A Kentucky Fried Christmas

Have you ever noticed that Colonel Sanders, the white-haired founder and mascot of the American fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), bears a striking resemblance to the fabled Santa Claus? Perhaps that's why thousands of Japanese people come together each year and... eat Kentucky Fried Chicken.

"The tradition of eating KFC at Christmas dates back to the early 1970s," says Japan Today, "when an expat customer at the chain’s Aoyama store observed that, in a land bereft of Yuletide turkey, fried chicken was the next best thing." It seems that after serving the customer, the employees contacted the "higher-ups", persuading the company to launch its ridiculously successful ‘Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii!’ (Kentucky for Christmas!) campaign in 1974. From then on, Japan remains the only country that offers special meals for Christmas. The most popular of these meals is called the "Party Barrel," which includes chicken, salad and a cake. So don't forget to stop by KFC this Christmas, and ask for their special Kentucky Fried Cake.

KFC company officials have revealed that Christmas Eve (December 24th) marks the company's highest annual sales. In fact, the stores are so busy that even back office staff, including the president and other executives, head out to the frontlines to help dish out that yummy Christmas chicken. Even though KFC Christmas meals must be ordered in advance, the lines are tremendously long all throughout the month of December.

Among the strange traditions that are widely practiced in Japan during Christmas, you might find the tradition of eating "Christmas Cake" a little odd as well. And no, I'm not talking about the obligatory fruit cake that you sometimes get from the elderly neighbors next door. I'm talking about beautiful, gourmet cakes that are more extravagant than all of my past birthday cakes, combined. Have a look for yourself!

Go pick up your next annual Christmas Cake at Sans Facon!

These cakes put our birthday cakes to shame! Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is.

After seeing the picture above, you might be asking yourself, "where did the tradition of eating Christmas Cakes come from?" Well, Japan Society has an answer.

"Nowadays, it is essential to have a Christmas Cake in Japan when it comes to Christmas. Christmas became an event broadly cerebrated in Japan around 1965, and from that time, Christmas Cake started showing up on [the] family dining table. It is thought that Hujiya made the first Christmas Cake in Japan. According to the website of Hujiya, the first one was simple and made in 1910. It was just a plum cake decorated with fondant and silver balls. Hujiya started selling a short cake in 1922 and from this time, the Christmas Cake was gradually changing from a fruitcake to a shortcake."―Japan Society. 

So there you have it! We can only assume that Japan was initially influenced by the western fruitcakes that were once widely distributed worldwide as popular Christmas gifts. Just ask your neighbors.

It's important to remember that only a whopping 1% of the Japanese population is Christian, and so their understanding of the true meaning behind Christmas will be warped by default, not by design. Christmas was fortunate to come to Japan, thanks to the power of the global media which (as we know) over commercializes Christmas to the point of nonrecognition to those who are more conservative about their holidays.

So, definitely talk to your Japanese friends about the true meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown!

Have a very, merry Kentucky Fried Christmas everyone!