Over the past nine years I have seen Christmas evolve into something that is actually recognized in almost all parts of the society to a certain extent among middle-aged and younger Japanese. First, all Japanese companies are open and operating for business on Christmas day, so that is somewhat of a shock to most foreigners the first time they spend Christmas in Japan. Most foreign workers take the day off or attempt to make such arrangements if they are not going home for the holidays.
For the Japanese, however, Christmas falls on the monthly pay day of most Japanese companies, so there are two things that people do, depending on social obligations. For single men and women, Christmas is a romantic time to spend with that special someone in Odaiba, Tokyo or to have a dinner and take away to the local love hotel. For everybody else, it is a time to go to the local shopping center and buy a Christmas cake, have dinner with the family, and maybe exchange a couple of gifts. Younger parents, especially those that have spent some time overseas, actually decorate a small tree, and put presents under the tree for kids and surrounding family. This tendency over the past five or six years has been heavily driven by merchants promoting the holiday as a precursor to the normal New Year's spending season.
Overall, it's definitely not like Christmas in other parts of the world where the town shuts down, everybody gets together, and it's a festive time with family and friends. The atmosphere is more commercial, romantic that resembles Valentine's Day, and cake sellers on every corner, aisle, and nook between the train station and the other side of the shopping center - no matter where you are in the Tokyo area.
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