The campaign started in the 70s to tempt tourists and expats with chicken on Christmas Day when they couldn't find turkey to eat, and was the the brainchild of Takeshi Okawara, the manager of the first KFC in the country, according to the BBC.
Whatever the true origin story, it's clear on one thing – KFC created a national phenomenon and one of the most popular Japanese Christmas food traditions. Today, around 3.6 million Japanese people tuck into a feast of the Colonel's fried chicken specialities every Christmas.
Japan is the third-largest market for KFC after China and the United States with 1,165 outlets as of December 2014. In Japan, 70 percent of sales are takeout, with customers tending to buy fried chicken for parties and other special occasions and eating it as a side dish.
It's always a very merry Kentucky Christmas in Japan. Every year, millions of families make a beeline for the nearest KFC in Japan and order bucketloads of fried chicken. Children reach in for the best piece of the lot, commemorating what they know to be the most natural tradition–a KFC dinner for Christmas.
China is its biggest market with more than 5,600 outlets while 12 million people eat at KFC restaurants every day around the world. As of 2021, KFC has approximately 25,000 locations in over 145 countries and territories globally.
While turkey is a much loved Christmas classic, roast chicken, lamb and beef are all part of Australian Christmas traditions. And for an absolute show-stopper, you can't go past a glazed ham, studded with cloves and doused in honey for the ultimate Christmas treat.
In Japan, they say 'Meri Kurisumasu' for Merry Christmas. It is indeed a festive time for everyone. Children and adults alike look forward to this time of year.
Not finishing one's meal is not considered impolite in Japan, but rather is taken as a signal to the host that one wishes to be served another helping. Conversely, finishing one's meal completely, especially the rice, indicates that one is satisfied and therefore does not wish to be served any more.
Even Santa Claus (Hawaiian: Kanakaloka) himself is not wearing his corporate red and white suit, but has swapped it for flowery Hawaiian clothes.
1- Merry Christmas!
メリークリスマス！ Merīkurisumasu!
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas In Australia
What is Santa Claus called in Australia? These days most Australians call Atnas (his real name) “Santa”.
Eggnog and Snowballs, Mulled Wine and Christmas Velvet Alexanders... all very fitting for 25th December if you're wrapped up by the fire. Drinking creamy cocktails when its 30 degrees however, is far less appealing.
New Year Celebrations or 'Shogatsu'
It's possibly the most important holiday in Japan, and women and girls often wear beautiful kimono to celebrate the occasion.
But do Chinese people celebrate Christmas? The answer is yes…and no. Like the rest of the world, Christmas Day in China is on December 25th each year. However, Christmas traditions in the country are relatively young and it is mainly celebrated as a commercial season instead of a religious day.
After World War II, Christian missionaries brought gifts and the concept of Christmas to Japanese schools and families. Japan adopted the holiday, not for religious reasons, but to show prosperity in a modern world.
In England and Australia, you'll often hear Happy Christmas, but in the US and Canada, Merry is the star of the show.
Australians often celebrate Christmas Day by enjoying a Christmas lunch or dinner with their closest family and friends. The meal usually consists of a selection of hot and cold dishes, including fresh seafood.
Santa is known as 'Sheng dan Lao ren' in Mandarin, which translates as 'Christmas Old Man', and he is seen as a non-religious figure who lives in a fairytale Arctic Christmas Village in China's North Pole.
KFC (肯德基; pinyin: Kěndéjī) is a fast-food restaurant chain founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1952. KFC specializes in selling fried chicken and is known to have diversified the fast-food market by challenging the dominance of the chicken burger.
Australians prefer American fast food chains
The most popular were McDonald's, with 32 percent of respondents saying that it was their favorite, and KFC with 23 percent of respondents.
The shoe known in Australia as a "thong" is one of the oldest styles of footwear in the world. Worn with small variations across Egypt, Rome, Greece, sub-Saharan Africa, India, China, Korea, Japan and some Latin American cultures, the shoe was designed to protect the sole while keeping the top of the foot cool.