Christmas

[drinkfeckarse]

That might change things a little if it is but otherwise November 1st is a joke to be putting decorations up in a house IMO.

I personally think 2 weeks before Christmas is enough but if I saw decorations up anytime in December I'd be ok with that too.

[Magicme]

Yeah I dont put up our decorations until the sat 2 weeks b4 christmas. Hate them up too long.

[max power]

Max I think I know this house! Is it on the road where the shopping centre was supposed to be built? AFAIK they ask people for donations to come round the garden and then present the money to Laois Hospice I think?

no they haven't started yet......but i spotted another house on that road with their tree up last week.

[Wolfie]

Time-wise, about the same as it seems to be in Ireland. The odd shop has some decorations for sale, but not actually decorating the shop yet. No songs yet that I've heard, but that isn't really a big part of it over here.

The Japanese don't even have Christianity as a facade for all the spending, but that doesn't bother them. It really is just for kids here, a family with young kids will celebrate Christmas, but those with no kids, or older kids won't really. It is not a holiday here, I've worked on Christmas day, I always said "Happy Christmas" to the students, and a few looked at me confusedly for a second before it clicked that it was actually Christmas day.

New Years day is the big day here. It's far more traditional and important than Christmas.

I remember hearing a good story that illustrated Japans certain detachment from Christmas as we know it.

The story goes that a Japanese chain store once had a christmas feature that included a cross suspended from the roof with Santa Clause nailed to it