Paul’s Blog

Like I wrote before, last Sunday was Advent Sunday and that is the beginning of Xmas, so we put up our tree. It’s not so big, but it’s very colourful and we love decorating it. I bought it when I first came to Japan. It was just before Xmas one year, and I began to miss Christmas because then, it was not so popular in Japan.

In fact, I had to work on Christmas Day! So to cheer myself up, I went to Mitsukoshi and bought a tree. It was hard to find one in those days, so I got a small one, and we’ve kept it since then!

We usually put presents out around the tree towards Christmas and open them all on the morning of the 25th. I wonder if I’ll get anything nice this year…???

This Saturday we played tennis outside, even though it was really cold! We were lucky to get a government tennis court, so it was really cheap–about 600 yen for 3 hours! I really enjoy playing tennis though I am very poor still. My service is terrible!

The problem was the court was covered with sand or gravel, and it was very uneven. The lines were made of tape and nailed onto the concrete underneath… and because it wasn’t flat, the ball bounced in strange directions every time, so it was almost impossible to guess where it would go. Anyway, I really enjoyed playing, and it was good exercise at least!

Well, Halloween has just finished so already it’s coming up to Christmas. In fact, do you know when it really starts? Here’s how to calculate it.

Xmas Day is on the 25th. This year, it’s a Sunday. So one week before it is the 18th. This is called the Last Sunday Before Christmas. We have 4 special Sundays before Christmas in the season called Advent. So the first one–Advent Sunday–should be on November 27th this year. Before that, it’s not good luck to have Christmas things up!

What are you doing for Xmas this year? After Advent begins, I’ll write about some of the festivities we have in Britain!

Wow, this year is going fast. It’s already November, and soon the Christmas season will begin. The weather seems to change very suddenly in Japan, and it became chilly, but it is still much warmer than in Britain. This week, it’s Guy Fawkes Night in England, when we remember the plot to blow up the King and Parliament back 400 years ago. It’s held on November 5th, “Bonfire Night” and everyone goes out to watch fireworks and makes huge bonfires in parks.

The story is that Guy Fawkes was intending to blow up the Protestant King James for religious reasons, but as always, there was lots of poliltics. He rented the house next to Parliament, and put gunpowder in the cellar, which went underneath both buildings. The night beforehand, he was caught, so the bombs never went off. But we remember what it might have looked like if he had succeeded.

My memory is of a cold black night with very hot soup and sausages and baked potatoes in foil, dripping with butter. And the sound and smell of fireworks going off everywhere. In some ways, it releases a very primitive instinct among the English, but it is a wonderful memory. I really miss this week in England… I am sure the tradition will continue!

I noticed something strange this week… suddenly Hallowe`en has become a season in Japan. There is more than a week before the 31st, but already there are Hallowe`en goods in the shops, special Hallowe`en food and meals, and even Hallowe`en parties!

In fact, Hallowe`en is not a season, but it`s really just one night. It is a very magical and special night for children,  so I think it`s a little sad to see it turned into a commercial festival by the shops. If the season lasts too long, it will lose its meaning…

November 1 used to be the beginning of the New Year, so Oct 31 was actually New Year`s Eve. For that reason, all the ghosts and spirits used to return that night to stop the new year beginning, and to cause trouble. Thus, all the Saints–or Hallows–also had to return to help fight them, and there would be a large battle in the sky! November 1 is thus All Hallows` Day, and the night before it is All Hallows` Eve, or Hallowe`en.

In England, the weather is already cold by that time, and the nights are very dark. Everyone dresses up and goes out to parties. We don`t do Trick or Treat in England at all, but we do other traditional games instead.

I love these old traditions but I dislike it when they become too commercialised and people forget the real meaning. Did you know the real meaning of Hallowe`en?