This one will make you chuckle.

Add this Christmas tradition to the “bizarre” category.

Japan has never made a big deal out of Christmas. Other than a few secular traditions such as gift-giving and light displays, the holiday is viewed mostly as a novelty in their country.

But a fun, off-beat “tradition” was born decades ago, when Takeshi Okawara, the manager of a KFC in his country, had a dream to market a “party barrel” on Christmas.

He came up with the idea after overhearing a couple of foreigners discuss how they missed having a Christmas turkey for the holiday. He hoped a Christmas dinner of fried chicken could be a welcomed substitute. And so, the Party Barrel was launched to celebrate Christmas.

It was a hit. And today it’s such a hit that people have to place their order weeks in advance since December is a busy month for KFC in Japan. Daily sales can at times be 10x the norm.

And those who didn’t order their dinners in advance will have to wait in line, sometimes for hours. The power of The Colonel!

We know traditions mean a lot. It’s what creates such great memories for us and our families. We’d love to talk with you about your favorite holiday traditions and perhaps even starting new ones. Like switching gears on where to spend your holidays. After retirement, you could have Christmas on a beach, if you’d like. Or the mountains.

Whatever your dream retirement might look like, we can help you get there. Give us a call at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or book online for a quick 15-minute chat about your financial goals and what you need to do to achieve them.

Regards,
Nikki Earley, CFP®