Are you interested in how Czechs, Japanese, or Mexicans spend Christmas?
We know Czech traditions quite wel, but we were interested in how our colleagues spend Christmas in their countries.
CHRISTMAS IN JAPAN
Due to the difference in cultural background, the way Japanese spend Christmas is a little different from Europe and the Czech Republic.
For example, Japanese people tend to spend Christmas with their loved ones rather than with their families. On Christmas Eve, which Japanese people value, the town is full of couples, and Christmas-related events (such as sales, concerts, illumination…) are held everywhere. After a daytime date, it's common to have dinner in a nice restaurant.
What Japanese people eat at Christmas is also different. Japanese often eat KFC`s special barrels (instead of fish or turkey) and Christmas cakes at Christmas. I was a little surprised that the KFC in the Czech Republic wasn't crowded on the Christmas Eve.
Christmas is special a time both, for Czech and Japanese.
Merry Christmas!
Shinya Sato, Corporate Planning Specialist, Kayaku Safety Systems Europe
CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO
Christmas and New Year's Eve in Mexico are days that are celebrated with a family. Families get together on Christmas Eve and on the last day of the year at night, we have a big dinner with turkey, tamales or even roast beef. This may vary depending on the city where we are celebrating. And of course, you cannot miss the apple salad, which is one of the typical desserts of these celebrations. At Christmas, apart from meeting for dinner, we mainly celebrate the birth of the child Jesus with a prayer and thanks. Part of this celebration is the exchange of gifts and hugs at midnight and we continue celebrating until we get to dawn. At the end of the year, at midnight we eat 12 grapes, when we eat each one we make our wishes for the next year, we also toast, hug each other and break piñatas with candies to welcome the new year.
A piñata (/pɪnˈjɑːtə/, Spanish pronunciation: [piˈɲata]) is a container, often made of papier-mâché, pottery, or cloth, that is decorated, filled with candy, and then broken as part of a celebration. Piñatas are commonly associated with Mexico. Today, the piñata is still part of Mexican culture, the cultures of other countries in Latin America, as well as the United States, but it has mostly lost its religious character.
Andrea Alejandra Garza
Rodriguez, Kayaku Safety Systems de Mexico
CHRISTMAS IN MALAYSIA
Christians in Malaysia celebrate Christmas by way of meals with family and friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, along with gift-giving, music, singing, church events, and relaxing. Some of them go to church on Christmas Eve to pray and countdown to celebrate Christmas exactly at 12 midnight. Gift-giving can take place in a number of ways but it is most common to prepare surprise gifts for close family and friends and pass among them in wrapping paper. They celebrate the event with joy and happiness.
Nur Zahidah Mohd Dzahrim, Kayaku Safety Systems Malaysia
CHRISTMAS IN CZECHIA
From the photos of our employees' products, let us see how beautiful traditional Czech products can be.
