Less than 2 weeks until Christmas!!

Christmas is coming but in Japan it is a normal work day!! Schools in England finish about a week before Christmas and students have a three-week holiday.

A week before Xmas families put up their Xmas tree. After that, family members secretly put Xmas presents under the tree. On Christmas Day EVERYONE gets presents - not just children. Children use their pocket money and their brains to think of good presents for their brothers, sisters and mother and father (and grandparents!!). During the week before Xmas more and more presents get put under the Xmas tree and everyone starts to guess what they are going to get.

On Christmas morning, children always wake up at 5 or 6 in the morning - on school days it's impossible for students to wake up at this time!! - Parents want to sleep in a bit on Christmas morning so they ask 'Santa' to give their children some small presents which are put in long stockings by the end of the children's bed while they are sleeping. Children play with these presents until their parents get up!

After breakfast, all the Xmas presents are opened and then preparations are made for the big Christmas lunch!! Christmas lunch lasts 2-3 hours in some families. Grandparents then sleep in front of the television while children play with their noew presents!

Merry Christmas everybody and have a nice 2-week break!!! Relax and recharge and I look forward to seeing you in the new year!