards.
