Search the Community

........... MERRY CHRISTMAS ........... EVERYONE.

TOKYO—Christmas is coming, so it’s time to reserve fried chicken and cake in Japan. Consumption of those two foods has so firmly come to mark the informal holiday here—Dec. 25 isn’t an official day off—that few Japanese are aware other countries prefer somewhat different Christmas cuisine. “I had no idea,” said 22-year-old university student Ryuya Morimoto, informed that chicken and cake aren’t American yuletide staples. “When I was a little kid, we would eat chicken as a family,” he said, “and then have Christmas cake, with a little chocolate piece on the top that said, ‘Merry Christmas.’ ” Families like his make this the busiest time of the year for Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in Japan. KFC lets customers reserve fried chicken as early as October’s end. Those who try buying buckets on Christmas Eve risk having to stand in line up to six hours under the watchful eye of a Santa-suited Colonel Sanders. Japan’s Christmas-chicken tradition dates to the early 1970s, when a non-Japanese customer came into a Tokyo KFC store one day to buy fried chicken as a turkey substitute, according to the chain. KFC, still struggling at the time to win Japanese over to eating greasy food with their fingers, hatched the idea for a new Christmas tradition.It was a hit among families, and a lasting ritual was born. “Christmas is boring without Kentucky,” said 18-year-old high-school student Yuna Nakajima, using the name by which KFC is popularly known in Japan. Ms. Nakajima has already reserved her chicken this year, planning to enjoy the traditional meal on Christmas Eve. A spokeswoman for KFC Holdings Japan Ltd. said December’s sales every year are double regular monthly sales. The publicly traded company operates under a franchise agreement with a subsidiary ofYum Brands Inc. For the first time this year, KFC Japan is letting customers reserve online at many of its stores, after a trial last year. Customers can pick up their Christmas baskets from Dec. 19 through Dec. 25. Recently, some of the nation’s ubiquitous convenience stores have been crowing that they offer a better deal.FamilyMart Co.’s “premium chicken” basket starts at around $20. The chain, with more than 11,000 stores in Japan, says in its advertising: “If there isn’t fried chicken, it isn’t Christmas.” By contrast, turkeys and pigs are under no particular stress at this time of year in Japan, as the American and European custom of eating those meats at Christmas is hardly known. Student Ms. Nakajima gasped when she heard that turkey was among America’s yuletide preferences. “Christmas and chicken are one,” she said. The KFC in Japan is the real deal! Please go try it when you're there

Newbie saying hi to all bro & sis... Merry Christmas

If you must drink, don't DRIVE! Be responsible, don't kill someone's family member!

Here's wishing all a Merry Christmas! Peace, Love and Prosperity to you and family. Best Wishes, 2009k

Dear Bros and Sis.. We would like to thank you for all the support in 2011 and we would like to wish you A Happy and Blessed holiday. MERRY CHRISTMAS Team CS-II

9 days to Christmas. I believe my live was saved by Jesus. I wish to thank Him for this.And for that many wishes that came true. And i wish everybadi has a Merry Christmas 2010. Cheers. Anyone is welcome to well-wish anybody. Carry on!

merr xmas, and wish you all huat! any ideas on where to hang out for the party?

Go try it before they discover the problem.m Go watch all the expensive channels like HBO etc! i just watch x-men! Enjoy it before the trouble shoot the bug- whatever it is, Merry X'mas and happy new year! song argh!

heard on "leh leo" this morning that after splitting, Glenn ong has found new love in Jean danker and Jamie yeo is together with an ang moh director... interesting gossips

It's Christmas time again and here's wishing all the ICE Kakis a Merry Christmas and see you guys on Boxing day hopefully... My christmas quite suay....just 2 days ago had some gearbox problem and had to get my car towed to the workshop and ended up with an almost 1k bill....already so broke after all the shopping...haiz...hopw Christmas itself will be good :)

May the cars you drive get bigger, faster and 'bad-er' in the coming years!!

Wishing all the ICE gang a Merry Christmas and Happy ICEing.....

Merry Christmas to all...oh oh oh

Hi guys, just want to wish all of you and your family all the best for the upcoming new year and enjoy the long weekend ahead[:)] May all your mods and upgrading comes true

Have a wonderful and blessed X'mas!! Mel, any apple struddel this yr??

Hi folks, Merry Christmas and happy holidays!