tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9653036.post4356492156301062689..comments2008-09-26T23:58:28.172+09:00Peter in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11406234614984212429noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9653036.post-12930383653546390922008-09-26T23:58:00.000+09:002008-09-26T23:58:00.000+09:00Ah yes - Christmas Cake. I'm English but it is something we have every year. It is often a deep, rich fruit cake (lots of mixed fruit and nuts - cherries, raisins, currants, walnuts etc.) infused with quite a lot of booze (brandy usually), covered in marzipan, and then covered in hard royal icing. Often decorated with festive scenese.<BR/><BR/>I think most of the UK Christmas tradition also dates back to Victorian times (much of it imported from Germany) which is probably when the UK had influence in Japan?Steve Nealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14252693295395681455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9653036.post-49234343590744884382008-09-25T00:16:00.000+09:002008-09-25T00:16:00.000+09:00Ah, so it is totally British thing, thanks for letting me know. Americans are also confused by "Christmas Cake" in Japan, but it also turns out to be from the U.K. (or Scotland, not sure).Peter in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11406234614984212429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9653036.post-66109238505363341962008-09-24T18:04:00.000+09:002008-09-24T18:04:00.000+09:00Sounds very similar to the English "School Sports Day" - that most schools in the UK hold once a year. Kids compete against each other in sporting events - but there are often parents races too. Some of the sports can be quite silly - like running with an egg in a spoon, or doing a race where you have to jump in a sack, or where husbands and wives run i pairs with their inner feet tied together. <BR/><BR/>Not sure if these date back to Victorian times, but if they did it would explain a Brit importing them to Japan.Steve Nealhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14252693295395681455noreply@blogger.com