4 ms·

I love how traditions get skewed as they pass through multi-national/-cultural lenses. I live in China, and any time I go into a 7-11 around this time of year t

by girzel 11y ago

I love how traditions get skewed as they pass through multi-national/-cultural lenses. I live in China, and any time I go into a 7-11 around this time of year they shout at me about "Christmas cakes". After a few half-hearted explanations on my part about how Christmas doesn't really involve cake (explaining pudding is just way beyond the pale), I finally figured out that the Chinese 7-11s are all run by a Japanese company (which explains why they're efficient and not depressing), and that the Japanese have decided that "Christmas cake" is a thing. And so, the Chinese have followed suit. You have to hand it to the Japanese -- they may transform your traditions into something unrecognizable, but they do it so thoroughly that you often start to suspect your own memory...

aristidb 11y ago
It appears Christmas cakes are not just a thing in Japan and China: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake - and then there's some other delicious cake-like things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stollen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stollen Pudding however, now THAT is a weird Christmas tradition :)
- girzel 11y ago
  Wow, from the Wikipedia link: "Christmas cakes of this style were originally released by Fujiya, and was popularized when they began sales at Ginza, the central commercial district in Tokyo. This was during the time when Japan was going through massive waves of Westernization, particularly by the upper elite class. Members of the upper class, who had a strong penchant for Western cultures in general, enjoyed Western style desserts as a delicacy. Thus, being a Western style dessert, Christmas cakes were associated with the idea of Western modernity and social status. Therefore, it was a major hit when the Christmas cakes were commercialized and became more affordable to the general public. As Christmas in Japan developed as a full-fledged commercial event, competition among confectionery stores got intense. Different shapes and styles of Christmas cakes are released across the countless numbers of confectionery stores in the country; the cakes are no longer tied down to the traditional form of round white cakes with strawberries and Santa Claus on top. The Christmas cakes today are symbolized as a ritual of Christmas celebration; specifically, the act of sharing the cake with family or friends." An excellent explanation of what's going on! I knew about fruitcake for Christmas, but these are totally different.
- PhasmaFelis 11y ago
  My mother has always served a Christ Baby Birthday Cake (coffee cake, with coffee and hot chocolate) for breakfast on Christmas morning. I think that's just a family tradition, but it is a lovely start to the day.
- astrange 11y ago
  Christmas pudding means a kind of very rich soft cake you pour brandy over and set on fire for effect. US pudding is called custard in the UK. Now you'll be amazed what they think pants are.
bananaoomarang 11y ago
Christmas cake is a thing here in the UK too, I think it just depends on the family :P
matthewrudy 11y ago
7-Eleven varies by province in China. In Shanghai it's actually run by the Taiwan operator which is definitely more like the Japanese style of 7-Eleven. Hong Kong is run by Dairy Farm (owned by Jardine) and the 7-Elevens in Shenzhen and Guangzhou are organised very similarly (I can't find a source to say it is Jardine, but the style is the same) 7-Eleven as a whole has been majority owned by the Japanese operator since the 90s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven#History
UK-AL 11y ago
well in the UK Christmas cakes are a thing. They're basically a very rich fruit cake with icing. Honestly didn't know they weren't things in other counties. I think most common wealth countries they're a thing to.
- sgt 11y ago
  I'd assume Christmas Cake is just a cake eaten during Xmas. I didn't know it had to be a special type of cake.
radicalbyte 11y ago
Don't you have Xmas cake in the US? Do you have wedding cake? I.e. a heavy fruit cake which has been soaked in port/sherry/rum/whisky and then decorated with marzipan and royal icing? Xmas cake is the same thing. It's part of the English (i.e. British) tradition, and probably spread to the colonies and trading partners. Which would explain it being known in China. We also have Xmas Pudding, which is a similar fruity better but it's steamed and served with the thickest cream you can find (which in my youth was clotted cream).
- dfcowell 11y ago
  Christmas Cake in Japan is entirely different from what the British call it. In Japan it's a double layer chiffon sponge filled with strawberries and cream, with additional strawberries and cream on top.
  - vgnanand 11y ago
    Guess, you mean Japanese Strawberry Shortcakes?
- Avshalom 11y ago
  We do not have Christmas Cake in the US as far as I've ever seen. Even 'fruit cake' which exists solely around Christmas has been the butt of jokes for at least 30 years so very few people actually buy/eat them and they don't usually have anything (booze, frosting) going on with them.
  - baby 11y ago
    Wow, always figured it was the same everywhere. Here in France we have "buche de noel" which means "log of Christmas" because it's a cake shaped like a log.
    - Avshalom 11y ago
      We do have 'yule logs' which wikipedia tells me are broadly the same cake (chocolate sponge cake rolled up around frosting) but I don't know that it's really all that common. US Christmas is stereotypically endless cookies, with gingerbread and cinnamon rolls coming in strong. In general though I think the culinary traditions aren't really unified enough to be worth talking about.
fit2rule 11y ago
Christmas Cakes are (were) a thing in Australia. We'd always get one from our grandparents, stuffed with money. Biting down on a bit of cake and cracking a tooth on a .50c is a real tradition, yo! At least in our family it was .. :)
xorcist 11y ago
> After a few half-hearted explanations on my part about how Christmas doesn't really involve cake [...] > they may transform your traditions into something unrecognizable This "Christmas" thing really took off. You must be proud.
- supergreg 11y ago
  In Japan Christmas is more like valentines than actual Christmas though. It's for couples to go out and hotels are all booked o_O
  - astrange 11y ago
    The cake is so you have something to cry into at home if you're single.
DanBC 11y ago
> After a few half-hearted explanations on my part about how Christmas doesn't really involve cake Hang on... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=christmas+cake&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5z5yF8PbJAhWB0hoKHW8qBCwQ_AUIBygB&biw=670&bih=662 https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=christmas+cake&source=lnms... You'd have been better off saying that Christmas doesn't really involve Santa Claus: https://jakubmarian.com/christmas-gift-bringers-of-europe/ https://jakubmarian.com/christmas-gift-bringers-of-europe/
- hkmurakami 11y ago
  It apparently has real detrimental effects for people with birthdays around that time of year since many bakeries will exclusively make Christmas Cake and refuse to make any other kind of cake, including birthday cake.
- girzel 11y ago
  I have to admit, the Yule Log and the fruitcake are so distinct in my mind from the whipped-creamy thing they sell at 7-11, I didn't even really connect the two.
1stop 11y ago
Christmas Cake is a British + Colonies thing (- the US it seems). So you should suspect your memory, because the Chinese/Japanese seem to remember better ;) Did you really need to make the Chinese are depressing not efficient racial slur?
- sridca 11y ago
  > Christmas Cake is a British + Colonies thing (- the US it seems) Seems so, yes. "christmas cake" is common in India too. For example, "For sweet, the Anglo Indian household enjoys Christmas cake and plum pudding, perfumed with brandy, nutmeg and other spices." http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/the-indian-christmas-table-beyond-turkey-roast-plum-cakes-1257713 http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/the-indian-christmas-table-...
- girzel 11y ago
  The 7-11 slur was an anti-American slur. American 7-11s are depressing and inefficient. The slurpee... oh God.
venomsnake 11y ago
Italian panetone and Pandoro (and if anyone knows about good and reliable recipe for the later, I will be forever grateful) are Christmas cakes.

by girzel 11y ago

aristidb 11y ago

It appears Christmas cakes are not just a thing in Japan and China: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake - and then there's some other delicious cake-like things: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stollen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stollen Pudding however, now THAT is a weird Christmas tradition :)

girzel 11y ago
Wow, from the Wikipedia link: "Christmas cakes of this style were originally released by Fujiya, and was popularized when they began sales at Ginza, the central commercial district in Tokyo. This was during the time when Japan was going through massive waves of Westernization, particularly by the upper elite class. Members of the upper class, who had a strong penchant for Western cultures in general, enjoyed Western style desserts as a delicacy. Thus, being a Western style dessert, Christmas cakes were associated with the idea of Western modernity and social status. Therefore, it was a major hit when the Christmas cakes were commercialized and became more affordable to the general public. As Christmas in Japan developed as a full-fledged commercial event, competition among confectionery stores got intense. Different shapes and styles of Christmas cakes are released across the countless numbers of confectionery stores in the country; the cakes are no longer tied down to the traditional form of round white cakes with strawberries and Santa Claus on top. The Christmas cakes today are symbolized as a ritual of Christmas celebration; specifically, the act of sharing the cake with family or friends." An excellent explanation of what's going on! I knew about fruitcake for Christmas, but these are totally different.
PhasmaFelis 11y ago
My mother has always served a Christ Baby Birthday Cake (coffee cake, with coffee and hot chocolate) for breakfast on Christmas morning. I think that's just a family tradition, but it is a lovely start to the day.
astrange 11y ago
Christmas pudding means a kind of very rich soft cake you pour brandy over and set on fire for effect. US pudding is called custard in the UK. Now you'll be amazed what they think pants are.

bananaoomarang 11y ago

Christmas cake is a thing here in the UK too, I think it just depends on the family :P

matthewrudy 11y ago

7-Eleven varies by province in China. In Shanghai it's actually run by the Taiwan operator which is definitely more like the Japanese style of 7-Eleven. Hong Kong is run by Dairy Farm (owned by Jardine) and the 7-Elevens in Shenzhen and Guangzhou are organised very similarly (I can't find a source to say it is Jardine, but the style is the same) 7-Eleven as a whole has been majority owned by the Japanese operator since the 90s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven#History

UK-AL 11y ago

well in the UK Christmas cakes are a thing. They're basically a very rich fruit cake with icing. Honestly didn't know they weren't things in other counties. I think most common wealth countries they're a thing to.

sgt 11y ago
I'd assume Christmas Cake is just a cake eaten during Xmas. I didn't know it had to be a special type of cake.

radicalbyte 11y ago

Don't you have Xmas cake in the US? Do you have wedding cake? I.e. a heavy fruit cake which has been soaked in port/sherry/rum/whisky and then decorated with marzipan and royal icing? Xmas cake is the same thing. It's part of the English (i.e. British) tradition, and probably spread to the colonies and trading partners. Which would explain it being known in China. We also have Xmas Pudding, which is a similar fruity better but it's steamed and served with the thickest cream you can find (which in my youth was clotted cream).

dfcowell 11y ago
Christmas Cake in Japan is entirely different from what the British call it. In Japan it's a double layer chiffon sponge filled with strawberries and cream, with additional strawberries and cream on top.
- vgnanand 11y ago
  Guess, you mean Japanese Strawberry Shortcakes?
Avshalom 11y ago
We do not have Christmas Cake in the US as far as I've ever seen. Even 'fruit cake' which exists solely around Christmas has been the butt of jokes for at least 30 years so very few people actually buy/eat them and they don't usually have anything (booze, frosting) going on with them.
- baby 11y ago
  Wow, always figured it was the same everywhere. Here in France we have "buche de noel" which means "log of Christmas" because it's a cake shaped like a log.
  - Avshalom 11y ago
    We do have 'yule logs' which wikipedia tells me are broadly the same cake (chocolate sponge cake rolled up around frosting) but I don't know that it's really all that common. US Christmas is stereotypically endless cookies, with gingerbread and cinnamon rolls coming in strong. In general though I think the culinary traditions aren't really unified enough to be worth talking about.

fit2rule 11y ago

Christmas Cakes are (were) a thing in Australia. We'd always get one from our grandparents, stuffed with money. Biting down on a bit of cake and cracking a tooth on a .50c is a real tradition, yo! At least in our family it was .. :)

xorcist 11y ago

> After a few half-hearted explanations on my part about how Christmas doesn't really involve cake [...] > they may transform your traditions into something unrecognizable This "Christmas" thing really took off. You must be proud.

supergreg 11y ago
In Japan Christmas is more like valentines than actual Christmas though. It's for couples to go out and hotels are all booked o_O
- astrange 11y ago
  The cake is so you have something to cry into at home if you're single.

DanBC 11y ago

> After a few half-hearted explanations on my part about how Christmas doesn't really involve cake Hang on... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=christmas+cake&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5z5yF8PbJAhWB0hoKHW8qBCwQ_AUIBygB&biw=670&bih=662 https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=christmas+cake&source=lnms... You'd have been better off saying that Christmas doesn't really involve Santa Claus: https://jakubmarian.com/christmas-gift-bringers-of-europe/ https://jakubmarian.com/christmas-gift-bringers-of-europe/

hkmurakami 11y ago
It apparently has real detrimental effects for people with birthdays around that time of year since many bakeries will exclusively make Christmas Cake and refuse to make any other kind of cake, including birthday cake.
girzel 11y ago
I have to admit, the Yule Log and the fruitcake are so distinct in my mind from the whipped-creamy thing they sell at 7-11, I didn't even really connect the two.

1stop 11y ago

Christmas Cake is a British + Colonies thing (- the US it seems). So you should suspect your memory, because the Chinese/Japanese seem to remember better ;) Did you really need to make the Chinese are depressing not efficient racial slur?

sridca 11y ago
> Christmas Cake is a British + Colonies thing (- the US it seems) Seems so, yes. "christmas cake" is common in India too. For example, "For sweet, the Anglo Indian household enjoys Christmas cake and plum pudding, perfumed with brandy, nutmeg and other spices." http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/the-indian-christmas-table-beyond-turkey-roast-plum-cakes-1257713 http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/the-indian-christmas-table-...
girzel 11y ago
The 7-11 slur was an anti-American slur. American 7-11s are depressing and inefficient. The slurpee... oh God.

venomsnake 11y ago

Italian panetone and Pandoro (and if anyone knows about good and reliable recipe for the later, I will be forever grateful) are Christmas cakes.