I hope everyone enjoyed a merry Christmas yesterday! Sorry for the silence, but I was getting very festive in the true spirit of the holiday season.
Santa was a busy man on Christmas Eve, visiting at least three different locations in Hirafu that I know of. I made my way down to The Vale Niseko, where they had an intriguing line up of events that turned out to be quite the Christmas spectacular.
Santa and his elves get their Christmas on
The NISADE Real Estate office was transformed into a Santa cave, complete with piles of presents, teddy bears, and a roaring fire. There were kids everywhere, being guided by some friendly elves in a colouring competition that came to an abrupt halt when the big man himself arrived, a very satisfying Santa indeed!
If you have never seen taiko drummers perform live, I highly recommend you put it on your bucket list. They take my breath away with every performance, and their Christmas Eve special was no different. The show symbolises the climb up Mt Yotei, and is punctuated with cries and yells that will get your heart pounding and your foot tapping.
Local taiko drumming troupe perform for a captivated audience
The VBG handed out some of the most delicious hot chocolate I have ever tasted, as well as some thick and creamy eggnog, made from scratch from a much-guarded recipe.
We all sipped on these exquisite mouthfuls as we watched the next act, a local choir from the Otaru University of Commerce singing carols by candlelight. Their harmonious voices were absolutely spellbinding, although I do wonder how many of the lyrics to Silent Night they actually understood!
Enjoying the lovely voices of the local choir singing carols by candlelight
Once I was replete with three cups of delectable homemade eggnog, I waddled home to a deep sleep, where visions of sugarplums danced in my head.
It was an awesome lineup, and successfully served to give me that warm fuzzy Christmas feeling, far away from home though I am.