The festive atmosphere is perfect for planning our biggest Christmas celebration ever, and this year you're invited.

[Life in Japan Theme Song]

What's happening here today?!

Christmas shopping time, Christmas shopping time!

A great Christmas doesn't just happen, it is planned weeks, even months in advance.

Part of the excitement leading up to Christmas is having gifts start to pile up under the Christmas tree,

and to do that, you've got to go shopping.

Fortunately for us, Japan really gets into the Christmas spirit too,

as retailers offer all kinds of seasonal sales to attract shoppers.

Oh, that's so big. This is the size I got last time, see?

Once we're done with our shopping, we head back home

to where Ruth gets the presents wrapped and ready to stuff under the tree.

Yes? It's Daddy.

[unlocks door]

Won't the kids be thrilled!

Hey kids, guess what mommy's doing?

Presents.

Wrapping presents!

They're going to come out— put them under the tree.

Christmas time isn't just busy for us adults, but also for the kids.

The older girls have big tests coming up that they're studying for,

while the younger kids have presentations at school.

On cold mornings, which is pretty much every morning,

The girls are up and go straight to the kotatsu.

Has this been a good purchase for our family? Yes!

Look at our students. Being so studious.

So girlfriend, what's going on here?

Spying on my kids!

Actually not spying, I just wave to them everyday when they go to school.

But today it's not just the kids who are going to school

Ruth and I will be making a trip to the elementary school for a very special performance.

Just Joshua goes the one way. Bye Dude!

So we are on our way to Sarah's happiyokai, it's her recital

Her first recital at the new school, and she is mega excited.

Hi Sarah!

Sarah! Yes!

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday in the world,

and as such, we have some big plans for Christmas Day that have been in the works for months.

So we've been preparing for our biggest Christmas celebration ever here at Paz Church

Yo Ben- you've been working on this, we're going to have some fun stuff...

Christmas sweater competition... Common'

KFC — Kentucky Fried Chicken gift card give away,

We're going to have a Christmas photo booth, it's going to be absolutely great

So this Christmas the kids have a fun dance,

One's going to be with all ages and ones just going to be with girls.

So it's going to be super exciting!

In the afternoon we're going to have Gospel choirs, we're going to have Candlelight service,

A really special Christmas message for you.

And our family is going to be here at 3 services on Christmas Sunday

At 10 AM, at 3 PM and at 5 PM and we'd love to meet you in person.

So if you're anywhere in the Tokyo area, you need to come. The details are in the description.

Whether at the Coffee Shop or at home, getting Christmas just right isn't just a tradition — it's an obsession!

That looks pretty.

I might need to put one more hook right here...

You're going to shoot dunguris?

Yep.

Outside?

Not inside, I hope!

Whoa! That's cool.

I made it.

You made it. I like it.

With each passing moment, Christmas gets closer and closer, and the excitement builds.

It's like climbing a roller coaster to the top of the hill —

the higher you get, the more intense it gets until you finally go down that first drop!

Oh my goodness, what has happened here?

It's turning into Christmas.

Christmas! It's turning into Christmas with a wonderful, beautiful Christmas hallway!

What's going on here?

We're going to pull my tooth out.

Gonna pull your tooth out?!

We have a loose tooth?

Alright, big brave guy. Here we go.

Dude- let's see! Let's see hole!

Oh! Like at that hole there!

Girls- your little brother is growing up.

Aww.

Ok bite on this. Just bite on it for awhile.

Oh my goodness.

Bite down hard.

Christmas where I grew up near Chicago meant cold winter weather and oftentimes snow.

We all would sing the song “I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.”

But here, even as Christmas approaches, you can enjoy the last bits of fall hanging on.

On a nice day, it's great to get out, breath some fresh air

and go on a hiking date with my wife of 19 years.

Hot coffee and a scone, that's nice.

Hot coffee and a scone? The girlfriend is already thinking about the rewards along the way.

It's chilly out here.

Let's do this.

I walked this trail earlier this year.

It's an old trade trail—

An old highway that goes through these neighborhoods

And I thought at the time "Oh this would be fun to do in the autumn."

And today I have the illustrious girlfriend with me

And we're trying it in the autumn, here we go.

Almost to a lookout point. Very fun.

It was a perfect day for a hike,

and just the thing we needed in the midst of all the busy Christmas preparations.

The girlfriend's sitting down by her flowers.

Do you see those flowers?

Oh yea. Nice.

Girlfriend, the hike so far? Good.

Very good.

Look what you got.

Coffee.

The coffee you were wanting.

If you've watched any of our holiday videos,

you know that big meals with family and friends are a big part of it.

We've got some wonderful looking pie and dessert...

Yum! And look at the table here, full of food!

It looks delicious

Rebecca, look, that's a nice balanced plate.

You have greens and whites and—oh look at Sarah! She just went corn and bread and mashed potatoes.

But for Ruth, one of the big parts of Christmas is making and decorating Christmas cookies,

and she's got a whole team of friends and family that helps.

A pro at work. Oh my goodness, look at those cookies.

The momma chan in her element.

And we brought in the reserves.

The others went to bed...

Bye bye. Good night.

If you didn't know, I'm doing my best to learn Portuguese.

It's an app called Duolingo, you should try it if you want to learn a different language. It is really helpful.

Are we sponsored by Duolingo?

Duolingo, please sponsor us!

I guess, huh?

The family time that we have together as we decorate is just as precious as the things we're making.

It's times like these that create strong family bonds.

Before you guys were born I worked about 45 minutes away from my house.

I would drive 45 minutes one way and 45 minutes home.

That was in America.

That's my first time hearing that.

What did you work?

I was a case worker for handicapped people.

Why do we love Christmas so much? And why do we go to such great lengths to celebrate?

Because of all the holidays we celebrate, Christmas is by far the most important,

for it is the very celebration of the birth of Christ.

Christmas is all about love — the love that God has for each one of us.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son

that whoever would believe in him would not perish, but have eternal life.

Now if that's not cause for a huge celebration, I don't know what is!

In fact, it can turn even everyday moments into joyful times.

Shhh!

What?

It's a forest. It's a ninja wood!

It's the ninja woods?

Yea, this is the place where only Joshua and me

Only if you turn into a ninja you can go in.

Oh! Can you make me a ninja real quick?

OK, you need to go all the way over there and run all the way back.

What?!

Thank you.

OK, so all the way over here... No!

OK, now all the way back.

Am I a ninja now?

No, you walked! I said to run!

Run?!

Yes, and I can hold your camera.

Here? Yea!

And then run back?

No! No!

Well, am I a ninja now?

OK, you can be a ninja now. Oh, OK.

Joshua, you can be the ultimate ninja.

What's going on here Dude?

We're going to pull out my tooth.

Going to pull out your tooth?!

You pushed it!

Got it. Got it?!

Oh sure enough Dude!

Awesome!

Bite on it.

With even more teeth loose, it looks like Joshua will be singing the famous song “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!”

Toothless? Let's see. Give me a big smile, Dude!

Oh Dude, that's awesome.

With all of the ups and downs of this last year, the thing that has kept our family strong is the love of God at the center of it.

It has served as an anchor in the midst of the wild ride that was 2022.

It got windy and rainy and warm,

It is unseasonably warm, crazy right now.

Perfect temperature

Anna's going, getting a ride.

Yea.

Dropping Anna off at violin, I drove right by a familiar place.

It's hard to believe. This is our old place where we used to live.

It's all surrounded. They're going to tear it down.

Wow- what a weird feeling seeing it that way.

OK, let's go. How was violin lessons? Good.

Good, OK, good.

Violin ninja?

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And check the description for all the information about our big Christmas celebrations at Paz Church this year.

We hope they include you!