Christmas Day! - Week 52

December 25, 2005 / Sunday / 12:45 p.m.

Japan is not a Christian country and the people's concept of Christmas here is plain and simple shopping and eating the veritable Christmas cake, whose value hits rock-bottom the day after Christmas. I can probably safely say that more than half of the population here has no idea about Jesus Christ and why he came into this world as the Son of God.

One time, I read about a Japanese actress who commented on national TV on why Christians here, including Japanese Christians, read about and worship Christ when "he's already dead." Pathetic!

Thus, being away from the Philippines and not in the company of fellow believers, Mommy D, Theo and I are content at staying at home, watching TV or surfing the Net. Yesterday, however, was different because we went to a Christmas party to a friend's place. This friend is not only Catholic but a Filipina as well who is married to a Japanese. There were two other Filipinas there among the mostly Japanese guests with their kids in tow. Mommy D cooked and brought some very sumptuous chicken adobo, valenciana and macaroni salad.

Theo definitely enjoyed his time there simply because there were so many toys and other children around, including Yuka (second photo above) who is the daughter of a Filipina married to a Japanese. Yuka and Theo quickly bonded with each other, what with the same Filipino blood running in their veins.

Tomorrow is Theo's birthday! But because most of our friends are back home in the Philippines, we won't be having any grand celebration apart from us having dinner outside maybe. Tomorrow, Theo is also scheduled to receive his immunization shots; we have to complete them before we return home to the Philippines for a short vacation next month. And the No.1 bummer is that tomorrow is a working day in Japan, so that means I still have to go to the lab.

As I post this, Mommy D and Theo are fast asleep. Ain't that perfect on a Christmas Day?