Reasons why Christmas in Japan beats Australia: Seeing it through a "couples" lens

One fun reason I think Japan beats Australia on Christmas is that the holiday can be viewed through an entirely different lens. Christmas in Japan is often framed as a romantic season, and Christmas Eve in particular is treated like a special date night rather than a family obligation.

This shift changes the emotional tone entirely, since it's not really about coordinating multiple people or traditions. Instead, the focus is on things like shared time, good food, and a fun atmosphere.

I think it's a refreshing taken, and it offers an alternative narrative to the family-centric Christmas many of us grew up with. Nothing at all wrong with treating it as a family day here, too (which is what my husband, kids, and I do!) but I think just having a different framework for the day is nice as well.