圣誕節(jié)習俗：日本的圣誕習俗

Christmas Eve in some parts of the world may find parents battling crowds of other last-minute shoppers or struggling to assemble toys as their children sleep, but in Japan the holiday is as much for couples as for kids.

Magazines aimed at the young and in love are filled with advice on the best places to stroll down streets illuminated with stunning displays of Christmas lights, the best restaurants for a cosy dinner for two -- and the best hotels for a romantic night.

Tokyo Tower, a popular dating spot, is lighting up a heart-shaped illumination on its observation deck every night until Christmas. Some believe that couples who stand under the tower when the lights go on must vow eternal love.

Lovers can also tie a ribbon to a special Christmas "love tree" on the tower's observation deck.

Nearby, the new Tokyo Prince Hotel Park Tower has two specially decorated Christmas suites on offer for 2 million yen ($16,660) a night, fancy dinner included.

Only about 1 percent of Japan's population is Christian, and December 25 is a working day for most people, but practices such as decorating shopping streets and exchanging gifts became common in the robust consumer economy that emerged after World War Two.

Modern "traditions" include Christmas Cake -- a sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream eaten on Christmas Eve -- and, for some families, a take-out bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

圣誕節(jié)平安夜--日本情侶們的最浪漫的夜晚

在一些國家，圣誕節(jié)平安夜可能正是人們忙著大采購或是家長絞盡腦汁給孩子們準備禮物的時候;而在日本，平安夜絕對是情侶們享受濃情蜜意的最浪漫之夜。

據路透社12月14日報道，日本的休閑雜志總是鼓勵年輕的情侶應該在平安夜漫步在被華燈籠罩的街頭，或是去高級飯店享用僅屬于兩個人的燭光晚餐，甚至應該去最高檔的酒店感受一夜的浪漫。

每逢圣誕來臨之際，日本著名的情侶約會地——東京鐵塔的了望臺上將放置心形的照明物和一顆名為“愛情樹”的圣誕樹。東京的情侶們流行在平安夜來到這里許下對自己愛情的祝福，并在“愛情樹”上系上屬于自己的絲帶。

報道說，在日本，只有1%的人是基督教徒，而12月25日圣誕節(jié)這天對大多數人而言都是正常的工作日。但從二戰(zhàn)后日本經濟復蘇以來，每逢圣誕節(jié)，商業(yè)街都被裝點出濃重的節(jié)日氣氛，而人們之間也流行交換禮物。在日本，現代的圣誕節(jié)“傳統”還包括吃奶油草莓蛋糕，或是一家人分享一大桶肯德基外賣食物。