Christmas Caroling!?!?

Sometimes it is hard to tell that we are approaching Christmas while living in Japan but much has changed since we first visited here about 25 years ago. We see a lot more decorations in the stores and there are many more Christmas items that we can buy here now. Unfortunately there is a lot of X-mas things but we do see Merry Christmas much more than we used to.

The spirit of Christmas is somewhat here but it was evident that it isn't completely when our junior high and high school wanted to have their typhoon makeup day on the 25th however, they changed it pretty quickly. It is nice that they are sensitive to the foreign staff who obviously must have said something.

For Joanna and I, the spirit of Christmas is about Christ's message to give and give freely. Joanna has been volunteering at the library once a month to read an English book to children. I have been doing the Caring Fund in my classroom for about 15 years now to encourage students to give money, however large or small, to help provide money or goods to other people in need. My class is raising money right now but we're not sure where we will give the money. There is a local food bank that needs donations to give food to those who are less fortunate so I might push them in that direction.

Last night Joanna and I were watching YouTube and were watching and listening to Christmas Carols and we came across a flash mob in a mall somewhere that started singing the Hallelujah Chorus and it looked like so much fun. Then we had an idea...what if we went out caroling here in Japan? We are not sure how we would be perceived but it might be worth a try. We came up with a plan to sing outside of train stations, maybe 5 or 6 songs, and then move down the line. I have never done anything like this before but it sure seems like it would be a lot of fun. We have to work a half day next Saturday to make up the typhoon day so since we will already be dressed up, then why not go out caroling? I'm terrified but excited at the same time.

If anyone around here is interested in joining us, then please let us know. The more the merrier!

We were talking about Caring in class and these are some of the things the students came up with.