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December 25, 2003
Thursday
 
 
Santa also has turtles
Brian Micklethwait (London)  How very odd!
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Tomorrow night, chez moi, Michael Jennings is giving a talk. It's the last Friday of the month, and a talk chez moi is the rule. He'll be offering a comparative study of Christmas around the world. Christmas is most fun in non-Christian countries he said today, because although they like it - it's a big party/holiday after all, and who doesn't like a big party/holiday? - they don't always get it. Are you going to mention the Father Christmas who got crucified in a Japanese shop window? - I asked. I was saving that he said.

Not as weird as that, but a bit weird, is this picture of Santa Claus under water at the Beijing Aquarium, stroking a giant turtle. Why? Does Santa not have enough on his plate delivering toys to children everywhere? Aren't reindeers enough of a headache without him getting involved also with underwater creatures?

Meanwhile, here is information penned in 1997 but presumably not that out of date about Christmas in Japan. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Christmas Cakes are the two big things, apparently.

Comments

If you'd read my Christmas message and followed the Saint Nicholas links, you'd know that St. Nick's the patron of sailors and voyagers. An aquatic exhibition of Santa Claus is not the most bizarre morph he's undergone.


Posted by TM Lutas at December 26, 2003 07:21 AM

Near Amalfi there is an underwater nativity scene built in a cave (the Grotta Smeralda). Apparently they have a procession every year - not sure if it's at Christmas, maybe the water is too cold then - involving scuba divers. How weird is that?

Merry XMAS to all.


Posted by Andrew Duffin at December 27, 2003 09:45 AM

To the bloggers and blog readers at this site:

I know I'm late with this, but:
Merry Christmas!

...and have a Happy New Year as well.


Posted by Aakash at December 27, 2003 12:47 PM

I am currently in Malta. The Maltese, being a strongly Catholic country, with also a strong English influence, celebrate Christmas with a real mix of English motifs (mince pies, etc) and Mediterranean gusto. Fascinating.


Posted by Johnathan Pearce at December 27, 2003 04:06 PM
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