Thanksgiving has come and gone, and I didn't eat a shred of turkey. It's pretty hard to come by in Japan. Still, the Sapporo JET crew managed to throw a pretty nifty Thanksgiving party. The presence of sweet delicious pumpkin pie and "our good friend alcohol" more than made up for the lack of gobbler.

The Japanese seem unaware of Thanksgiving's existence. But they more than make up for it with their enthusiasm for Christmas - or Xmas, as it's invariably written here. The Xmas shopping season started nearly three weeks ago! From department stores to MOS Burger, every place of business is prettied up for the season. Apparently Jesus was a capitalist. Unfortunately, the Japanese have also discovered Xmas music and stores blare it non-stop. Usually it's normal carols and such, but today I heard "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" while shopping. Zuh?

Xmas is apparently a couple-oriented holiday. That is, rather than spending time with your family, you go out with your significant other. And where, pray tell, is the most popular place to go? KFC (known as "Kentakki" here!). I am not making this up. I wish I could be here to see the phenomenon in action. Star-crossed lovers lost in each other's eyes, holding greasy hands across the table, feeding each other drumsticks, Col. Sanders beaming with pride at the love to which his eleven herbs and spices gives birth. Maybe next year.

Wait - does this mean that you'll be back in MN for the holidays??

Like it or not, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is prtty much officially a classic Xmas tune. I believe it's the #1 selling record of all time, too, just to make the whole thing sillier.

But it's heartening to think that, with all that's going on in the world, our two very different cultures can be brought together through the inherent humor of hoofed mammal-elderly woman collisions.