It is an oft-peddled tidbit in Japan that a KFC dinner set is a fully acceptable substitution for a traditional Western meal on Christmas Eve.
It¡¯s true that in 1970 family-size ¡°barrels¡± of Kentucky Fried Chicken were promoted at the brand¡¯s original shop in Nagoya to serve in lieu of a turkey-centric holiday spread. It¡¯s also true that an ad campaign launched in 1974 promoted this as ¡°Kentucky Christmas.¡±
Sales at KFC around the festive season in Japan account for upwards of ?7 billion (around $50 to $60 million). In fact, KFC is such a facet of modern culture in Japan that Colonel Sanders himself has reached divine status. During a baseball-related frenzy, Hanshin Tigers fans vindicated by a 1985 win in the Japan Series threw a statue of the Colonel into Osaka¡¯s Dotonbori Canal. A subsequent ¡°curse of the Colonel¡± inflicted upon the Hanshin Tigers an 18-year losing streak.
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