Christmas Vibes

In my part of Japan, Osaka, I've been noticing some fun familiar Christmas decorations. It's not just about the "illuminations" or Christmas lights and photo opportunities that are really common these days. 

Trees have been more common in Japan in the last 10 years, not that there are fresh trees for sale anywhere that I know of. 

At a shopping mall called NU Chayamachi near Osaka Umeda Station, I spotted a great tree at the entrance. What was great was the handmade decorations, created by the artist Makoto Egashira who makes sculpural pieces out of vintage blankets. The whales and dinosaurs were such a nontraditional but great touch. There were a lot of ball shaped decorations hanging with fake tree garlands throughout the shopping mall too. The tree is on display until December 25th.

At another mall I stopped by the Farm Universal garden shop and spotted some beautiful mistletoe with berries on it. They sold expensive bouquets but also had a whole branch of it on display. (Imagine a bouquet of mistletoe on a Christmas date.) "Yadorigi" as it's called in Japan is not a common sight!

I'm grateful for these little bits of familiar but different Christmas Vibes as someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas.