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

今年のクリスマスは 皆さんもご招待します

[Life in Japan Theme Song]

今日は？

What's happening here today?!

クリスマスの買い物

Christmas shopping time, Christmas shopping time!

クリスマスの準備が始まります

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

クリスマスといえばプレゼント

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

買い物の季節です

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

日本は買い物が便利です

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

季節品のセールも多くあります

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

大きいわね 前に買ったのに似てる

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

買い物が終わり

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

家でプレゼントを包装します

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

- 誰？ - パパだよ

Yes? It's Daddy.

準備中！

[unlocks door]

ママは何をしてると思う？

Won't the kids be thrilled!

プレゼント

Hey kids, guess what mommy's doing?

包装してる！

Presents.

ツリーの下に置くよ

Wrapping presents!

クリスマスは 子供も忙しい時期です

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

中学生は試験準備

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

小学生は発表会です

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

毎朝寒いね

while the younger kids have presentations at school.

女子は毎朝こたつに直行

On cold mornings, which is pretty much every morning,

良い買い物だった？

The girls are up and go straight to the kotatsu.

真面目な中学生

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

どうした？

Look at our students. Being so studious.

スパイよ！

So girlfriend, what's going on here?

毎朝 手を振ってお見送り

Spying on my kids!

今日は親も学校に行きます

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

小学校で発表会があります

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

ジョシュアは別の通学路

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

サラの転校先で 発表会があります

Just Joshua goes the one way. Bye Dude!

サラは初めての発表会です

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

サラ！

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

サラ！いいね！

Hi Sarah!

クリスマスは特別な祝日です

Sarah! Yes!

教会でも数か月前から 準備をしています

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday in the world,

パズチャーチ史上 最大のクリスマスになります

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

ベン 今年のクリスマスは？

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

セーターコンテスト

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

プレゼントに ケンタッキーのギフトカード

Christmas sweater competition... Common'

フォトブースも作る！

KFC — Kentucky Fried Chicken gift card give away,

子供のダンスをします

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

年齢別に分かれます

So this Christmas the kids have a fun dance,

楽しみです！

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

午後はゴスペルに キャンドルライトサービス

So it's going to be super exciting!

特別なクリスマスメッセージもあります

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

我が家も一日教会にいます

A really special Christmas message for you.

午前10時・午後3時・午後5時の礼拝に出席します

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

東京周辺の視聴者のみなさん ぜひ遊びに来てください！

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

どこで過ごすクリスマスも 特別なひと時です

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

いいわ

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

フックが必要かも

That looks pretty.

どんぐり？

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

うん

You're going to shoot dunguris?

どれ？

Yep.

中じゃないよね

Outside?

すごい！

Not inside, I hope!

成功

Whoa! That's cool.

そうだね

I made it.

クリスマスへ胸が高鳴ります

You made it. I like it.

まるでジェットコースター

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

登った後は ものすごいスピードで下ります

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

すごいな！

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

すっかりクリスマス！

Oh my goodness, what has happened here?

クリスマス！廊下も特別だね

It's turning into Christmas.

どうした？

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

乳歯を抜く

What's going on here?

乳歯を？

We're going to pull my tooth out.

歯が抜けそう？

Gonna pull your tooth out?!

勇者だね！

We have a loose tooth?

見せて！

Alright, big brave guy. Here we go.

抜けたね！

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

弟が成長してるよ

Oh! Like at that hole there!

食いしばって

Girls- your little brother is growing up.

すごい

Aww.

そう

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

故郷のシカゴでは クリスマスは雪です

Oh my goodness.

"ホワイト・クリスマス" が定番曲です

Bite down hard.

東京では秋の名残を感じられます

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

晴れた日の澄んだ空気

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

"まるで19歳" の 奥さんとハイキングです

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

ホットコーヒーとスコーン

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

ホットコーヒーとスコーン？

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

もう考えてるね

Hot coffee and a scone, that's nice.

寒いわね

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

そうだね

It's chilly out here.

今年見つけた道です

Let's do this.

古い交易路

I walked this trail earlier this year.

近所の山をめぐる道

It's an old trade trail—

秋を楽しみにしていました

An old highway that goes through these neighborhoods

今日はガールフレンドと一緒です

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

秋を満喫します

And today I have the illustrious girlfriend with me

もうすぐ展望台

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

ハイキングにピッタリの日

Almost to a lookout point. Very fun.

忙しい時期ですが 一息つきます

It was a perfect day for a hike,

ガールフレンドと野花

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

花が見える？

The girlfriend's sitting down by her flowers.

いいね

Do you see those flowers?

- 今日のハイキングは？ - いいわね

Oh yea. Nice.

本当に

Girlfriend, the hike so far? Good.

それは

Very good.

コーヒー

Look what you got.

飲みたかったね

Coffee.

視聴者の皆さんは

The coffee you were wanting.

我が家が 家族での食事が大好きな事を ご存じでしょう

If you've watched any of our holiday videos,

美味しそうなパイとデザート

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

食べ物でいっぱいです！

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

レベッカはバランスがいいね

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

野菜もある

It looks delicious

サラはとうもろこしとパンとマッシュポテト

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

ルースの定番は クリスマスクッキーです

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

家族で作ります

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

プロの腕前！

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

ママの得意技

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

みんなもお手伝い

The momma chan in her element.

他は寝た？

And we brought in the reserves.

寝たよ

The others went to bed...

ポルトガル語も勉強中

Bye bye. Good night.

デュオリンゴを使っています 便利です

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

スポンサー？

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

スポンサーになって！

Are we sponsored by Duolingo?

そうなったらいいね

Duolingo, please sponsor us!

家族で過ごす時間は 何事にもかえられません

I guess, huh?

家族の絆が深まります

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

あなたたちが生まれる前 家から45分の職場で働いていたのよ

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

車で片道45分

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

アメリカ時代だね

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

初めて聞いた

That was in America.

どんな仕事？

That's my first time hearing that.

障がい者のケースワーカー

What did you work?

なぜクリスマスは特別なのでしょうか？

I was a case worker for handicapped people.

事実 クリスマスは重要な祝日です

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

キリストの誕生日です

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

クリスマスは 神様の愛の日です

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

神様が世界をとても愛したので 永遠の命のために

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

私たちにイエス様を与えられました

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

これほど大事なことはありません

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

愛によって 日常も特別な瞬間になります

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

なに？

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

これはニンジャの森！

Shhh!

ニンジャの森？

What?

ジョシュアと私だけが入れる

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

あとはニンジャ

It's the ninja woods?

ニンジャになれる？

Yea, this is the place where only Joshua and me

あっちに行って 戻ってきて

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

なに？

Oh! Can you make me a ninja real quick?

いいよ

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

分かった

What?!

戻ってきたよ

Thank you.

ニンジャになれた？

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

ダメ！走らないと！

OK, now all the way back.

走る？

Am I a ninja now?

私が撮る！

No, you walked! I said to run!

ここ？

Run?!

走る？

Yes, and I can hold your camera.

違う！

Here? Yea!

もうニンジャ？

And then run back?

いいよ！ニンジャ！

No! No!

ジョシュアもニンジャになる！

Well, am I a ninja now?

どうした？

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

乳歯を抜く

Joshua, you can be the ultimate ninja.

歯を抜く？

What's going on here Dude?

できた！

We're going to pull out my tooth.

できた

Going to pull out your tooth?!

そうだね！

You pushed it!

すごい！

Got it. Got it?!

食いしばって

Oh sure enough Dude!

乳歯が抜けたジョシュアは クリスマスに前歯が欲しそうです

Awesome!

前歯は？笑って！

Bite on it.

すごいな！

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!”

今年も色々なことがありましたが 神の愛が中心にありました

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

2022年のアンカーが 正にそうでした

Oh Dude, that's awesome.

暖かい強風です

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.

変わった天気です

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

快適な気温

It got windy and rainy and warm,

アナがいきます

It is unseasonably warm, crazy right now.

アナはバイオリンの稽古です

Perfect temperature

前の家が解体中です！

Anna's going, getting a ride.

覆いがされています

Yea.

不思議な気持ちです

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

バイオリンの授業は？

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

いいね

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

バイオリン・ニンジャ？

Wow- what a weird feeling seeing it that way.

"いいね！" と "チャンネル登録" を よろしくお願いします！

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

通知ベルも ぜひお願いします

Good, OK, good.

パズチャーチのクリスマス礼拝について 概要欄に案内があるのでご覧下さい！

Violin ninja?

お待ちしています！

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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!