THIS is Kurisumasu - Japanese style!
All over Japan on December 24th people line up in Kentucky Fried Chicken and buy party boxes of fried and roast chicken to take home and eat with the family.
Usually followed by a sponge cake, covered in cream and strawberries.
Last night I did Kurisumasu for Okaasan - with my friend Heather (Uni Spagetti blogger revealed!).
At 6.15 pm I went to the local KFC to collect my ordered box dinner - and the second floor area had been cleared so that staff could hand out Kurisumasu to all-comers. They said there was a maximum of FIFTY orders for every hour. 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm 8 pm....on December 23, 24 and 25th.
Then home with Heather to heat up some spuds and garlic, make a salad, heat the soup - and get Okaasan to the table. AND heat the mulled wine!
The three of us sat down to Kurisumas dinner.
It was relaxing and easy and went off fine. Okaaasn knows Heather enough now to not get all foreigner-nervous. Heather speaks enough Japanese to help me keep the conversation going and Okaasan likes KFC and spuds...and wine.
It's moments like this that Okaasan seems so normal. Her conversation was a little repetitive and she was a bit quiet at the start of dinner. But the mulled wine relaxed her and soon she was chatting on about KFC's first shop in Japan at Nihonbashi in Tokyo...and we did a few loops of weather and winter driving and tourists from Asian countries...and wartime and meat...and dipped into New Year food and Scottish New Year customs....so I feel she enjoyed it and yet another Positive Experience was notched up on the Caring for Okaasan life.
And then: Heather and I retreated upstairs to our Christmas Eve!
Mulled wine and soppy movie....ohh!!!! Liam Neeson's reallife wife did die and leave him with small children!!!
Christmas pudding - thankyou Sachiko and Toshihiko!
Err....my rubber plant in disguise as a Christmas Tree...safer for the cats....
Sounds like you gave Okaasan a lovely Christmas and with time for yourself and your friend!
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