Echizen Washi

Some how for some Japanese people they try to have a decorative cake for Christmas.... even though they don't really celebrate the event as a Christian.

But to me because of my grandma's influence as a Christian and my mother as a person who makes cakes and sweets at home since she was fourteen, it's been somewhat special event in my family and for me..........  It must sound very silly to you, but I believed in Santa until I was eighteen, which was my first time not to be able to sleep and see my father sneaking into my room to put a present by my pillow.

I'd dreamed to see him someday, so I studied English very hard to communicate with him, looking for him in the sky above me who could be sitting behind the clouds. I was pretending to be asleep then, but my tears came out feeling sad to know the reality and also feeling greateful for my father.  

When I told this to my American friend in 1996, who was a very serious Christian, he was not really happy and said,  ` Santa was produced by Coca Cola and it's only for business. It's nothing to do with Christian idea. `   Well, thank you !

( photo: the cake made by my mother and me )