Kentucky fried chicken & strawberry shortcake

[torakris]

According to KFC's FAQ page:

ある日、日本に住む外国人の方が青山店で「日本ではターキーが手に入らないので、 ＫＦＣのチキンでクリスマスを祝おうと思う」とおっしゃって来店されました。これにヒントを得た営業担当者が『クリスマスにはケンタッキー』を広くアピールしようと考えたのです。

そうして、初のクリスマスキャンペーンは１９７４年１２月１日に開始、以降、ＫＦ Ｃでは毎年全店でクリスマスキャンペーンを実施しています。

KFC's idea for promoting their chicken at Christmas came from a foreigner in one of their Tokyo shops who made a comment that since it was impossible to find turkeys in Japan maybe they would celebrate with Kentucky Fried chicken instead. The first Christmas campaign took off in 1974 and has continued ever since.

[ludja]

...

Kristin? MOST Christians dont know the true meaning behind Christmas.

Santa, a Tree, Presents etc are Pagan symbols.

The Christians took the Pagans holidays over to seem more friendly and similar.

Same with Easter Eggs and Bunnies.

LOL, where in the Bible did Jesus say..."On the date I rose from the dead you shall go forth and eat ham and potato salad and horseradish with beets!!!....and always bite the chocolate bunnies ears off first!!!"

(???)

Christians have no true idea when Jesus' birthday really was, so they picked December 25th to make it easier to convert the Pagans to Christianity since a Pagan holiday already existed on that day...

...

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Whether or not someone is sincere in marking a relgious holiday (of any faith) is in their own hearts and there of course are those who choose to celebrate the holidays for secular reasons. Including cultural and secular traditions, for example special foods, in the celebration does not mean in and of itself that the person is not aware of the central significance of the holday if they are a believer of a particular faith. The literal date chosen to celebrate these holidays is obviously not important to the meaning and greater significance behind them for those that believe.

But sure, there are people in any country around the world that celebrate, for example, Christmas, as a secular holiday devoid of the original meaning by their own choice. It is not *wrong* but it just does not follow that the holiday does not have real significance for others.

edited to add: Apolgies if I am just restating your point!

Edited November 1, 2006 by ludja (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

Yes, you can starting placing your orders for Christmas cakes now! Here are the ones 7-11 is offering this year.

and don't forget your dog at Christmas, 7-11 is also selling special dessert/cookie sets just for the dogs. While you are at it keep scrolling down and you will see that you can buy an osechi (traditional new years dishes) set for the pooch as well.

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OMG, that lil doggy bento is adorable!

Kristin? Are 7-11s there bigger size wize then the 7-11s here?

Or are they just jam packed?

I wish U.S. 7-11s had more but we have Wawas in the northeast to compensate.

[torakris]

I would have to say that 7-11's in Japan are definitely smaller than those in the US, but I would never refer to them as jam packed. You can really buy almost anything you need at a convenience store but if you are inside (and I just was today) it really doesn't look like they have that much. I guess it is more like small amounts of everything.

[CKatCook]

I just wanted to jump in and say that I have read this whole thread with absolute fasination. Very different experience of Christmas than the one here in the southern half of the U.S. where I am at.

I like the Christmas cake concept. (although I have to admit I was surpised that they came from 7-11, here in this part of US 7-11 is for buying gas and maybe a coke and nothing more)

But ordering a cake sure beats the heck out of killing yourself making dozens of cookies and pies. (which I do every year) I maybe joining in on the Christmas cake concept here.

Thanks for the lovely pictures and posts...

[GlorifiedRice]

http://www.kfc.co.jp/xmas2006/

^^Kristin I swear thats so amusing!

Especially the blue and white plate.

[GlorifiedRice]

So Folks?

What are you all doing this Christmas in Japan?

[torakris]

So Folks?

What are you all doing this Christmas in Japan?

←

Santa ia coming a day early this year since Christmas is on a Monday and it isn't a holiday here so my husband has to work. So on the 24th (our Christmas) for dinner I will make cheese fondue, a family favorite which is slowly becoming our family's Christmas Eve dinner tradition. The night before on the 23rd we will drink hot chocolate and eat Christmas cookies leaving a little bit of both out for santa.

I wasn't planning anything special for the 25th but then I went and ordered some prepared (soy sauce braised) chicken legs, they complete with a little white frilly thing for the top of each leg and a red ribbon. I will probably prepare a potato gratin, a salad, and another vegetable side dish to go along with it.

[SheenaGreena]

So Folks?

What are you all doing this Christmas in Japan?

←

Santa ia coming a day early this year since Christmas is on a Monday and it isn't a holiday here so my husband has to work. So on the 24th (our Christmas) for dinner I will make cheese fondue, a family favorite which is slowly becoming our family's Christmas Eve dinner tradition. The night before on the 23rd we will drink hot chocolate and eat Christmas cookies leaving a little bit of both out for santa.

I wasn't planning anything special for the 25th but then I went and ordered some prepared (soy sauce braised) chicken legs, they complete with a little white frilly thing for the top of each leg and a red ribbon. I will probably prepare a potato gratin, a salad, and another vegetable side dish to go along with it.

←

It must be strange growing up in the US where christmas is a huge tradition and then moving to a country where it is not even a holiday (nobody gets off work). At least both countries have something in common - christmas is very commercialized, right? That's how it is in korea at least and they even have a lot of christians there.

What kind of cheese fondue do you make? Basic gruyere/emmenthaler? Does your family set up a small christmas tree or put up any decorations?

[torakris]

It must be strange growing up in the US where christmas is a huge tradition and then moving to a country where it is not even a holiday (nobody gets off work).  At least both countries have something in common - christmas is very commercialized, right?  That's how it is in korea at least and they even have a lot of christians there.

What kind of cheese fondue do you make?  Basic gruyere/emmenthaler?  Does your family set up a small christmas tree or put up any decorations?

←

The whole atmosphere is really different, we have a smallish tree with a mess of presents underneath but I still can't believe it is almost Christmas. We rarely celebrate on Christmas day often choosing the 23rd instead since that is a national holiday here, my kids have found santa to be very flexible.

Gruyere is very expensive here so I usually make fondue with a mix of mozzarella and other cheeses. This year I have gouda.

[Domestic Goddess]

You don't get Christmas off, Kris? Sheesh! AT least Christmas is a holiday here in Korea and we have monday off. On my end I will make a family favorite - Beef Roast with mashed potatoes, gravy, buttered peas & corn. Dessert might be chocolate cake .

[prasantrin]

I'm going home to Winnipeg for Christmas--I'm leaving tomorrow! I actually prefer Christmas in Japan--as I once wrote to someone, you have all of the festivities with none of the sentiment. It's the perfect holiday!

[cyen]

It must be strange growing up in the US where christmas is a huge tradition and then moving to a country where it is not even a holiday (nobody gets off work).  At least both countries have something in common - christmas is very commercialized, right?  That's how it is in korea at least and they even have a lot of christians there.

←

No Christmas celebration here in Bali (though I'm tempted to make a log cake). Heck, it's plain strange to me still that it's so hot here when it's already Dec. It's funny that my friends in US keep asking me what I'll be doing for Christmas and I say "nothing." At least it's legal to celebrate Chinese holidays now so I look forward to Chinese New Year. My family isn't Christian, but we always enjoyed the winter holiday season because it's an opportunity to get together as a family and eat lots of good food.

Oh, speaking of commercialization of Christmas, Singapore had the whole one-month-of-Christmas thing going. We were there in late November and everything was already set up, selling winter clothes and all.

[nakji]

I like living overseas for the holidays because you can control the amount of "holiday" you want. You don't have to listen to the music pouring out of stores in November, etc. They put a Christmas tree up at our work this week and complained it was too early!

Although I'll never be able to listen to "Last Christmas" again after four years in Korea.

I'm going to head down to our brand-spanking new KFC this week and see if there's anything on the go for Christmas.

[GlorifiedRice]

No Christmas celebration here in Bali (though I'm tempted to make a log cake).  Heck, it's plain strange to me still that it's so hot here when it's already Dec.  It's funny that my friends in US keep asking me what I'll be doing for Christmas and I say "nothing."  At least it's legal to celebrate Chinese holidays now so I look forward to Chinese New Year.    My family isn't Christian, but we always enjoyed the winter holiday season because it's an opportunity to get together as a family and eat lots of good food.

Oh, speaking of commercialization of Christmas, Singapore had the whole one-month-of-Christmas thing going.  We were there in late November and everything was already set up, selling winter clothes and all.

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Cyen?

Santa, the Tree, Yule Logs, Misteltoe, Wreaths, Carolling, etc are not Christian symbols, they are Pagan (a very old religion in its own right) During the crusades the Christians stormed thru Europe killing and converting Pagans to Christianity...

But they let them keep their old holiday symbols and customs, which Christians took as their own....

{There is wide acceptance of the belief that Pope Julius I was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans, who remained a majority at that time, to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts/Customs would not be taken away from them."}

[cyen]

No Christmas celebration here in Bali (though I'm tempted to make a log cake).

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Cyen?

Santa, the Tree, Yule Logs, Misteltoe, Wreaths, Carolling, etc are not Christian symbols, they are Pagan (a very old religion in its own right) During the crusades the Christians stormed thru Europe killing and converting Pagans to Christianity...

But they let them keep their old holiday symbols and customs, which Christians took as their own....

{There is wide acceptance of the belief that Pope Julius I was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans, who remained a majority at that time, to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts/Customs would not be taken away from them."}

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Oh, I want to make a Yule log only because it looks fun to make. My motivation in this case is purely gastronomical; it really has nothing to do with symbolisms. Hehehe. I total agree your statement the incorporation of local beliefs and symbols into another religion. It's part of the adaptation mechanism in order to survive and grow. I'm totally simplifying things but it's like there are different types of Buddhism. Chinese version is different from the original Hindu version because it incorporated many local beliefs and symbols, and even within one version there are many local variants. Interesting bit about Pope Julius and it does make sense to me as to why he did that.

Back to the original thread, the Christmas cakes and meals links posted look so delicious. The chocolate cake looked so luxurious! I wish I can get some of that cake and chicken. The KFC Ramadan special advertised here a few months ago was so boring. It's like the normal fried chicken meal plus a piece or two dried figs.

[GlorifiedRice]

OMG! KFC Ramadan Special?

OMG, Ive got to tell my political chat friends.

My Muslim friends will find that hilarious...

[helenjp]

We picked up our Christmas KFC today - my husband is a big fan of the smoked chicken they offer at Christmas. Overpriced, but much enjoyed.

[Hiroyuki]

We had a humble dinner on Christmas eve:

2 big pizzas for four of us

Roast chicken for my wife and son

Spicy chicken fries for my daughter and me

Yuzu juice for my kids and yuzu shochu for my wife and me (both made from fresh yuzu! )

Christmas strawberry sponge cake made by my kids

Miso soup

Potato chips

[torakris]

miso soup with pizza?

potato chips with miso soup?

We did our cheese fondue for Christmas Eve, though it was actually the day we celebrated Christmas. Tonight I will do chicken legs complete with the white frilly thing and red bow. I will take a picture but I can't post it until my new computer gets here. My computer crashed 10 days ago and I have been on my husband's laptop since then, 2 people on one compter does not work!!

Now if I could figure out a way to get my computer running one last time so I could save all my important files and transfer them to my new computer....

[GlorifiedRice]

OMG Kris I totally can feel your pain about the crash!

Can you start it in safe mode?

DO NOT throw the old one out! FIRST take the hard drive out and save it and see if a friend will let you install it on a spare computer and see if it works...

Or install it on your new one.

I hate it when people have computer problems and I cant help...

[Domestic Goddess]

Kris - I feel your pain.

Here's a Christmas cake given to me by my friends today...

Yes, that is a cherry tomato on top, not a cherry.

[torakris]

Kris - I feel your pain.

Here's a Christmas cake given to me by my friends today...

Yes, that is a cherry tomato on top, not a cherry. 

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So who got the honor of eating the tomato??

[Domestic Goddess]

Hubby did, although he had to wipe the icing off and salted it and popped the tomato in his mouth. The kids and I demolished the fruits and the cake.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

miso soup with pizza?

potato chips with miso soup?

Don't laugh. Jason (my 9 year old son) will eat miso soup with anything. Although this is the same kid who can sit and eat a glazed donut, sushi and a chocolate bar at one sitting. It's his afternoon snack of choice.