Christmas gift ideas for your Japanese girlfriend

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.  Christmas music is all over the radio. The neighborhood is lit up with colorful Christmas lights and holiday displays.  Turn on the flat-screen and you see cheerful commercials with holiday themes encouraging you to not only buy the perfect holiday gift but also where to buy it.

Ahhhhh, Christmas.  It is a wonderful holiday where the holiday spirit beckons us to fulfill the promise of peace on earth and goodwill toward all.  But .... then there is the commercial side of Christmas which is all about buying the perfect gift for that special someone.

In Japan, Christmas is not a national holiday.  Christmas is not recognized as a the biggest holiday of the year as it is in most of the Western world.   This is not surprising given that Christmas is a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Christ. Japan is a secular nation, although the primary religions are Buddhism and Shinto.

That is not to say that Christmas is not celebrated in Japan.  The Christmas season is definitely on display in Japan. Any visit to the world renown Ginza shops during the holiday season will reveal window holiday displays that would be the equal to any window display on Beverly Hills famous Rodeo Drive.

Japan has definitely adopted the popular holiday of Christmas and all that it entails.  The Christmas carols, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, reindeer, snowmen, elves, and yes, gift giving.  However, here is where the holiday in Japan takes a huge turn from that in America. While in America, the gift giving is a huge part of the holiday, in Japan gift giving is still within Japanese parameters.

In America, it is often that the gift giving is so all important that finding the perfect gift is often a source of stress.  The bigger the gift the better. The more expensive it is the more it shows that you care. In Japan, gifts are given in a much more humble spirit.  There is a feeling in Japan to give a gift that is meaningful but it need not be so extravagant or expensive as to embarrass the recipient into feeling they need to give a gift of equal or greater value.

In the west we say that during Christmas it is the thought that counts and that it is the “giving” of a gift that matters most and not the “receiving” of a gift. Sadly those sayings are often given more lip service than actually practiced heartfelt in the West, in Japan it may be taken much more seriously.

So this brings us to what to buy for your Japanese girlfriend.  Must it be super expensive? Must it be a brand name? Must it be a practical gift or can it be a luxurious item like jewelry?   The best guiding principle for buying a gift for Christmas for your special lady is to first, know what she likes, and secondly, buy something that you have put some thought into.  She will appreciate your effort of buying a thoughtful gift with some meaning rather than a simply expensive, over the top gift that does not fit her personality. However, if your girlfriend is someone who really loves brand names and expensive gifts than be sure to go that route.

Although there is no perfect science to predict what is the best gift for her you should get her something that comes from your heart and reflects your understanding of her personality and will make her happy.   So for instance, if your girlfriend is into a certain hobby or has a favorite color than get something that matches those aspects of her personality that you believe she would enjoy. If she likes a certain style of clothes, handbags, or jewelry than buy her something that she would not buy for herself along those lines.  The bottom line is to show that you care and that you put some deep thought into her gift. You can’t go wrong if it comes from your heart.

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