Christmas decorations and illumination displays are already up in many parts of Japan and in some other countries, too. Do you think it is too early?

What kind of poll is this? People who believe in God/Christ/Christmas/Bible have been setting up Xmas decorations as early a November around the WORLD. Anyway most Japanese don't believe much in any religion so, why not go with the flow?

Deflation invites early decorations, that's it.

And the peculiar thing in Japan is that Christmas ENDS on Christmas Eve.

Mum eats chicken and strawberry shortcake with the kids on the 24th and that's it.

And the peculiar thing in Japan is that Christmas ENDS on Christmas Eve.

No more money to be made from it, after that.

I remember my amusement/surprise after one of my first Xmas Eve shows here, walking to my dressing room witnessing decorators dismantling "Xmas", to be replaced with plum, bamboo, and pine...

Time is money, and it's always neeext...

That's the bizarre thing about Christmas here - for months, everyone is surrounded by Santas, Frosty the snowman, Jingle Bells and tinsel. Every commercial break is loaded with toys and AKB48 in santa-fetish gear clapping and squeaking at the prospect of a bit of cake. Starbucks were playing their Christmas music mix a fortnight ago. Billions will be spent on making sure the neighbours can see you're carrying out the ritual.

A bit of cake and some KFC and that's your Christmas.

Celebrate something, or don't celebrate it. Don't spend two months doublethinking yourself into believing Christmas is important to you and then treat the day like every other.

Heck no! ( I'm in the minority on this one, ha ha! )

If its not december no decorations needed. I think thats simple enough. But considering it's still early november decorations now are WAAAAaaaay to early.

What kind of poll is this? People who believe in God/Christ/Christmas/Bible have been setting up Xmas decorations as early a November around the WORLD. Anyway most Japanese don't believe much in any religion so, why not go with the flow?

My fmaily are strict christians... but they definitely do not share in the love for decorations.. Thats a pretty big generalization you just made ... my mum would have the tree taken down on boxing day if she could... but me nor any of my brothers are willing to do anything on boxing day lol.

Yes Ivan, It all comes down to a bit of cake and some KFC and that's it.

The answer to this question is a resounding "yes" ! but alas our comments will fall on deaf ears because as long as Japan continues to adopt other countries' traditions and fashion them into their own special overcommercialized non-events, nothing will change. In the end, people will do what they like or what the ads and everyone around them is doing just to fit it or because it is presumed to be normal. I remember seeing all the Christmas decorations up on November 1, the day Halloween went out of fashion for another year.

What I've been wondering though is when is Japan going to discover the Easter Bunny? What face lifts are they going to give him?

YES - 2 months of music and decorations in every store, etc really spoils the whole thing. We go from ersatz black and orange Halloween in every bakery, cafe, restaurant with one day and then it is immediately Xmas in EVERY single store, etc. Really hard to enjoy the anticipation (via my children) when it is 8 weeks early. Blah...

My fmaily are strict christians... but they definitely do not share in the love for decorations.. Thats a pretty big generalization you just made ... my mum would have the tree taken down on boxing day if she could... but me nor any of my brothers are willing to do anything on boxing day lol.

For some, probably not Christians. Let's say Roman Catholics (the ones that go gaga on decorations). The mark of the beginning of the Christmas season is after NOV. 2( All soul's day). People start bringing up those Mangers , Xmas trees and X-mas lights. This tradition might be limited only to you and your family and to the YES voters on this Poll, but hey, there is nothing wrong with early decorations!!! :P

No! Because the leaves are all down already (it was a beautiful autumn this year), The temperature goes below freezing point at night and we have a serious chance of the first snowfall this Friday, gotta change the car's tires. And all that only a good hour away from Tokyo up the beautiful mountains in Karuizawa!

I voted yes but I have to say. The older I get the FASTER time goes, so the shorter the time to enjoy Christmas. And since they take down EVERYTHING 1 day before xmas, it is really shorter than it already is.

I said "yes" but considering Christmas is an almost secular thing in Japan, I guess it's really not that early. In the States we have Thanksgiving at the end of November that kind of acts as the "starter's gun" for the Christmas season, but I suppose there is no corresponding November holiday in Japan that could be used in the same way? Stores generally start putting out stuff for the next holiday and if Christmas is the next holiday, then it's time.

Don't spend two months doublethinking yourself into believing Christmas is important to you and then treat the day like every other.

Ivan ...exactly. Christmas is business as usual in Japan and then rush off to the Love Hotel. Given that, putting up lights two months early is not at all out of character.

I think it is ok to start with the decorating about mid-November. But that may just be because in Canada, I always thought it was very disrespectful to have all the bright sparkly stuff up before we properly take the time to remember our war veterans (November 11 - Les't we forget).

In Japan, I love to see all the illuminations and have time to be reminded to get my Christmas presents in order to be sent home in time. Also, I love all the winter themed baking I get to do :P

Doesn't matter what country you're in, if the decorations are going up before Dec 1st its too early... In the US we're barely getting the Thanksgiving theme going up for November before those Christmas ursurpers show up in store windows.

Haha, in the Philippines, they've been up since the start of "-ber" months!

The holidays is all about commercializing and profit margins. This time of the year is where retail makes their money.

I don't understand why it is so important to have these for the Christmas season. They should leave them up all year.

X-mas decorations are not cheap, at least not here in Japan. So why not letting all the decoration out for two months. Back home X-mas lasts two long months, from the day after Thanksgiving to Jan. 22nd when we have Las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian, the very last X-mas celebration.

Besides, it's already night by 17:00 here in Kanto, kind of boring and sometimes sad I think. Houses with all that X-mas decoration make me feel a lot better at night.

Never underestimate Japan and the almighty yen. Nothing but commercialism and they fall for it every year - hook line and sinker. Not only do parents get dinged with Xmas money, they get dinged for otoshidama. I'd be picking one or the other. Wonder if Hanukkah will take root and the parents will get dinged for even more gifts?

That's true Tsuki!!!!you are so right!!!!! There's no Christmas here in Japan, first of all when the kids grow up they go their on way...it's all commercialized, there's no spirit but within myself and the little tradition I taught my kids, it's up to them if they want to continue when they have their own family. To me it's the saddest month of the year, I started feeling this way when I started living in Japan.

titaniumdioxide

" People who believe in God/Christ/Christmas/Bible have been setting up Xmas decorations as early a November around the WORLD "

Actually, the yule festival predates Christianity by thousands of years. Christians only adopted it and put their own spin on it. Never noticed how incongrous the whole thing is? So why shouldn´t e.g. Thai buddhists and Japanese polytheists join the fun? I am an atheist, but I have no problem with that at all. It is a fun tradition, nothing more.

But I agree that pulling the Xmas season forward ever earlier is getting ridiculous. If they go on like that, we´ll have Xmas all year round.

Christmas events in november are ****ing asinine. If you even mention christmas before december, I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear you, and pretend that the ugly flamboyant sweater you're wearing is merely poor taste.

total joke as are many things in japan.Christmas is not even a holiday

Haha November? In Mexico, department stores start selling basic christmas ornaments like spheres and lights since august/october. By the end of october everything is christmas en every store. So if the the poll suggests that november is too early, I guess it's not. By the way nowadays christmas is not just a holiday, one associates it with BUYING. So it's never too early or too late for the stores to sell.