KFC in Japan on Christmas Eve

This was for the Dr. Know column of Cincinnati Magazine. "I’ve read that in Japan it’s traditional to eat Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas. How did the commonwealth’s most famous fast food achieve such a distinction?"

Apparently the advertising folks figured it was easier to dispense with the cultural backstory of the Colonel and his "vaudeville plantation owner drag" and just go with his resemblance to Santa in order to sell chicken.