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| Christmas decorations light up above a Japanese couple in Tokoy. |
Christmas Eve in some parts of the world may find parents battling crowds of other last-minute shoppers or struggling to assemble toys as their children sleep, but in Japan the holiday is as much for couples as for kids.
Magazines aimed at the young and in love are filled with advice on the best places to stroll down streets illuminated with stunning displays of Christmas lights, the best restaurants for a cosy dinner for two -- and the best hotels for a romantic night.
Tokyo Tower, a popular dating spot, is lighting up a heart-shaped illumination on its observation deck every night until Christmas. Some believe that couples who stand under the tower when the lights go on must vow eternal love.
Lovers can also tie a ribbon to a special Christmas "love tree" on the tower's observation deck.
"When I tied this ribbon, I made a wish that our love would last forever," said Masahiro Yamamoto, 23, as he and his girlfriend enjoyed the view ahead of the holiday rush.
Nearby, the new Tokyo Prince Hotel Park Tower has two specially decorated Christmas suites on offer for 2 million yen ($16,660) a night, fancy dinner included.
"We made this special plan for couples who would like to have a special and memorable Christmas," said concierge Hiromi Koshikawa.
Both suites were booked for December 24 more than a month ago.
"This sort of flashy spending becameconspicuousduring the 'bubble'," said Toshihiro Nagahama, a senior economist at Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute, referring to Japan's late 1980s heydey of sky-high property and share prices.
"With the economy improving now, spending could go up again."
Only about 1 percent of Japan's population is Christian, and December 25 is a working day for most people, but practices such as decorating shopping streets and exchanging gifts became common in the robust consumer economy that emerged after World War Two.
Modern "traditions" include Christmas Cake -- a sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream eaten on Christmas Eve -- and, for some families, a take-out bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
(Agencies)
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在世界上的一些地方，圣诞节前夕的景象常常是这样的：大人们在购物大军中抢购圣诞礼物，体验圣诞前“最后的疯狂”；或是等孩子们睡着后，争分夺秒的把玩具拼好。而在日本，圣诞节不仅是孩子们的节日，也属于那些年轻的夫妇和情侣们。
以年轻人和情侣为读者群的杂志上提供了各种“平安夜好去处”的建议，比如，在花灯璀璨的街边一起漫步。如果想知道在哪些餐馆共进晚餐最有情调、选择哪个旅馆共度平安夜最为浪漫，在这些杂志上都能找到答案。
东京塔是情人们最喜爱的约会地点，瞭望台上安了一个心形灯饰，一到晚上就亮起来，这个景象将一直持续到圣诞节。有人说，情侣们站在塔下，面对着心形的灯彩，一定会彼此立下誓言相爱到永远。
瞭望台上还有一棵特制的圣诞“爱情树”，情侣们可以在树上系带子。
一个23岁的名叫山本正博的年轻人和他的女朋友为了避开圣诞高峰期，提前来到这里观赏灯景，他说，“当我把带子系在‘爱情树’上时，我许下一个愿望：愿我们的爱情天长地久。”
附近的东京天王花园宾馆为了迎接圣诞节，特别布置了两套圣诞套房，每晚租金为200万日元，其中含一顿平安夜美餐。
宾馆管理员甑洋美说，“圣诞套房是为那些想共度一个特别而难忘的圣诞节的情侣们专门准备的。”
这两套圣诞套房在一个月前就被预订了。
在谈到80年代后期日本的泡沫经济时，日本第一生活研究所的高级经济学家长滨利广说，“在泡沫经济时期，这样的奢侈消费是很惹人注意的。”当时日本的物价和股票价格都是高的惊人。
“现在经济状况有所好转，人们的购买力又增强了。”
日本人口中只有1%是基督教徒，圣诞节不是法定假日，大多数人在那一天都要上班，但是装饰购物街、互赠礼物的做法在“二战”后的消费经济强盛时期就已经很普遍了。
到了现代，日本的圣诞习俗中又多了“圣诞蛋糕”，这种用草莓和搅打奶油做成的松糕是专为平安夜准备的。而肯德基的外带全家桶则成为有些家庭的又一选择。
(中国日报网站编译)
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Updated: 2005-12-21 09:23
