Christmas in Japan

What do the Japanese eat for Christmas dinner? The answer is chicken, especially Kentucky Fried Chicken. The Japanese adopted the celebration of Christmas from the West, but previously there were not many customs associated with it besides presents and a special Christmas cake. In 1974, KFC started advertising chicken for Christmas. The idea came from a foreign customer saying that he eats chicken on Christmas while in Japan because turkey is not available. It is quite rare that a company's advertising campaign is so successful that it becomes a Japanese custom. Japan is the only country in which KFC offers set meals for Christmas. The most popular item is called the, "Party Barrel," which includes chicken, salad and a cake. Even though it has to be ordered in advance, the stores still get long line-ups around Christmas