When in Japan, don't be surprised to see Colonel Sanders statues in a Santa Claus outfit. 

In what is a uniquely Japanese Christmas, millions would never let the season go by without having  Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on the dinner table. For a country where less than 2% of the population is Christian, this is the best way to join the world's festivities. While most households around the world take pains in making the Christmas Eve meal fast food-free, an estimated 3.6 million families will partake of fried chicken from KFC in what has become the typical holiday tradition in Japan. For most Japanese, nothing beats eating KFC for Christmas. 

Those in Japan who do not celebrate Christmas treat the season the way they would Valentine's Day, with couples booking seats at fine-dining restaurants to mark the occasion.

Learn more: 8 best memorable places to spend Christmas in Southeast Asia | Celebrating Christmas and New Year in Asia

From nothing to booming: KFC opens its first store in Japan

In the post-war 1950s, Western influence had yet to seep into Japanese culture. American fast-food chains had not made their way into people's homes and stomachs, and popular traditions were non-existent. However, in the late 1960s, the Japanese people started considering Christmas as a seasonal event and began hosting Christmas parties at home when local confectioneries started selling and promoting cakes and sweets for children. What started out as a pastry- and candy-laden year-end celebration for kids turned into a cultural phenomenon, thanks to quick thinking and brilliant marketing.

After austerity measures in the 1940s and 1950s, Japan’s economy started its upward trajectory. For the first time, people had the money to indulge in consumer culture and mimic the buying habits of the United States, which was and remains a cultural force. 

With the entire world in the throes of globalization, Japan's fast-food industry grew 600% between 1970 and 1980, according to “The Colonel Comes to Japan,” a 1981 documentary directed by John Nathan. Many foreign franchises started inundating Japan – among them KFC, which opened its first store in Nagoya in 1970. The chain launched its “Kentucky for Christmas” campaign in 1974, followed by several iterations through the years.

Not just one origin story: How the KFC Christmas tradition in Japan came about

How this culture-defining tradition came to be is the subject of a few tales. The most popular is arguably the one involving Takeshi Okawara, the first KFC store manager in Japan. According to KFC Japan spokeswoman Motoichi Nakatani, he woke up at midnight after the idea to sell a “party barrel” on Christmas came to him in a dream. 

Okawara, who rose from the ranks to become KFC's president and CEO from 1984 to 2002, allegedly overheard foreigners in the store talk about how they missed having turkey for the holidays. It supposedly occurred to Okawara that marketing fried chicken as a substitute for turkey would be the key to turning the fortunes of his floundering store around.

However, in 2020, KFC's own explainer said “[t]he original idea for the campaign came when a foreign customer who visited KFC in Tokyo on Christmas day said, 'I can’t get the turkey in Japan, so I have no choice but to celebrate Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken'. A team member on the KFC Japan sales team overheard the remark and used it as inspiration to launch the first Christmas campaign and its tagline – Kentucky for Christmas.”

Despite conflicting origin stories, one thing is true: KFC is a hit in Japan at Christmastime. This year, a Party Barrel Original, which includes eight pieces of original-favored chicken, a special shrimp gratin, and thick glaçage au chocolat; and Party Barrel Variety, with four pieces of original-flavored chicken three pieces of chicken tenders, special shrimp gratin, and a rich glaçage au chocolat both sell for ¥4,700 or almost $32. During the Christmas season, the KFC bucket holiday special is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for Japanese families.

Learn more: 12 delicious Christmas recipes from around the world by TableCheck

Learning from KFC Japan: Crafting Successful Holiday Campaigns for Restaurants

While a fast-food chain such as KFC has a nationwide reach and an entirely different clientele, fine-dining establishments can also have successful Christmas promotions and create traditions of their own. Of course, Michelin-starred restaurants would have their own holiday offers and level of hospitality that goes with their unique concepts. For mid-tier restaurants, here are some suggestions on how to emulate the KFC Japan Christmas phenomenon and make the season more festive for guests:

• Fill a void. Find out what customers are longing for this season just like KFC did for its lonely and homesick foreign customers and tradition-seeking local patrons. To do this, management must seek regular feedback from guests either in real-time or through year-round surveys. Take inspiration from the KFC holiday campaign on how they promote their Christmas holiday specials and how they weave it with other Japanese Christmas traditions.

• Create an exclusive seasonal menu. Whether diners think of a loud and boisterous or an intimate and quiet Christmas get-together, the first restaurant they should think of having it in is yours. The best way to make this happen is by blowing their minds with a sumptuous holiday feast that they won't find elsewhere.   

• Offer holiday deals. Christmas shopping can be costly and diners would definitely appreciate an extra treat or discount. Serving holiday specials for less, free dessert that goes with an entree, discounted cocktails, and vouchers are just some examples of how restaurants can make guests' visits more memorable.   

• Reach customers through digital ordering. Most people prefer to celebrate the holidays by gathering at home. It would be a delight for them if they could order food just by clicking a few buttons on their phone or laptop. Heavily promote a digital ordering service and be a hit with homebodies.

• Partner with establishments that have a wider reach. Another way of making it easier for your food to reach customers is by collaborating with far-reaching businesses. Konbinis with branches all over the country can carry Christmas offerings, for example.  

KFC should not be the only beneficiary of savvy marketing and flawless execution. Together, creativity and a festive mood can give birth to the brightest of ideas (Colonel Sanders in a Santa suit) and the merriest of celebrations like Christmas in Japan.