It's that special time of the year again: Christmas. Snow is falling, special sales are abound, and masses flock to the nearest Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Presents are nowhere to be seen, as there has been no sightings of the famed bearded man, Santa Claus. Romance is in the air, as shy boys and girls ask out their special someone. Salarymen head to work on this cold day, while students hurry to school.

Whoa, chicken, no presents, and school and work on Christmas? Where on Earth is this mythical place?

Travel to Japan and you'll see all of the above firsthand. Japan has kicked the world's view of Christmas to the curb and offers no apologies.

To the Japanese, both Christmas Eve and Christmas resemble more Valentine's Day than a family gathering. Only in their case, they enjoy their "Valetine's" with chicken and cakes.

When most people think about Christmas in Christian nations, a few things come to mind. From ravaging the gift wrappings covering their presents, spending time with loved ones, and playing in the snow, these are the most common answers. Others may see the day full of ads and mass consumerism. Some may even see the holiday as a vacation or as an excuse to watch reruns of Christmas movies, such as Home Alone and Mr. Grinch.

For Japan, however, Christmas is an excuse to feast on finger, lickin' good KFC chicken. While we're on the subject of chicken...

When Colonel Sanders' chicken invaded Japan in 1974, he couldn't have imagined winning a bigger battle. With a population of 103 million back then, dominating the Japanese fast food scene was a business dream come true. Yet, KFC was ready. Armed with a likable mascot, delicious chicken, and a massive advertising campaign, KFC took the island by storm.

Now nearly 40 years counting, his chicken has continued to dominate the island nation. In a nation filled with Japanese staples such as: sushi, teriyaki, tempura, and ramen, Sanders' victory at The Battle of Taking over Japanese Christmas ranks as one of the most important battles in food history.

Santa Claus may reign supreme in Western countries. However, in Japan, the KFC mascot is a lot more popular. Move over Santa, Colonel Sanders is bringing the Christmas cheers here.

KFC is the place to be during Christmas in Japan. From families wanting to fulfill their dinner cravings, friends seeking a place to hang out, and romantic couples sharing a special moment, Colonel Sanders caters to all. During this time, KFCs all over Japan are open very late. However, don't expect to just stroll into a KFC and expect to be in-and-out in ten minutes. Especially in the larger cities...

Much like a sporting event or concert for tickets, people make their chicken reservations two to three months in advance. In the case that reservations are not done, waiting in long lines during Christmas Eve is the norm, usually outside in the freezing cold no less.

In fact, the average time to wait in one of these lines is 60-90 minutes. The hassle of chicken may scare some impatient customers, yet for the vast majority, chicken is a must-have. For customers that successfully brave the long wait and frigid Japan winter outside, chicken nirvana awaits.

The first thing anyone will notice going into a Japanese KFC — or pretty much any Japanese restaurant — is their excellent customer service. The motto "the customer is always right" is taken to new levels here. KFC employees will bend backwards, forward, and even sideways for their guests. Upon setting foot in a KFC, they quickly greet their customers with a cheerful irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ) — meaning "welcome" or "come in".

Complaints and wrong food orders are taken care of right away. When KFCs run out of a certain food — such as chicken wings or biscuts — a chorus of I'm so sorry for inconveniencing you" is heard. The waiting time after an order is taken is timed too. If a customer waits too long, coupons or a free meal will usually be given to the patient customer. With service like this, it's no wonder Japan has been long known for their helpful, nice, and friendly customer service.

While the menu will be familiar to anyone that has visited a KFC, Japan's version throws a few twists into their selection. For fans of the extra cripsy chicken, prepare to be disappointed. In Japan, it's non-existant. All chicken here are all original recipe. The chicken is also dark meat. In fact, most Japanese prefer to eat dark meat, rather than white. For sauces, seasme, terikyaki, yuzu (a citrus Japanese fruit), and soy sauce flavors are available.

KFCs here aren't all backwards, however. Many of the chicken staples found in Western countries: fried, barbecue, roast, and smoked chicken are present. French fries, coleslaw, and biscuts are also on the menu. Chicken family buckets are also very popular... and pricey as well.

A standard chicken bucket costs around $40 USD. "Value" sets of six pieces of chicken and either a side order of three small fries or six biscuts are around $20 USD. Families and couples alike save their money to spend a lot during this time. Eating chicken is a pricey occasion in Japan. But it is just oh so good too!

Walk around the streets in Japan on Christmas Eve and you'll see Christmas cakes. Go into a bakery or grocery store and big special, 20% sales on Christmas cakes will be present. Visit a Japanese family during this time and Christmas cake will be on the table. Look at the nearest Japanese couple flittering with one another and a Christmas cake will be between them. Much like the ghosts in Japanese horror movies, Christmas cakes are everywhere. They'll haunt and follow people straight into their mouths, wanting to be consumed. It's nearly impossible to avoid these delicious delicacies.

Christmas cakes come in many flavors. The most popular cakes are the strawberry flavored ones. They are topped with frosting and strawberries. As with other cakes, the Japanese cakes are littered with Christmas decorations. Santa Claus, snowmen, snowflakes, and "Merry Christmas" messages are just some of the decorations found on the cakes.

For kids or fans of their favorite anime, anime-themed cakes can be bought. Popular anime such as One Piece, Naruto, and Death Note are available. Cakes featuring their favorite tokusatsu — Japanese superheroes — shows can also be had. It's safe to say there's a Christmas cake for everyone.

Much like KFC, Christmas cakes need to be ordered in advance. Many Japanese reserve a cake a month or two in advance. According to a poll Japan-Guide took, 73% of Japanese celebrate Christmas with a cake. The price doesn't do any favors for the wallet either. Like their KFC counterparts, cake is not cheap. On average, a cake can cost $20 to $25 USD. Japanese Christmas is becoming more and more expensive indeed.

Christmas cakes also have a special meaning for females... and it's not a flattering one. Some Japanese ladies abhor the hidden meaning with these deserts. Locals use the slang "Christmas cake girls" to describe girls that are 25 years-old and older. If a girl is older than 25, much like Christmas cake is no good after the 25th, these girls are seen as "used goods" and "too old".

The effects are twofold. This puts a lot of pressure on these girls to either get a boyfriend or get married and become a housewife. For Japanese males, they are pressured to find girls that are younger than 25. Japanese society believe that the prime age to get married is around 20 to 25.

While this belief is slowly changing each year (there are more 30+ single women in the workforce these days), this mantra is still the norm. As the Asian saying goes: "become too old and no man will want to marry you."

While the "Christmas cake girls" term is often used as a joke, many feel the social expectations from friends and family members. As with everywhere else, youth is highly valued in Japan. Who would have thought that an innocent, looking cake would have such an impact on dating?

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