Christmas is not widely celebrated in Japan, as not many people there are Christians, Christmas in known as more of a time to spread happiness rather than a religious celebration. Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, so schools and businesses are normally open on December 25th. However, several customs have come to Japan from the USA such as sending and receiving Christmas cards and presents.
Christmas eve is often celebrated more than Christmas Day. Christmas eve is thought of as a romantic day, in which couples spend together and exchange presents. In many ways it resembles Valentine’s Day celebrations in the UK and the USA. Young couples like to go for walks to look at the Christmas lights and have a romantic meal in a restaurant. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea both have wonderful and unique Christmas celebrations, unique to them.
This year, Tokyo Disneyland has a Christmas Fantasy celebration, which includes a Santa’s Village complete with a toy factory shop, and a special Disney’s Santa Village Parade that magically brings the village to life with Mickey and his friends arriving on floats as they help Santa Claus make toys for Christmas. The plaza in front of Cinderella Castle has been transformed into a toy factory in “Disney’s Santa Village” where Santa lives, with a 15 meter tall Christmas tree and statues of Disney characters making toys for Santa. At night “Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade Dreamlights” transforms into a Christmas music filled version of this nightly parade where Mickey, Minnie and other Disney characters appear in sparkling Christmas costumes. The nightly fireworks over the castle “Happiness on High” celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Disneyland Tokyo.
Tokyo DisneySea hosts a “Christmas Wishes” celebration, which features the night time show “Colors of Christmas” about Mickey and park guests making a wish together causing floating Christmas trees to light up on the waters of Mediterranean Harbor, the display includes 49-foot-tall Christmas tree as a centerpiece. The show “Holiday Greeting From Seven Ports” also celebrates the 30th anniversary year, and includes Mickey and Friends and the hugely popular Duffy and ShellieMay. Each of the seven themed ports in the park is decorated with Christmas trees.
One of the great things about Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySeas are their special merchandise, which people will stand in lines for hours to purchase. This year approximately 50 different types of merchandise are offered exclusively at the park during the holiday season. This year there will be stain glassed style items in “Colors of Christmas”, bag charms with a Christmas tree design that guests can customize with a variety of parts to create a original gift for friends and loved ones. There will also be approximately 40 different types of merchandise designed for Duffy and ShellieMay; the design concept for this yeah is “a snowy Christmas Eve in Cape Cod.”
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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