In Japan’s modern Christmas tradition, KFC became famous for serving Christmas meals.
The custom began after a successful 1974 marketing campaign called “Kentucky for Christmas.” KFC Japan promoted buckets of fried chicken as a convenient substitute for the turkey or other large holiday meals associated with Christmas in some Western countries.
Christmas is not a major traditional religious holiday in Japan, where Christians form a small minority. Instead, many Christmas customs developed as commercial and popular celebrations, often emphasizing illuminated streets, cakes, romantic outings and special meals.
Demand for the KFC tradition became so strong that customers in Japan commonly place Christmas orders well in advance. The practice is specifically associated with Japan and should not be mistaken for a universal Christmas custom across East Asia.