Daniel- Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas 「メリークリスマス」　(Daniel)

A knock came at the door around eight in the evening, just as we were finishing eating dinner.

I yelled out, "IRANAI～～～", meaning "we don't need it", pretending that it was some late working door-to-door salesman.

My host mom laughed and went to answer the door. She came back carrying a huge USPS box from America.

Oops. Just kidding. I need that. I really need that.

My parents in the US decided to surprise me for Christmas by mailing me a box of my favorite items from America. They somehow managed to pack a pair of pants, two jars almond butter, five boxes of gum, four giant chucks of halva, and four packages of chocolate.

I have no idea how my parents managed to shove all of that stuff into such a small box. But knowing my parents, there is always a way.

Needless to say, I was ecstatic to receive my gift. Although my parents told me about the package beforehand, its physical presence was so overwhelming.

I felt like this kid:

Christmas in Japan in very low-key. It is not a national holiday, so Japanese people go to work and students go to school on Christmas day. Some stores, however, play Christmas music and hang up big "Merry Xmas" signs. You can even spot some pretty Christmas trees here and there.

Christmas Tree at Tokyo Tower

My treasure chest of goodies arrived at a time when I was feeling particularly nostalgic for my family and for the American version of Christmas. Every Christmas Eve, my extended family gathers to eat, sing, and enjoy each others company. I realized how much I had taken the holiday for granted and how much I missed everyone.

However, my parents' Christmas box was a warm and fuzzy cup of home.

BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER!

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