The Grinch Christmas Tree for the Scrooge of Japan's shopping malls

As I turned a corner in Lalaport and saw a lopsided Christmas tree, I laughed and rejoiced at such a debacle in Japan. My stride instantly hastened, eager to examine this ignominy and on standby to share it with the world via social media. However, on closer inspection; the last laugh was on me.

In a country where almost everything is done to perfection, I was sort of delirious with the excitement of finding what I thought was a fiasco. Never in my 18 years have I ever seen a tree that was not standing proud in perfect harmonious decoration.

At first glance the tree in Lalaport Fujimi looked to be bending over about to fall. However, as I got closer I knew that this tree was no accident. The decorations are indeed, in typical Japanese style, impeccable. And the bend in the tree is deliberate. For this year, the Lalaport Fujimi Christmas tree on the first floor is a Grinch Christmas Tree. There are Grinch teddies all over the tree and the pièce de résistance is a menacing Grinch star crowning the tree.

Lalaport Fujimi has a cinema on the third floor which is currently showing the new Grinch movie that was released earlier this month. Lalaport are the Scrooge of Japan's shopping mall chains. I am not surprised at all that their Christmas tree is more about promoting one of their services. And find it amusingly appropriate that it should be the Grinch!