Christmas Eve ... from the archives

:: from the archives ::

I'm pretty sure that isn't the way that we say it in English, but it's how I said it in Japan.

Translation: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Christmas in Japan really is Christmas Eve.  (The 25th is a normal workday.)  A typical family might order Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Christmas cake (see a photo here or here).  For the singles, it's the most romantic night of the year, and calls for a specially planned date, perhaps followed by checking into a hotel.

For Christians in Japan, Christmas Eve is the culmination of weeks of a full-throttle series of evangelistic events, since it's the easiest time of the year for nonbelievers to come to a church building or service.

For single Christians in Japan, especially single women, who live in a nation of few single Christian men and are patiently waiting for a Christian husband, this night can also be the lowest of lows, as they're "missing out" on this romantic night. 

The last three years I was in Japan, the single girls in my church and I developed a neat tradition.  We attended an early evening candlelight service at one location of our church.  Then we met at my apartment.  I provided the space, decorations (including tree), candles and background music.  A good friend provided the lasagna.  One year we did a summary of an Advent Bible study I had led.  One year we watched "The Nativity" in English.  The next year we rented it in Japanese from the video store. And then!  Then we went to an 11 PM Christmas Eve service at another location of our church.

Those were some of my best Christmases ever!  I remember coming home from the 11 PM service and thinking, "Now that was Christmas!"  I would have been content even if I hadn't had a traditional American celebration with missionary friends the next day, and even if I hadn't spent a few days later in the week with my cousin's family, enjoying our family traditions.

Praying tonight for my single sisters in Japan...