What's Christmas like in a non-Western society? All the trappings - trees, lights, music, Santa Claus etc. - might be in place (Japan more so than Taiwan), but when it comes to the actual day, if it happens to fall on a weekday, it's off to school and/or work as usual. Christmas 2009 fell on a Friday, which meant both Pamela and I had to go to our respective places of employment, while Amber's preschool/day care center/kindergarten was open for business. I could have arranged to take at least the morning off, but that wouldn't have been possible for my wife, so we decided to delay opening the presents until today (Saturday). But wouldn't you know it - like many Taiwanese, my wife is sometimes called on to go into work on Saturdays, and this day was one of those occasions. We could have pushed Christmas back one more day, but opening the presents on the 27th just didn't sound right, and besides, Amber was eager to open the wrapped goodies under our little tree. And so it was basically a father-and-daughter affair this year as the Kaminoge household's two American passport holders observed a belated Christmas morning.
Oh well, this is Asia. My daughter still had a great morning opening her gifts (including a few stocking stuffers), and seemed very satisfied with what she got from Santa - a doll and crib, and a Thomas the Tank Engine small train set:
The doll has been by her side most of the day, while Thomas and Percy have been given a number of runs around the track. Dolls and trains - perhaps my little 娘 will grow up someday to be a full-time engineer/mother!
メリークリスマス！
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