Thursday, December 20, 2012

Have A Merry KFC Christmas

While munching on my traditional gingerbread snap cookies I learned about another Christmas tradition in, of all places, Japan. It's uh, weird, I think. Anyway, the western cultural contamination of Asia is a thorough one as can be seen by Asian, fashion, music, food ...just about everything. But leave it to the non Christian nation of Japan to invent their own version of the Christian holiday tradition.

And what is the biggest Christian tradition in Japan? It's the Japanese version of Christmas dinner......to make reservations to get a table at KFC. Yes, the traditional Christmas meal is a bucket of chicken and fixens at KFC. It is so popular and well marketed that reservations may have to be made to eat at a KFC on Christmas in Japan. Wow! How did Mc Donald's miss out on that tradition? Well, I guess nothing says Christmas better than a decorated tree or a visit from Santa that a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

KFC started its first Christmas meal in 1974, one featuring fried chicken, and wine for a high price at the time of about $10. This KFC meal was introduced around the time that people in Japan began celebrating a Christmas holiday with specially decorated Christmas cakes, but, well, they didn't have a Christmas meal. KFC outsmarted the other American fast food restaurants that the Japanese liked and filled that void. KFC says these days their business in Japan jumps tenfold on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the chain starts making Christmas KFC restaurant meals reservations in early October.

But alas! KFC has some Chicken Christmas dinner meal competition now. Convenience stores in Japan now sell fried chicken year round, while more upscale restaurants offer their own Christmas dinners to attract couples looking for a romantic night out. Wow! I hope those romances don't end Christmas night over a fight about whether the man gets to eat the breast! Uh, that's chicken breast. Anyway, KFC’s has countered those other Christmas chicken meal impostors with a Christmas party barrel for two.

All of this begs more questions about Christmas in Japan.. First, do the kids leave KFC for Santa when he drops by with presents Christmas day? How ridiculous does Colonel Sanders look dressed in his Santa outfit? Is fired rice an option with that KFC chicken meal? Should I add "going to Japan at Christmas and eating a KFC Chicken Christmas meal" to my bucket list. And, have those gingerbread snaps make me hallucinate and create this crazy KFC chicken meal story?

Congratulations and Merry Christmas to everyone in Japan. Santa KFC is bringing you Type 2 diabetes for Christmas.

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