[dmitrynts]

I voted for XMas, but out here both holidays are in the same boat, important staples for Winter Break.

[Barbshowers]

Even though I'm an atheist and so is my family, we have celebrated Christmas more because it is quite a big deal in Japan. You can see Christmas decorations up already in department stores and in other places as early as the beginning of November, although the Chritsmas celebrated in Japan is not the sense of the traditional Christian Christmas, but its more of the modern Capitalist version with Santa running around and people buying presents and basically spending money, so its hard not to get into that crazed consumer frenzy and shop with the rest of the common people.

[Green_Monkey23]

Is it just me that does not appreciate the atomosphere around the holiday season, which pushes me further and further away from enjoying Christmas?

My husband's family has a ritual about opening the presents; there is somebody to conduct the process which changes every year, the conducter hands everyone a present, we take turns to open it, and show everyone what you received saying "Thank you." to the person who gave you the present.
Last year I had such a hard time having fun opening those presents.
Is it a Scrooge way to be not to want a present, to want to have a nice family gathering w/ a special meal?

[DoctorNiCYDEn]

I don't celebrate New Year that much... Christmas is much more important to me

[wantedLOX]

It seems (I really hope so) that this winter(Christmasvacation) I'm in Sapporo, Japan...so it'll be a very special one ...but one small question, how do Japanese see these events ?? Just like we do?? I heard from my friend that Christmas -> boy/girlfriend together, New year -> family event

[beloveds]

I celebrate christmas more then new year.

but when am older it will be the other way around.

[OwdBKKHO]

i'm gonna go with new year.. christmas is spent with my family... great food, dull conversations.. new years is getting wasted with my friends time... i like that better...

[awagsFare]

Clearly Xmas, because you get presents
It's also a nice get-together with the family and stuff.

New Year is just some nice fireworks, and that's it.

@Foxtrot Uniform
That's it exactly! Worth some rep points for me.
I just wish I could convince my parents of this right "belief" (or rather, non-belief )

[Ruidselisse]

Gotta be Christmas! I love the winter time, and my birtday is around that time so Double the presents plus two tight parties! New year just means another all night party for me. with flashly lights

[exhibeKed]

I choose Christmas,

[LymnInvinny]

Christmas is definately the big holiday in my family. We decorate the untire house, lots of presents, have the relatives over. It's really fun.

On New Year's I usually sit at home and watch a movie and play board games. It's no big deal for me.

[Kuncher]

No contest in America... Christmas. Christmas preparation starts in early November (a little too early if you ask me) mostly with people buying things. My family from all over the country usually gets together and has to spend roughly a week together until the big finally of a huge dinner and the opening of a mountain of presents. New Years isn't even the second biggest holiday in America. Thanksgiving is the second biggest. New Years is usually just spent getting drunk with your friends and perhaps watching a fireworks display, making it very similar to how we celebrate the 4th of July.

[Pjayjukr]

No contest in America... Christmas. Christmas preparation starts in early November (a little too early if you ask me) mostly with people buying things.

I completely agree, shops decorating around the end of October /beginning of November is too early....

I prefer Christmas over New Year's Eve I think, although it is difficult to decide as they both are celebrated differently...
I like the atmosphere of Christmas even though I am no Christian, I like giving presents and receiving presents and the whole romantic side of Christmas and getting together with family.

I also like New Year's as I love spending time with friends and we normally cook dinner and some of the boys spend a bit too much money on fireworks which we all have to see all night!!! And drink champagne....

[SueveDobe]

Yup.. We already have our Christmas tree, stockings and decorations up in my house.. Heh.

[Zesavenue]

It has always been a custom in my family to put up the decorations over the Thanksgiving holiday and take them down a day or two after New Years. Christmas is more important to me...the family is always close and spends lots of time together (not so much for my kids since they go to Japanese school and it is not a day off) To me, New Years day is just an excuse for a party and getting drunk. I can do that anytime!

What makes me sad is that so many people feel like they must over consume just because it is Christmas! Why do people feel that they must buy so many things that they don't need?

[steansathtpos]

What makes me sad is that so many people feel like they must over consume just because it is Christmas! Why do people feel that they must buy so many things that they don't need?

Yeah, sadly for many ppl, they get stressed during Christmas because of money-spending on presents, rush for presents to every family member etc....My friend always get stressed as she feels she needs to buy expensive presents to every family member....she has a big family and 3 siblings...(I am glad that I am an only child though!!)

This is too sad, as Christmas should be something nice, cosy, and a romantic holiday.

[Zaxsdcxs]

Chrimbo!!!

[hHwJ229h]

This is difficult for me to answer.... I liked New Years because I could work and get more money... last year we got to drink champagne while working in the tallest building in the southern hemisphere (not really that big a deal, just sounds cool) with Fireworks coming all around us.
Christmas time, its not really a big deal to go home... the only ritual we have is giving presents (gets slacker as time goes on though), and eat fresh fruit salad for breakfast. Last Christmas my boyfriend, his friends and I arrived at my mothers house at 3am christmas morning, went to the beach drank until 6, went back to mums and slept until breakfast time... had breakfast went to the motel and slept. Not so exciting and nothing much else to do really.
So neither really hold any importance to me... BUT I Love birthdays! That to me is the most special day of the year.

[WaicurtaitfuT]

This thread is quite old, but I'll answer anyway as a post is never too old to reply to on this forum.

Having lived the middle third of my life in Japan I would have to vote for New Years. When I was younger it was always Christmas with the relatives all coming to the house, the big dinner, the presents. It was a fantastic time.

After I moved to Japan I was shocked that the Japanese didn't celebrate Christmas. I even had to work on Christmas day most of the years as it was just another day. I really missed Christmas.

But after a few years I really began to dig the way the Japanese celebrated New Years. The whole country closed down for like a week and everyone ate great food, drank, slept, ate and drank again, watched TV, laughed, visited relatives, visited shrines, etc. All in all it was a most festive and great time and I really looked forward to it.

Christmas went by the wayside and even today I still do not get excited about Christmas as I feel it is too commercialized and is just for kids. Besides, there is no festive atmosphere and one must go to work the following day. One day and it's all over! How boring.

These days, if we do not visit Japan, I still schedule at least 3 or 4 days off, my wife makes traditional Japanese food for the occassion and we just enjoy ourselves by having soba and sake at midnight, watching College football on TV on NY day while drinking sake and eating omochi, sushi, kamaboko, and other traditional dishes.

My vote is New Years-Japanese style

[forextradinginfo]

In my family, Christmas is more of a big deal. Maybe one reason I like it best, is because my work place closes down from Christmas Day until January 2nd. So it is great, long holiday! (I have to work Christmas Eve though, bleeurgh.) So, naturally it feels more 'important'.

For me, Christmas is the time for being with family and also visiting friends. But, I think it's sad how some people get so stressed about making big celebrations and meeting with disliked relatives. And of course, the over-commercialisation with the preparations in shops etc. starting so early (at least in England it is...) I can appreciate the religious aspect but I think it is become too materialistic in lots of ways. So now I find New Year more of 'thinking time' about past year and future year...

New Year was always the time for big all night party with friends. Family, keep away!

But for the first time this year, I have a Japanese BF, so maybe my Xmas/NY plans become somehow different...

For important of 'spiritual' time of year, Easter wins hands down for me. It does become kind of commercialised now with all the chocolate but somehow, there isn't so much marketable about someone being tortured to death as there is about a cute little baby...